Plenty of action over the weekend with all four of our our teams in action progressing to the knockout stages. Well done to all involved in each team. Read all about each fixture below. 

Aghada advanced to the semi final stages of Junior C Football Championship after a great win over Russell Rovers on Saturday afternoon. On the front foot from the word go, driven forward by our excellent captain Sean Corkery at midfield, it was our two corner forwards who did most of the damage on the scoreboard. Lachlan McRae and Sean O’Callagan shared 5 goals between them. A hat trick from Sean, one from the spot, after Lachlan was fouled, shows just how influential both players were. Sean also had a hat trick of points. Lachlan also had the opening point, with Josh Halpin, and an excellent point from young Cormac Walsh completing the scorers on the day for Aghada. At the back, James O Donnell, Conor Baxk and Finn Berry impressed. While upfront Finn Crowley, Hugh Mulcahy and Oisin Counihan were involved in most of Aghada's positive attacking play. Well done to player/manager Richard Condon who has guided his squad to the knockout stages for the 2nd time in two years. A mighty achievement. Our lads will now face Castlelyons in the Semi Final of the competition in a few weeks time. 

Aghada: Matthew O Connor, Conor Baxx, Pete White, Finn Berry, Colm White, Richie Condon, James o Donnell, Aidan O Connell, Sean Corkery, Finn Crowley, Oisin Counihan, Shay Keane, Sean O Callaghan (3-3), Josh Halpin (0-1), Lachlan McRae (2-1). 

Subs Used - Hugh Mulcahy, Cormac Walsh (0-1), Alan Walsh, Jordan Halpin, Sean Freeman.

On Saturday, Aghada’s Premier Intermediate footballers travelled to Ballincollig to face Aghabullogue in their final group game of the season. The equation was simple but daunting: win, and qualification would almost certainly be secured. Lose, and we would need a favour in the other game between Nemo Rangers and Bantry Blues.

Aghada burst out of the traps with real intent, hitting the first two points of the game. Diarmuid Byrne got us off the mark before Cian Hegarty clipped over a superb effort from a tight angle. In truth, the lead could have been bigger, but some wayward finishing cost us a chance to really punish Aghabullogue. Our opponents grew into the game and seized momentum, rattling off 1-4 without reply as Aghada went an incredible 23 minutes without a score.

Despite being under the cosh, our defenders stood firm, with Ed Leahy, Kyle O’Shea, Jack Colbert and Jordan Tynan producing several excellent interventions to keep us in touch. Just before the break, Aghada finally found their range again. Hegarty and Jamie O’Hanlon (after a brilliant Byrne pass) hit fine scores, and while Aghabullogue responded with another point, Hegarty stepped up once more with a crucial long-range two-point free after good work from Seán Morrissey and Seamus Moloney. That score reduced the deficit to three at half time: Aghada 0-6, Aghabullogue 1-6.

The second half began with Aghabullogue firmly on top, as they landed the first three points to stretch their lead. At that stage, results elsewhere weren’t going our way either, and elimination from the championship looked almost certain. But Aghada’s leaders weren’t ready to bow out. Jake O’Donoghue, Pearse O’Neill and Ronan Murphy drove us forward with real power, while Timmy Hartnett got more involved. When Diarmuid Phelan was fouled outside the 40, Hegarty once again nailed a two-point free to give us hope.

That hope took a dent when Aghabullogue hit three more points, but Aghada’s substitutes swung the momentum back our way. Scott Whyte brought fresh energy, bursting forward at pace, and a patient move ended with Jack Norris unleashing a booming two-pointer to cut the gap to five. Suddenly, Aghada were in control of possession and territory and the introduction of Conor O’Driscoll and David Wallace allowed us to dominate the kickout battle for a key period.

The closing stages were dramatic. A penalty drifted agonisingly wide, before Hegarty’s thunderbolt effort crashed off the crossbar. With the group table so tight, every score mattered. Then came one of the game’s most crucial moments – Aghada’s goalkeeper rose brilliantly to pluck a ball from above the crossbar, denying Aghabullogue what looked like a certain point. It was a vital intervention that, as events unfolded, proved just as important as any score we registered. Soon after, disaster struck when we were penalised for a three-man breach in defence – gifting Aghabullogue another point and leaving the final margin at six. Final score: Aghada 0-10, Aghabullogue 1-13.

At the final whistle, elimination looked likely, as Bantry led Nemo by four points in the other game. The players gathered with their mentors in the middle of the pitch, bracing themselves for bad news. Then, the drama intensified – Bantry hit a late, late point to secure a five-point victory. Suddenly, everything changed.

Here’s how it stood:

By the slimmest of margins, Aghada were confirmed as group runners-up and through to the championship quarter-final. Relief quickly gave way to joy as the news filtered into the team huddle – a huge achievement for the players and management after a long and testing campaign.

Aghada now look ahead to a quarter-final clash with Glanmire in two weeks’ time on Saturday the 27th of September at 5pm in Lisgoold. Well done to all involved – a memorable day in Ballincollig that underlined the resilience and fighting spirit of this group. 

Aghada: Cian O’Shea, Ed Leahy, Jack Colbert, Kyle O’Shea, Jordan Tynan, Jake O’Donoghue, Ronan Murphy, Diarmuid Phelan, Cian Hegarty (0-6), Diarmuid Byrne (0-1), Timmy Hartnett, Seamus Moloney, Sean Morrisey, Jamie O’Hanlon (0-1), Pearse O’Neill.

