Latest news with #Carrigaline
Irish Examiner
4 days ago
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
Carrigaline have 'big belief' but must focus on first day out, insists Chris O'Herlihy
2023 saw the fall of Carrigaline from the top-table of Cork club football. 2024 would be the year of their climb. Their demotion to Senior A at the end of '23 came about after a replay loss to Mallow, but only a few months later, a Division 1 league crown was harvested by beating Nemo Rangers. From there, the desire to get back up playing Premier Senior at the first opportunity was evident. And on they marched. Their nail-biting dispatch of Kanturk on penalties in the semi-final gave them a shot at putting right what went wrong a year earlier, and they booked their immediate return to the top grade with a two-point win over Knocknagree in the decider. "It was a very special year," said Carrigaline's Chris O'Herlihy. "We had a very good league campaign which set us up nicely for the senior A championship. "It was a very tough competition as well, so we were just glad to get over the line there." While - on paper - the league didn't go according to plan for the Carrigdhoun outfit in 2025, O'Herlihy insists some factors played into that. The integration of youth has been a positive aspect of the campaign, too. Chris O'Herlihy, Carrigaline, at the McCarthy Insurance Group 2025 Cork Club Football Championship launch, at SuperValu Pairc Ui Chaoimh. Pic: Jim Coughlan. "It was a tough league. We were down and few players and we had a few injuries along the way, but we definitely took a few learnings, and a lot of young players came through. We're happy with where we're at now." O'Herlihy and his Michael Meaney-managed Carrigaline side won't have it easy on their mission to make an impression on their return to Premier Senior level. A group containing Carbery Rangers, Clonakilty and St Finbarr's awaits. "We're going to try and build on last year, we have a very good test this weekend against Carbery (Rangers)," said defender O'Herlihy. "We'll just focus on that, hopefully get a result and push on from there. "If you lose the first game, you're under serious pressure straight away. That's been our big focus really, the first game. All the team are very good, Carbery (Rangers) will be a very tough test." Eyes fixed on an extended run into the latter stages of the competition? O'Herlihy insists they can't afford to take their vision off the here and now. "We have big belief in ourselves, but we haven't been looking that far ahead. We're just focused on the group, focused on the first game. We'll move onto Clon from there." The 2024 league final win was significant for the club as a whole, but particularly for one debutant. Cork senior footballer Brian O'Driscoll - having transferred from West Cork outfit Tadgh MacCarthaigh - made his Carrigaline bow that day. The West Cork native has had a major impact on the camp. "He was huge for us last year, not just the way he was playing, but his professionalism and experience definitely added a lot to us. "It was a huge help to us last year, competing in Senior A and getting over the line in the end, so it's great to have him," O'Herlihy concluded.
Irish Examiner
14-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Examiner
In Pictures: Crowd pleaser Olly Murs delivers lively performance at Marquee in Cork
Olly Murs took to the stage of the Marquee in Cork on Sunday delivering a high-energy set at the tented venue. Always a crowd pleaser, the Essex-born singer and songwriter delivered a lively and infectious performance with catchy hits and smooth dance moves. Concert-goers were also treated to an opening set by Cork singer-songwriter Allie Sherlock, who rose to prominence through busking on the streets of Cork and Dublin from a young age. Sisters Vaida and Daiva Griciute from Galway at the gig. Picture: Larry Cummins. Saymia Frahill and Bridget O'Regan, from Cobh with Rachel Byrne and Laura Quinn, from Tracton. Picture: Larry Cummins. Ella and Trish Hurley, Carrigaline at the gig. Picture: Larry Cummins. Olly Murs performs at Live at The Marquee, Cork. Picture: Larry Cummins. Helen McVeigh-Gould, Dublin Hill with mum Patricia McVeigh, from Armagh with visiting Gould and Buckley families at the gig. Picture: Larry Cummins. Read More In Pictures: Dec Pierce belts out the Block Rockin Beats at Marquee in Cork
