HAPPY days – Laura O’Mahony’s description of life as an O’Donovan Rossa footballer is fitting. Great times. Sensational success. Incredible memories.
Another memory was made when the O’Donovan Rossa captain was presented with a West Cork Sports Star monthly award at the Celtic Ross Hotel in Rosscarbery.
The accolades just keep coming for the O’Donovan Rossa ladies’ football panel. Last year’s triple success of All-Ireland, Munster and county junior glory has been followed by Cork and provincial titles at intermediate level.
This Sunday, Rossas and their loyal band of supporters make the long trip to Galway to face Connacht champions Annaghdown. The prize on offer? An All-Ireland intermediate final berth.
Taking time out from intensive preparations, the Skibbereen club’s senior panel and mentors were delighted to receive another trophy that honoured their county and Munster intermediate success.
‘It is amazing just to be acknowledged, especially with ladies football and playing a female sport,’ Laura O’Mahony said.
‘To be the one that actually goes up and collects the award is just that bit more special. Obviously, the award is not just for me, it's for all the team, our management and supporters. So to be able to be the one, I suppose, to just go up and represent them, it's an honourable thing.’
Skibbereen’s Laura O’Mahony with her West Cork Sports Star monthly award.
Rossas enjoyed a well-needed break since defeating Limerick’s St Ailbe’s to become Munster champions for the second year in a row. Last weekend, Annaghdown travelled to Edinburgh and overcame Scotland’s Dunedin Connollys 4-11 to 0-8 to set up this Sunday’s All-Ireland intermediate semi-final in Galway.
‘We took a week or so off just to kind of reset and celebrate a small bit!’ the O’Donovan Rossa captain added.
‘So we went back to training the Saturday after and obviously it has been heads down again. Again, we'll try and focus on ourselves more so than who we're playing. If we can get ourselves right in the three weeks, then hopefully no one can stop us.
‘Like James (O’Donovan) always says, don't worry about anything, just focus on our game, don't worry about where we're staying or what we're doing. That’s always the message no matter what the opposition – we just focus on ourselves.’
The support this O’Donovan Rossa panel has received from Skibbereen and surrounding areas has not gone unnoticed inside the dressing-room. Since last year’s triple success, Rossas have benefitted from a huge following. They will need that support once again on Sunday.
‘Allie Tobin was saying that a few of us will be named as characters in this year’s St Joseph's Christmas musical show!’ O’Mahony quipped.
‘We went to the local primary schools the day after we won the Munster intermediate final and the students had made posters about us. They all had their (O’Donovan Rossa) jerseys on and they were saying “I was at the game, I hope you know I was at the game!”’
Those are humbling words for O’Mahony and her team-mates. The players know the support is there but such positive feedback is putting smiles on faces at the most important time of the year.
‘A few of the teachers we met, again not knowing who we would be playing, were saying if our next game was in Galway they would have no problem travelling up,’ the O’Donovan Rossa captain said.
‘Families are looking into booking hotels and stuff. I wouldn't even ask my own mum to book a hotel room, not to mind someone that has no connection to me! But to know that everyone's behind us is amazing. Happy days.’
