FOR THE FIRST time in 11 years, Mourneabbey won’t feature in the Cork Senior A ladies club football championship final.
Mourneabbey were dethroned after a 3-8 to 3-7 defeat to Glanmire this evening.
That result, coupled with St Vals’ 1-14 to 0-7 win over Fermoy, means Glanmire and St Vals progress to the Senior A semi-finals.
Mourneabbey and Castlehaven go into the last four of the Senior B competition. The Clyda outfit will face Kinsale next weekend, while Clonakilty await Castlehaven in the last four.
Aghada and Eire Óg progressed to the Senior A semi-finals from the other group, with Aghada facing Glanmire next and Eire Óg and St Vals going head-to-head.
This result and @stvalsladies win means that for the first time in 11 years Mourneabbey won't be in the Senior A championship final. Glanmire and Vals head for the semis with Mourneabbey and Castlehaven into the Senior B semi finals. https://t.co/R4EqPc1fla
— Rory Noonan (@RnRor) September 22, 2024
Mourneabbey were the defending Cork Senior A champions, having won nine titles in 10 seasons.
They also won seven Munster titles and two All-Irelands in that glittering period.
It’s the latest shock in ladies club football across the country. Donaghmoyne were dethroned in Monaghan last weekend, with Magheracloone sensationally ending their 22 in-a-row bid, while Dublin heavyweights Foxrock-Cabinteely were defeated by Cuala in a senior relegation play-off midweek.
Why not play against Spain and Portugal in Madrid? Would get lots of fans traveling (Madrid lovely in late Sept/early Oct), and really good for these two countries development
@Andrew Slazenger: probably less valuable from a development perspective for Ireland though. Touring SA would serve younger players in future competitive tests, exposing them to the games at altitude against teams that are more hostile and experienced.
@Andrew Slazenger: would you rather drive a Ferrari or a Fiat Punto? What’s wrong with you man…!!!
@Stuart: Portugal beat Fiji, drew with Georgia and we’re excellent vs Wales in the World Cup, honestly I’d say they’re close the level of the Cheetahs
@Stuart: okay wow no need to knock the fiat punto
Absolutely understand the merits of the tour as a means of testing and integrating younger players into the international arena.
But I genuinely don’t understand the timing. Surely there are time slots where it wouldn’t hurt the clubs.
Also why not being back the wolfhounds.. similar concept but on free weeks around the 6Nations
@John Fitz: I’ve given up moaning about how much this effects all clubs AND provinces, no ones listening and no one (including the IRFU) gives two sh!t$ about the clubs (AIL). It was a great tour, big joe and Tom n the second row! Its like a look a potential national teams in 3 years time. I cheered from the sofa, and then didn’t go to the back pitch at Thomond like I should have
Select young u20s players etc who will not be playing urc games. Otherwise its a waste of time and a drain on provinces that dont have bloated squads like leinster.
@mike o’farrell: If you watched the game against the Cheetahs in the last tour – especially the scrum – it would be obvious that a U20 side would get slaughtered by this opposition. Also, fwiw, Leinster won’t have a more bloated squad than anybody else next season
IRFU devalueing the URC again. Why not bring back the wolfhounds and have them play England Saxons etc durning the 6 nations, or go on a summer tour to USA and Canada, the timing of this undermines what the URC is trying to do in not having games durning international windows so the best players can play for thier provinces more.
Think Ireland vs western force on 6th is an error should be province ..
@Stuart: The clue is in the article
@damien reidy: ah ok didn’t read it correctly , so emerging Ireland playing an Aussie side in SA too then ..that’s different alright ..
@Stuart: Andrew Forrest’s Western Force … Mining Contacts get doors open for you
@Stuart: Didn’t Argentina have a side in the Currie Cup in 2013-15 ?
@damien reidy: jeez I actually had to google that as haven’t watched Currie cup in years but yes looks like a Jaguares XV certainly competed in the Currie cup first division (one below premier) and won it .also a team from Zimbabwe, Kenya, Namibia, USA seem to be in that comp (first division).. interestung stuff
100% this should be done during international windows when no URC games are done.
Aside from touring a Ireland A/Development team will fill out Ravenhill, Donnybrook, Musgrave etc if they were playing Tier 2 European teams like Georgia, Spain on a Friday night.
Some players I would love to see in this squad include Sam P, Doak, Izzy, Forde, R Russell, Edogbo x 2, Gavin, Milne
It would have been better if this was organised during the off season of club rugby so younger players would get experience instead of in the middle of a season.
@sean o’farrell: they don’t call it the off season for no reason,:)
@anthony davoren: where else would you put it
Izzy would be better off starting for Ulster in their SA tour which runs pretty much at the same time.
@Justin Robinson: interesting point. Famously in the last Emerging Ireland Tour Ben Healy played on with Munster while Crowley went to SA. At the time Crowley was 3rd choice at Munster. On top of that many saw the tour as a vehicle to give Frawley game time at 10. Frawley got injured … the rest is history.
@Cormac McCarthy: Great. Flannery went on the tour as well and it didn’t do him much good. In fact, so was Izzy and he’s only just got back in the side two years later!
@Justin Robinson: given what we’ve seen of him, that is sort of mad
@Thesaltyurchin: Yes, he’s been a breath of fresh air. Had some time-keeping issues with Dan – he’s a pretty relaxed lad. Prior to that, he had an ACL injury in 2021. McCann was also used sparingly for a good while. There’s an argument that holding them back until they were fully ready has worked.
With the loss of the B & I Cup, there are far fewer opportunities for the younger players to show their talent. Big jump from AIL to URC top end. Also the time of year must suit the hosts.
@kieran horgan: Make the AIL great again
@kieran horgan: I think the working assumption of most people on this site is that the hosts will be happy to fit in with whatever the IRFU proposes.