Irish Examiner
22-06-2025
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
St Finbarr's secure final berth, Clon and Nemo in contention
St Finbarr's qualified for the final of Division 1 of the McCarthy Insurance Group Cork Football League without kicking a ball after they received a walkover from Newcestown in the final round. They must wait another week, however, to find out who will join them. Nemo Rangers are in second place at the moment after they beat St Michael's by 0-16 to 2-7 on Thursday night. Should Clonakilty avoid defeat against Castlehaven next Sunday, they will play the Barrs in the final. Conor Horgan led the way for Nemo with 0-8 while eight other players kicked 0-1 each, captain Steven Cronin and Kieran Histon amongst them. Liam O'Sullivan shot 1-1 for Michael's while Eric Hegarty slotted home a penalty but they needed a win to have any chance of avoiding relegation. The competition for who would go down with Michael's was complicated by Douglas giving a walkover to Carrigaline. This brought them level on points with Éire Óg with Carrig enjoying the head-to-head edge over the Ovens men. Thus, Éire Óg needed a positive result against Cill na Martra on Sunday morning to stay up. And they got it, as the sides played put a 0-14 to 1-11 draw, relegating Carrigaline in the process. The Ovens side led going into injury time, only for Damien Ó hUrdail to kick a late point to go with his earlier goal to earn the Gaeltacht men a share of the spoils. Brian Hurley kicked 0-3 for Éire Óg, Chris Kelly scored 0-2, while Darragh Clifford also kicked a point. In Division 2, already promoted Carbery Rangers and Knocknagree played out a dress rehearsal for the final with a late John Hodnett point earning the West Cork men a 0-16 to 1-12 win. Hodnett kicked 0-3 overall, Daragh Hayes did the same while John O'Rourke clipped 0-2. Anthony O'Connor kicked 0-8 for Knocknagree, with Denis O'Connor contributing 1-3. Elsewhere, two goals from Diarmuid MacTomáis and a third from Seán Ó Luasa helped Béal Átha 'n Ghaorthaidh to a 3-11 to 0-9 win over Castletownbere. Ciarán McCarthy inspired Valley Rovers to a 0-9 to 1-5 win over Dohenys while already relegated Kanturk beat Ballincollig by 1-12 to 1-5. Finally, 1-5 from Kevin Davis helped O'Donovan Rossa to a 1-11 to 1-10 win over the other relegated side, Fermoy. In Division 3, Uibh Laoire needed to beat Rockchapel in their final game to qualify for the final against already-promoted Clyda Rovers. In the end, they got it with three late points from Ian Jones, Kevin Manning and Cathal Vaughan helping them to a 0-15 to 0-13 win. Aghada and Kiskeam were relegated from Division 3 and they will be replaced by Aghabullogue and Bandon. Two goals from Luke Casey and a third from Aaron O'Sullivan secured Agahabullogue's berth in the Division 4 final as they defeated already relegated St Vincent's by 3-16 to 0-13. Goals from Mark Sugrue, Peter Calnan and Ben Donegan helped Bandon to a 3-10 to 0-8 win over Glanmire. Vincent's were followed through the trapdoor by Bantry Blues. In Division 5, Gabriel Rangers defeated Kilmurry by 1-17 to 1-6 thus ensuring the sides would meet again in the final while Glenville and Glanworth were demoted. St Nicks secured their promotion from Division 6 by hitting a magnificent seven goals against Aghinagh on Friday. Danny Morris kicked 1-3 for Nicks, with Gavin Marshall bagging a brace of goals as they finished in second place behind Canovee. City sides St Michael's and Mayfield were relegated from Division 6, while West Cork sides Argideen Rangers and Kilmacabea were promoted from Division 7.
