BY SEÁN HOLLAND
CILL MOCHOMÓG will be looking for a little piece of history this Saturday as they aim to secure their first adult-grade silverware when they take on Ahán Gaels in the West Cork U21B hurling final in Dunmanway (6.30pm).
A combination of Bantry and St Colum’s, Cill Mochomóg is an amalgamation born out of necessity, but recent success has shown that these players are more than able to hold their own at this grade.
‘It's the first year we’ve entered an U21 team’, explained Jimmy O’Sullivan. ‘Cill Mochomóg was formed years ago on the basis of helping Bantry and St Colum’s with U16s and minors, to field a competitive side because both of us were struggling with numbers. We’ve had a bit of success with the minors over the last couple of years and look, the players have had interest in coming together.
‘We won the U21C West Cork with St Colum’s last year, and the players had said they wanted to better themselves. “Is there any chance we can go to 15-a-side?” So we just approached Bantry about it to give it a go for this year. That's basically where we are.’
Under the guidance of Don Ryan and Conor Cronin, this U21 final represents an opportunity for Cill Mochomóg to help carve out a lasting legacy for hurling in Bantry and Kealkill.
‘It would be nice to win it because any day you win silverware, it helps the amalgamation. We're trying to keep the hurling going because this is a strong foothold here,’ O’Sullivan added.
‘In Bantry, they’re big contenders in football, but there are a few good hurlers there as well and we want to try and keep it going. Realistically, that's all we're trying to do, just survive so any day you have a chance to win a West Cork is a good thing.’