BY SEÁN HOLLAND
KILMACABEA’S footballers are gearing up for their highly-anticipated junior A county quarter-final clash with Douglas this Sunday in Clonakilty (3pm).
The men from Leap will be buoyed by an undefeated championship run that has rekindled dreams of county glory. They captured their fourth Carbery junior A title with a convincing 1-12 to 1-4 victory over Diarmuid Ó'Mathúnas, and now the team has set its sights firmly on securing the county title.
Captain Diarmuid O’Callaghan spoke passionately after the final victory, emphasising the resilience of a squad that’s stayed tightly knit after 2023's defeat to Barryroe.
‘I was a little bit afraid that the team might have broken up after last year’s final defeat,’ he admitted. ‘But the likes of Donnacha (McCarthy), at 40 years of age, and Ruairí (Hourihane) travelling down from Galway every week, have stuck with it. This is a great recovery from last year’s defeat and we have Douglas in the county now. We’re as good as any team left and there’s no reason we can’t drive on from here.’ O’Callaghan added that four divisional medals is enough and that the team’s focus has to shift to county honours now. He stated: ‘We’ve been on both sides of the fence. Now it’s time to drive on.’
This determination is reflected across Kilmacabea’s lineup. The team’s backbone is anchored by Karl McCarthy in goal, with Darren Whooley at full-back and O’Callaghan himself at centre-back. In midfield, the powerful pairing of Martin Collins and Ian Jennings has helped set the tempo all season. Up front, seasoned veterans Donnacha McCarthy and Ruairí Hourihane bring grit and experience to the wing forward positions, while star full forward Damien Gore adds a scoring punch that’s crucial for Kilmacabea’s aspirations.
40-year-old McCarthy echoed his captain’s sentiments following their Carbery success, reflecting on his four South-West medals.
‘I don’t know if that’s a good or bad thing – the county medal is still missing,’ he pointed out.
For Kilmacabea, every player knows the weight of making this stage. Having lost in a heart-breaking fashion to Dromtarriffe in the 2018 county final, the team is hungry to finally banish those memories and claim the title that has narrowly slipped through their fingers before. Douglas will present a tough challenge but it’s an achievable path forward. They were crowned Seandún champions after defeating Nemo Rangers and will pose a strong threat.
So as they make their way to Clonakilty on Sunday, Kilmacabea will be carrying the belief that they are just as capable as any team remaining in the competition. With plenty of confidence and collective experience, they are determined to prove they have what it takes to go all the way this time around.
The game will be the second part of a doubleheader that will also include a Douglas side. Like Kilmacabea their opponents are also travelling East, with Beara champions Adrigole the challengers in the junior B county quarter-final. Throw in for that is 1.15pm.