Irish Examiner
08-06-2025
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
Cork Football League: Barrs and Clon in the driving seat
St Finbarr's and Clonakilty are the favourites to make the final of Division 1 in the McCarthy Insurance Group Cork Football League after both teams registered important wins in the penultimate round of the competition. They are tied on 14 points each as both sides took advantage of Nemo Rangers dropping points against their neighbours from Douglas. Clon welcomed bottom-placed Carrigaline to town on Sunday morning, knowing that a win would put them top of the table as they enjoy the head-to-head advantage over the Barrs. They ran out winners by 2-17 to 2-12 in Ahamilla as Carrigaline fought tooth and nail to get themselves out of the relegation zone. Dara Ó Sé top scored for Clon with 0-5, Ross Campbell and James Mannix both grabbed 1-1, Conor Daly clipped 0-3 while Sean McEvoy contributed 0-2. Niall Coakley matched Ó Sé's 0-5 for Carrig while Kieran McCarthy and Ryan Delaney both registered 1-1. St Finbarr's defeated St Michael's by 0-17 to 1-7 on Thursday evening. Steven Sherlock once again led the way for the Barrs, shooting 0-9 with 0-5 coming from play and one two-pointer coming from a free. Cillian Myers Murray clipped 0-5, with 0-4 coming from outside the scoring arc while Bill O'Connell and Fionn Crowley also raised white flags. The Barrs led by 0-12 to 0-7 before a goal from Domhnall Cremin gave the hosts a sniff of a chance that they could not take. Luke O'Herlihy hit 0-5, including one two-pointer while Daniel Meany also got his name on the scoresheet. The result means Michael's and Carrigaline remain on two points and will need a win along with a bit of luck on the final day if they are to avoid the drop. Nemo Rangers missed their chance to make it to 14 points after they lost to Douglas by 0-16 to 1-7 on Thursday. Rob Hanley raised an orange flag from play and from a free for Douglas, Pádraig Lucey and Adam Cantwell both clipped 0-3 while goalkeeper Andrew Cotter landed a two-point free. Conor Horgan led the charge for Nemo with 0-4, Bryan Hayes clipped 0-3 while Ronan Dalton bagged the goal. Castlehaven guaranteed themselves Division 1 football for 2026 by recording a 1-20 to 2-9 win at home to Éire Óg. Michael Hurley was the main man for the Haven, helping himself to 0-8 while Jamie O'Driscoll raised two orange flags and one white one, Seán Browne hit 1-1 and Micheál Maguire scored 0-4. Brian Hurley grabbed 1-3 for Éire Óg, Jack Murphy kicked 0-3 and Dylan Foley landed their other major. The Ovens side need to avoid defeat against Cill na Martra on the final day to secure their safety. Speaking of Cill na Martra, they registered their fourth win of the campaign, beating Newcestown by 2-15 to 0-17. Ciarán Ó Duinnín top-scored for the Gaeltacht men with 1-2, Shane Ó Duinnín grabbed their other major while Jason MacCárthaigh clipped 0-4. David Buckley was Newcestown's main man with 0-7, while Richard O'Sullivan and Niall Kelly both clipped 0-2. In Division 2, Carbery Rangers had already guaranteed themselves promotion and a place in the final by beating Béal Átha 'n Ghaorthaidh by 3-15 to 3-8 last weekend, with Ciarán McCarthy, Conor Twomey and John O'Brien grabbing the goals. Knocknagree will join them in Division 1 next season after they beat Fermoy by 1-21 to 0-13 on Sunday morning. Tadc O'Mahony scored their goal, Michael McSweeney scored 0-9, Anthony O'Connor clipped 0-6 with half of them coming from play, while Denis O'Connor scored 0-3. The table-toppers will have a dress rehearsal for the final when they clash in the last round. Knocknagree's win had the knock on effect of relegating Fermoy, and Kanturk followed them through the trapdoor on Sunday afternoon after they played out a 2-10 to 1-13 draw away to Castletownbere. James Harrington bagged 1-1 for the home side, Gérard Healy raised the other green flag, while Fintan Fenner, Andrew O'Sullivan and Gary Murphy all kicked 0-2. Dohenys remained in third spot after they defeated O'Donovan Rossa by 3-18 to 1-20 in Dunmanway. Three first half goals put the home side in pole position as they led by 3-5 to 0-7 at the break. The Skibbereen side fought hard, however, with Kevin Davis kicking 0-12, Dave Shannon landing 1-3 and Niall Daly clipping 0-3. Finally, Valley Rovers played out two draws in five days at home to Béal Átha and away to Ballincollig. On Tuesday it finished 1-10 to 0-13. Tim Ó Laoire had the goal for the Gaeltacht side with Seán Ó Muineacháin impressing. Then, on Sunday. It finished Ballincollig 1-11, Valley Rovers 0-14. Steve Coughlan scored the Ballincollig goal while Peter O'Neill, Kevin Browne and Chris Walsh all clipped 0-2. Adam Walsh Murphy and Ciarán McCarthy did the bulk of the scoring for the Valleys in both games.
