GOLEEN, AT LAST – Everything comes to him who waits. Well, Goleen’s eight-year wait, encompassing four county final defeats, finally came to an end in Páirc Uí Rinn on Saturday evening when they landed the confined junior B football title at the fifth time of asking. County titles are hard won, as Goleen knows well, and they really had to battle for this one. In the opposite corner were city side Ballyphehane, a small junior club, on the rise in recent years and beaten by a point by Oliver Plunkett’s in last season’s final. This was a game Goleen seemed to have won two or three times but, as they did in the semi-final against Clann na nGael, Ballyphehane put in a strong finish to level at the final whistle. Who wanted it more now as the game entered extra time and it was the lads from the peninsula who answered all the questions as they surged to a two-point victory, 0-11 to 0-9. Years of frustration were forgotten as Goleen celebrated an historic win, their first-ever county junior B title, and who would begrudge them their moment in the sun. A special word for the two Bantry men who worked the oracle, taking over the team last season, Shane O’Neill as manager and Donal McGrath as coach. It just shows what can be achieved when neighbours pull together. Not forgetting, either, long-serving secretary, Josephine O’Donovan, who has put years of hard work into this smallest club in West Cork, who, logically, should not be able to survive on Ireland’s most southerly peninsula but who defy the odds year after year to continue. Carbery is proud of the men from Mizen who have now set the standard for all Carbery clubs to emulate in 2024.
U21 HURLING – Only one game was played in the Clona Milk U21 hurling championships last week with St James scoring a surprise win over Dohenys in the C grade. Concern was expressed at the board meeting on Tuesday night at the state of hurling in our towns at present as Clonakilty gave a walkover to Cill Mochomóg in the B grade. In the A grade Newcestown were awarded the game against Ibane Gaels. There are two games scheduled for Monday evening, 15th, both at 7.30pm. In the B grade, Ahán Gaels will meet Owen Gaels in Ballinacarriga and in C, O’Donovan Rossa will play Kilbree in Dunmanway. Round 2 is scheduled for the weekend of August 9th/10th and Round 3 for August 30th/31st.
JUNIOR LEAGUES – This Sunday, 14th, is the closing date for games in the various Dubliner Cheese Carbery football and hurling leagues, with a number of division winners still to be decided. Clubs may play league games until the end of September in order to avoid fines.
CARBERY TEAMS – The future of divisional teams in the county senior championships must be seriously considered following the large number of withdrawals and walkovers conceded this season. Carbery hurlers’ interest in the championship ended when Duhallow conceded a walkover to Muskerry, who had beaten Carbery in the first round. Carbery beat Duhallow in Round 2. The hurling selectors – Fergal Keohane, Kilbrittain; Timmy O’Brien, Kilbree; Kevin O’Flynn, St Oliver Plunkett’s and David Whyte, St Mary’s – as well as all the players, were thanked for their efforts at the board meeting on Tuesday evening. The Carbery footballers are automatically through to the semi-final of the colleges/divisional section following their winning of that section last season. They have been drawn against Muskerry in the semi-final, to be played on Friday, August 9th. The game is presently fixed for Ovens but as that venue is part of the Muskerry division, the Carbery board is requesting a neutral venue for the fixture.
CENTENARY CELEBRATIONS – An ambitious programme of events is being planned for the centenary celebrations of the Carbery Division in 2025, spread throughout the year but concentrated mostly on two special weekends in May and November. The highlight will be a gala banquet in November, 2025, with the president, Jarlath Burns, to attend. Suggestions are more than welcome from GAA members on what should be included in the celebrations. Of the five founding clubs only two still play in the division, Bandon and Kilbrittain. Of the other three, Valleys Rovers and Kinsale are now part of the Carrigdhoun Division, while Knockavilla, north of Bandon, became defunct shortly after the founding of the division.
