The last championship game for our first football team (late Sept 24) saw a bare 15 players tog out as we lost our Junior A status with a heavy relegation-final loss to Youghal, having not played league football earlier in the year. Since, it has been well discussed at club executive level about the low ebb we are at with regard adult football in the club. This is despite our last winning the East Cork Junior A in 2021 and having a plethora of players currently involved in Cork underage football squads.
Since the start of the year, the club has regrouped, and huge hunger was shown amongst our minor players when they competed in the early-year U21 championship. They have been a key part of our group of 31 players who have played a part in the league. Despite poor results in the league, it has given a chance to many players to experience first team football, and the performances have improved greatly as the year progressed. But still, football is the squeezed middle, with many established club players not making themselves available for league or championship to date. This is not helped with the congested fixture schedule in the coming weeks ahead.
It was in this context that we took to the sun-drenched field last Friday in Ballinacurra to take on Fr O’Neill’s in the first round of the Junior B championship. The first half was a tight affair, and despite gaining and maintaining good possession, we were not converting them into sufficient scores. However, all across the park from Ciarán O’Dowd and Jake Tobin at corner, to Ryan O’Callaghan and Frank O’Flynn at corner forward, we were showing eagerness to challenge for and win possession.
At the small whistle, the sides were level a 1.04 apiece. Our scores came via a long-range effort from team captain Darragh O’Sullivan, a well worked point finished by his brother Cillian, as well as 1.02 from the industrious Seamus Ahern at centre forward. It was clear that we had a strong basis but needed to be more clinical in attack, and aggressive and committed in defence.
Our second half effort was led by the commanding Ben Hogan in goal, Jordan Mannix at 3, Adam Hynes at 6, John O’Sullivan in the middle of the park, and then Ronan O’Riordan in at full forward. We began to win more breaks off the kickouts and the pressure applied by vice captain Liam Collins and Łukasz Harrington – saw us gain the upper hand. Tom Murray and Cillian O’S scored points in the early stages of the half, and we had the benefit of introducing a number of fresh and incisive players as Fr. O’Neills began to wilt in the heat.
Subs and minor players Cormac Barry and Conor O’Riordan shared 2.06 between them in the last 15 minutes, with Eldon O’Connor, Jacob Powell and Nicky Kelleher all seeing action as we ran out winners on a scoreline of 3.12 to 1.5.
This was a richly deserved win for a developing team. When odds were against them during the year, and at times during this game, the entire panel have stuck together, developed together and have now won together. On Saturday, panel members Cormac B, Conor O’R, and Ronan Barry contested a Minor football league win but lost out to a strong Carrigtwohill side.
Well done to the team and management who secured our club's first adult championship win of the year, and we next play on the weekend of the 23rd August against St. Catherine’s.
Team: Ben Hogan, Ciarán O Dowd, Jordan Mannix, Jake Tobin, Luke Harrington, Adam Hynes, Liam Collins, Darragh O'Sullivan (0.01), John O'Sullivan, Tom Murray (0.01), Seamus Ahern (1.02), Cillian O'Sullivan (0.03), Ryan O'Callaghan, Ronan O'Riordan, Frank O'Flynn. Subs: Conor O Riordan (0.03), Cormac Barry (2.02), Jacob Powell, Eldon O'Connor, Nicky Kelleher. Panel: Eoghan O'Sullivan, Gearoid Gubbins, Mike Manley, Murat Abdullah, Rami Gharib, Ronan Barry. Absent: William Finnegan, Ryan Cahill, Jamie Buckley,
Management: James Bermingham, Michael Carey
Since the start of the year, the club has regrouped, and huge hunger was shown amongst our minor players when they competed in the early-year U21 championship. They have been a key part of our group of 31 players who have played a part in the league. Despite poor results in the league, it has given a chance to many players to experience first team football, and the performances have improved greatly as the year progressed. But still, football is the squeezed middle, with many established club players not making themselves available for league or championship to date. This is not helped with the congested fixture schedule in the coming weeks ahead.
It was in this context that we took to the sun-drenched field last Friday in Ballinacurra to take on Fr O’Neill’s in the first round of the Junior B championship. The first half was a tight affair, and despite gaining and maintaining good possession, we were not converting them into sufficient scores. However, all across the park from Ciarán O’Dowd and Jake Tobin at corner, to Ryan O’Callaghan and Frank O’Flynn at corner forward, we were showing eagerness to challenge for and win possession.
At the small whistle, the sides were level a 1.04 apiece. Our scores came via a long-range effort from team captain Darragh O’Sullivan, a well worked point finished by his brother Cillian, as well as 1.02 from the industrious Seamus Ahern at centre forward. It was clear that we had a strong basis but needed to be more clinical in attack, and aggressive and committed in defence.
Our second half effort was led by the commanding Ben Hogan in goal, Jordan Mannix at 3, Adam Hynes at 6, John O’Sullivan in the middle of the park, and then Ronan O’Riordan in at full forward. We began to win more breaks off the kickouts and the pressure applied by vice captain Liam Collins and Łukasz Harrington – saw us gain the upper hand. Tom Murray and Cillian O’S scored points in the early stages of the half, and we had the benefit of introducing a number of fresh and incisive players as Fr. O’Neills began to wilt in the heat.
Subs and minor players Cormac Barry and Conor O’Riordan shared 2.06 between them in the last 15 minutes, with Eldon O’Connor, Jacob Powell and Nicky Kelleher all seeing action as we ran out winners on a scoreline of 3.12 to 1.5.
This was a richly deserved win for a developing team. When odds were against them during the year, and at times during this game, the entire panel have stuck together, developed together and have now won together. On Saturday, panel members Cormac B, Conor O’R, and Ronan Barry contested a Minor football league win but lost out to a strong Carrigtwohill side.
Well done to the team and management who secured our club's first adult championship win of the year, and we next play on the weekend of the 23rd August against St. Catherine’s.
Team: Ben Hogan, Ciarán O Dowd, Jordan Mannix, Jake Tobin, Luke Harrington, Adam Hynes, Liam Collins, Darragh O'Sullivan (0.01), John O'Sullivan, Tom Murray (0.01), Seamus Ahern (1.02), Cillian O'Sullivan (0.03), Ryan O'Callaghan, Ronan O'Riordan, Frank O'Flynn. Subs: Conor O Riordan (0.03), Cormac Barry (2.02), Jacob Powell, Eldon O'Connor, Nicky Kelleher. Panel: Eoghan O'Sullivan, Gearoid Gubbins, Mike Manley, Murat Abdullah, Rami Gharib, Ronan Barry. Absent: William Finnegan, Ryan Cahill, Jamie Buckley,
Management: James Bermingham, Michael Carey