Irish Examiner
26-05-2025
- Climate
- Irish Examiner
Peter Dowdall: Action stations at Mallow Home & Garden Festival
As the days lengthen and the sun shines brighter, gardens have once more taken centre stage, but with the increasing unpredictability of our weather, long dry spells followed by sudden downpours, it's becoming clear that our traditional approaches to gardening may need a rethink. This year's Chelsea Flower Show echoed that sentiment, showcasing designs and plant selections that embrace resilience and sustainability. The focus on drought-tolerant plants was noticeable. The Karoo Garden, inspired by South Africa's semi-desert, showcased succulents and hardy species suited to arid conditions. More locally, the Garden of the Future featured dry-resistant plants like rock rose, Cistus × purpureus and chickpeas Cicer arietinum. Angela and Henk Veldman and Joan O'Donovan, all from Courtmachsherry, at Mallow Home & Garden Festival. Pictures: Eddie O'Hare Adding these plants to our gardens doesn't mean compromising on beauty. The Sally Holmes rose, with its large white blooms, was a highlight at Chelsea, showing that elegance and hardiness can coexist. Likewise, the Allium siculum, or Sicilian honey garlic, with its bell-shaped flowers, adds structure and thrives in drier soils. Garden design was key to water-wise gardening at the show. Naturalistic planting, gravel paths, and mulch helped retain soil moisture and cut down on extra watering. Raised beds and containers improved control over soil and drainage. Adapting gardens by starting with small changes can be effective. Adding drought-tolerant plants, using mulch to retain soil moisture, and adjusting watering routines are all practical steps. The Chelsea Flower Show illustrated that these modifications can create sustainable yet visually appealing and interesting gardens. Graham Walker from Carrigaline at Mallow Home & Garden Festival. Bringing such inspiration down to earth and into our own hands, as always, was Mallow Home & Garden Festival, which unfolded from Friday, May 23, to Sunday, May 25, at Cork Racecourse. It was a real show experience as festivalgoers walked through the gardens, smelled the flowers, and growers and designers gave us an insight into their work, before garden-lovers packed their car boots with their plant purchases. Trish O'Sullivan (left) and Tina Cronin both from Cullen. After attending, people didn't just take home tools, furniture and crafts, but clever design ideas for inside and out, as over 200 exhibitors showcased everything from home improvement solutions to artisan food and drink. The 25 stunning show gardens on display offered ideas that work in real gardens here in Ireland. The gathering of Irish Specialist Nursery Association members, in the stables area of the racecourse, provided us with the opportunity to snap up rare gems not to be seen in a standard garden centre. For me personally, one of the best parts of the weekend is the series of free gardening talks and demonstrations, and I enjoyed sharing knowledge along with my good friend Paraic Horkan as we covered everything from planting combinations to garden design, pest control to pollinator-friendly practices and taking a resilient approach to gardening. Irish Examiner gardening columnist Peter Dowdall speaking at Mallow Home and Garden Festival. All in all, as we head into the warmer months, perhaps it's time to take a leaf out of Chelsea's book and embrace this more resilient approach. All smiles: Frances and Noel Horgan, Dromahane, with Barkley, at Mallow Home & Garden Festival. After all, a garden that can weather the extremes is one that will continue to bring joy, come rain or shine. But let's be honest, the idea of a drought-resilient garden can conjure up images of dry gravel beds and lifeless, beige expanses. The reality, though, couldn't be further from that, especially if you draw a little inspiration from the likes of the show gardens at Chelsea this year. Dressed to impress: Laleh and Ariobanzan O'Sullivan from Castletroy. There was colour, texture, and even romance in many of the drought-leaning plant