LET’S be honest, the year did not end the way O’Donovan Rossa wanted. Losing 1-12 to 1-9 to Annaghdown on the first weekend of December meant the Skibbereen club missed out on a sixth consecutive major trophy.
2023 delivered junior A county, provincial and All-Ireland titles. 2024 delivered back-to-back Cork and Munster intermediate championships. On their home ground, Connacht champions Annaghdown stopped O’Donovan Rossa from reaching a second consecutive All-Ireland decider and a coveted trip to Croke Park.
Yet, despite their December All-Ireland semi-final loss, Rossas have as much to be proud of as to look forward to in 2025.
Not least the prospect of joining the Cork LGFA senior ranks. That reward is a richly deserved one and something team captain Laura O’Mahony cannot wait for.
‘Yeah, it is definitely going to be a big step up,’ O’Mahony says.
‘I think when you set out to play football, you’re obviously playing for the enjoyment of it and representing your club.
‘You’re playing to win but you want to play up there at senior. You want to play against the best players in the county. I’m just so excited. I’m excited to test myself against the girls that I train with for Cork.
‘I always hear them talking about their senior championship fixtures and how they hate marking each other! Obviously we’ve had a bit of that over the last couple of years but it’ll be nice to be able to join in on those Cork senior training session conversations now as well.’
The current Cork LGFA senior championship is as competitive as it has ever been. Once dominated by Mourneabbey, now there are numerous clubs capable of becoming senior champions. 2024’s county semi-finalists underlines that point.
Any one of Aghada, Éire Óg, St Val’s or Glanmire could have won it before Aghada triumphed on free-kicks over Éire Óg in the decider. Add in a rejuvenated Mourneabbey and next year’s senior county championship will be even tougher.
Laura O'Mahony raises the cup after Skibb's Munster final win.
So, how ready are O’Donovan Rossa for their biggest test since emerging from the junior C ranks? Whilst there is plenty of experience in Rossas squad, including the likes of Fionnuala O’Driscoll, Lisa Harte, Kate O’Donovan and Triona Murphy, how prepared are the Cork and Munster intermediate champions for the big step up?
‘The players have stepped up already so I wouldn’t be worried in the slightest about them going up to senior,’ the O’Donovan Rossa captain says.
‘We already played some serious senior teams in the county league this year. Other (intermediate) teams are probably just as good as the teams that are already senior too.
‘So yeah, all the O’Donovan Rossa players are looking forward to the challenge. I’m sure that after a couple of weeks of recovery and down time, we’ll start focusing in again and getting ready for next year.’
Moving up to senior, O’Donovan Rossa will certainly need to focus and improve on the standards that delivered five trophies in two years. As well as the aforementioned challengers for the senior title, there is also the equally important potential for some tasty West Cork LGFA derbies.
Clonakilty won this year’s senior B title and Kinsale have already established themselves as a quality senior club. With respect to those two West Cork clubs, all eyes will be on the 2025 Cork LGFA SFC draw to see where O’Donovan Rossa and their local rivals Castlehaven end up.
The Haven’s amazing journey from junior to senior pre-dated that of Rossas. Yet, the prospect of the West Cork neighbours clashing, for the first time in the senior grade, will shorten the winter months and sharpen pre-season preparations.
‘Yeah, we played the Haven a few years ago and watched as they moved up through the grades,’ O’Mahony says.
‘We were always watching them move up and now, we’re obviously delighted to be up senior alongside them. It will not just be about playing Castlehaven in a West Cork derby but possibly playing Clonakilty or Kinsale too.
‘We have come across these teams in the West Cork LGFA championship as well but, next season, it’ll be even better to go up against them in the county championship.’
Laura O'Mahony led her home club to county and Munster success in 2024.
In a cruel twist of fate, O’Mahony’s 2024 inter-county season was also halted at the semi-final stage. Following a hugely disappointing relegation from Division 1, Shane Ronayne led the Cork seniors to the penultimate round of the All-Ireland SFC. In July, O’Connor Park in Tullamore was the venue for Cork’s All-Ireland exit at the hands of Galway on a 2-7 to 0-10 scoreline.
Free from injuries, O’Mahony played a pivotal role in helping her county come within one victory of reaching a first All-Ireland final since 2020. This coming year offers O’Mahony and the Cork senior footballers a fresh start. New manager Joe Carroll, along with an experienced backroom team, will be eager to return the county to Division 1 as well as making an impact in the senior championship.
‘I’ve already worked with a lot of the new Cork management team,’ O’Mahony notes.
‘I played for Joe (Carroll) during my minor days and with UCC as well. He’s a brilliant man with a great football knowledge so it’ll be good for Cork to get a new start. It will be a fresh start for the younger girls on the senior panel as well.
‘Having competition for places is something that we need and maybe we might have been missing that a bit from Cork for the last couple of years. Thankfully, we now have an amazing standard of football players in the county.
‘The talent is there and, with the Cork minor wins we’ve had over the last couple of years, overall, that’s good for pushing standards. I think we need that challenge, everyone needs to be pushing each other, not only for a position on the first 15 but a position on the 30. When you consider the amount of talent and standard of football that there is in the county we should be putting it to use.’
As 2024 turns into 2025, O’Mahony can afford to be philosophical about another crazy 12 months.
‘As tough as it is to lose, sometimes you learn more from those losses as opposed to the wins,’ O’Mahony says.
‘Losing out to a team like Annaghdown in the All-Ireland semi-final, they are a fantastic side. I’m sure that our experience of playing against them and the pressure that they put us under that day will definitely stand to us next season.
‘If you go back to where this all started for O’Donovan Rossa, we have had plenty of losses along the way. Then we had a long winning streak for a while.
‘All the younger girls have stepped up, they have gained so much experience from this year. Everyone is looking forward to next year, even though it will be a challenge, we are excited to give it a go.’