Subs used: Jack Norris (0-2), Scott Whyte, Conor O’Driscoll, David Wallace.

Our Senior Ladies Footballers were going for four out of four in the group stages on Sunday as they faced Castlehaven in Rostellan. The conditions that greeted both sides on arrival weren’t pleasant as the realisation of winter arriving hit home! Our girls have had a very good campaign so far with wins against St. Vals, O’Donovan Rossa and Clonakilty. Aghada got off to the perfect start here racing into a 1-4 to 0-1 lead after fifteen minutes. Kaitlin Smith with the Aghada goal as the Aghada attackers finished well in the opening period. By half time our girls were in a very dominant position leading 3-6 to 0-1. Hannah Looney and Abigail Ring with the other Aghada goals. Aghada played with the breeze in the second half but to Castlehaven's credit, they battled well and added two points of their own. Aghada had a few fine attacks and some lovely play with Lauren Linehan adding an impressive point from play from a tight angle. Aghada had some very impressive performances across the pitch and will now look forward to a home County Semi Final against Mourneabbey in two weeks time. This is another great achievement for our girls as this is their third home County Semi Final in four years. Well done to all involved. 

Roll on the big game against Mourneabbey on Sunday week!

Fresh off the buzz of our Premier Intermediate team’s qualification for the quarter-final the day before, Aghada’s Junior A footballers entered Sunday’s must-win clash against Glenbower Rovers in Ballinacurra with great energy. The pitch looked immaculate, but the gale-force breeze blowing straight down the field promised a game of two very different halves. For Aghada, the task was clear: win and advance, lose and the season was over.

Playing into the teeth of the wind in the first half, Aghada knew they would need to weather the storm. Glenbower hit the opening two points before Conall Rooney, following fine link-up play by Max Ahern, Dan Leahy, and Rob Dean, got Aghada off the mark. That, however, would be our only score of the half as the wind and some wasteful finishing stifled our attack. Glenbower added 1-5 before the break, but thanks to strong defensive work from Jack Corkery, Finn Berry, and Conor Back, the deficit wasn’t even greater. At half time it was Glenbower 1-7, Aghada 0-1.

The lads knew they’d have their chance after the restart with the gale at their backs, and they made the perfect start. Within 20 seconds, James Motherway clipped over from play, before James Hurley fired another off his trusty left leg. Soon after, Motherway struck a thunderous two-pointer from play, cutting the gap to five inside the first six minutes of the half. Suddenly, Aghada were in full control of midfield, with Marcus Leahy and Donagh Collins dominant on kickouts and Andrew Murphy hoovering up every break going.

That platform allowed our forwards to thrive. Rooney won a free, and Hurley converted a tricky two-pointer. Barely a minute later, Hurley added another two-pointer from play, causing havoc in the Glenbower defence. The gap was down to one. Then, Collins kicked a point “soccer-style” to level the game, before Hurley nudged us in front for the first time with another well-taken score. With a quarter of an hour left, Aghada led by one and looked odds-on with the strong breeze at our backs.

But Glenbower weren’t finished. Awarded a penalty with ten minutes left, they buried it to swing momentum back their way, leading by two. Collins responded with a long-range point – which many thought was a two-pointer – but Glenbower immediately cancelled it out with one of their own. A brilliant save from Rob Dean in the Aghada goal kept us alive, as he denied a certain Glenbower goal. They did tack on another point, pushing three clear with just four minutes to play.

Our lads looked in real bother but showed tremendous composure. Patient build-up from Conor Geary, Éanna Crowley, Marcus Leahy, and John Walsh worked the ball forward, and substitute Seán Óg O’Keeffe was in the right place at the right time to bury the ball to the net, levelling the contest once more. The roar from the Aghada supporters said it all. Donagh Collins deserves great credit for his part in the goal, incredibly teeing up Seán Óg by hand passing the ball to himself in the build up which took 2 defenders out of the equation! 

Moments later, Aghada delivered the score of the game. Having switched to the full forward line from goalkeeper at half time, John Walsh gained possession nearly 50 metres out. Spotting an opportunity, he launched a monstrous effort that sailed over for a stunning two-pointer. Aghada were now two ahead with minutes to play. Glenbower fought desperately, pulling one back, but the final whistle came with Aghada clinging to a vital hard fought one-point win: Aghada 1-15, Glenbower Rovers 2-11.

This game had everything – a gale force breeze, goals, drama, momentum swings, and incredible scores. Andrew Murphy was superb, covering every blade of grass and setting the tone with his relentless work rate throughout the game, while James Hurley was back to red-hot form, finishing with a magnificent tally of seven points. Two young players aided by many more driving our Junior A footballers forward – a hugely positive sign for the club’s future.

The result secures Aghada’s place in the Junior A Championship quarter-final, where we will face Erin’s Own in two weeks time. A brilliant achievement for this group of players and management. Well done to all involved!

Aghada: John Walsh (0-2), Conor Geary, Jack Corkery, Finn Berry, Conor Baxk, Marcus Leahy, Éanna Crowley, Conall Rooney (0-1), Dan Leahy, Max Ahern, Donagh Collins (0-2), Andrew Murphy, James Hurley (0-7), James Motherway (0-3), Rob Dean. 

Subs used: Samuel O’Driscoll, Seán Óg O’Keeffe (1-0), Issac Oosthuizen.