choices, with designers managing to capture wildness and beauty without sacrificing resilience. Adham Jaber and Barra O Donnabhain from Aghabullogue at the Mallow Home & Garden Festival 2025. Take, for example, the widespread use of achillea in warm golds, apricots, and pinks. This plant not only thrives in dry, free-draining soil, but it also attracts pollinators in droves and holds its own structure beautifully well into autumn. And then there were the swaying grasses, things like Stipa tenuissima and Sesleria autumnalis, both light and airy, drought-hardy, and full of gentle movement that brings a garden to life even when everything else seems to be wilting. One of the key things to understand is that drought-resilient doesn't mean bone dry. It's more about reducing the need for constant intervention. Instead of daily hosepipe sessions and feeding schedules, you're building a system that's balanced, where plants cope, soils retain just enough moisture, and every drop of water does its job. The soil, really, is the foundation of it all. In much the same way, a healthy gut leads to a healthy body; good soil will set you up for a thriving garden with far less effort. Adding organic matter, compost, leaf mould or well-rotted manure not only improves the structure of the soil, allowing it to retain more moisture during dry periods, but also helps it drain properly when the heavens do finally open. Mulching that improved soil with bark, straw, or even gravel, depending on your preferred look, helps to lock that moisture in and reduce evaporation. Marguerite and Eimear O'Farrell from Dripsey. There's also something to be said for planting density. In many of the Chelsea gardens this year, we saw a move away from the isolated specimen planting of decades past, in favour of layered, naturalistic groupings. When plants grow close together, they create a microclimate at soil level, with less exposure to sun and wind, and more retained humidity. Think of a patch of Salvia nemorosa underplanted with Erigeron karvinskianus, and flanked by Lavandula Hidcote. All are sun lovers, all cope well with dryness, and together they create a tapestry that looks stunning while working to support itself. Another subtle but important tip: water less often, but more deeply. A light sprinkle each evening encourages shallow roots, which are far more vulnerable during hot weather. But a deep soak once or twice a week, ideally in the early morning or late evening, teaches roots to grow downwards, tapping into moisture further below the surface. It's about changing our habits as gardeners, not just changing the plants. Una Tierney, Mallow, Teresa Hogan, Waterfall, and Mary Weir, Mallow. And while we're changing habits, it's worth taking a moment to think about the thirsty parts of the garden we've accepted without question. Lawns are a good example. They're often the most water-demanding part of the garden and arguably the least useful to wildlife. Instead of a monoculture of grass, could that space become a mini meadow? Or at least tolerate a bit of clover and selfheal, which not only require less watering, but also support pollinators and improve soil health? Pam O'Regan, Vicarstown, with Coco, and Bernadette Moran, Waterfall, at Mallow. One of the show gardens this year took exactly that approach. Rather than presenting the perfect green lawn, it featured a blend of native wildflowers, yarrow, and low-growing thyme, creating a soft and textured mat that hummed with life and barely needed a drop of extra water. There was also a noticeable emphasis on Mediterranean-style planting. It makes sense, countries like Spain and Italy have been managing dry summers for centuries, and many of the plants that thrive there do just as well here, provided they have good drainage. Rosemary, sage, oregano, phlomis, euphorbia, all of them performed well at Chelsea and could perform just as beautifully in a dry border at home. Ultimately, gardening with the climate rather than against it isn't a compromise. It's a philosophy that leads to healthier, more vibrant gardens and to gardeners who aren't constantly battling the weather.
