BY TOM LYONS
KILMACABEA is one of the oldest clubs in West Cork, founded in 1887, and were the first football champions of the area in 1888. But since that great beginning they have spent most of their existence in Junior B. South West junior B titles were won in 1971, 1982 and 1994, when they went on to win their first-ever county title.
When the history of the Little Norah Cup was written, detailing with the Carbery junior A championship from 1949 to 1997, Kilmacabea’s name was missing from the list of title winners. At that time, their manager, Kevin O’Driscoll, promised that when the next book would be written on the junior A championship, Kilmacabea’s name would definitely be among the winners. He was true to that promise as he led the Kilmacs to their first ever junior A title in 2017 and they
cemented their place in history with further wins in 2018 and 2020. They again reached the final last season only to lose after extra-time to first-timers, Barryroe.
Like Mathúna’s, Kilmacabea are under new management this season with ex-player, Donie O’Donovan, taking over the reins from Skibbereen man, Shane Crowley. The team took time finding their feet under the new manager, easing into the league and eventually finishing second to Ballinascarthy. The teams in their group in the championship included
Castlehaven, St. Oliver Plunkett’s and Newcestown.
‘Shane Crowley did a good job for a couple of seasons. I was just finished playing and he told me to just take on the job and see how it would go. didn’t have to make many changes, the group was more or less the same. Some say the team is getting old but I personally think they’re at a good age to be winning titles. We have a few old timers, Daniel O’Donovan
came on there today, there’s Donncha McCarthy, a couple of more but mad for road.’
So, Kilmacabea faced into the championship in fairly rude health but to the neutral, their form was blowing hot and cold, not the consistency that might be needed to win a tough championship. How does O’Donovan view their progress?
‘In the championship we got a good start against Castlehaven,’ explained O’Donovan. ‘The game against Plunkett’s was a different game, maybe not at the same level as the semi-final against St Mary’s but tough enough nonetheless. We did enough to win, no more. We were already qualified so it was difficult to get ourselves up for the Newcestown game. We
should have been dealing with it better. We were haunted in the quarter-final against Randal’s, the width of the crossbar saved us. You need the bit of luck to win anything. Against St Mary’s we started very well and finished very well but lost control in the second half. A good performance at a high standard but a mixed performance, again.
So now, in their second successive final, Kilmacabea face underdogs and surprise packets, Diarmuid Ó Mathúna, hoping to make amends for last season’s final disappointment. ‘We wouldn’t know much about Mathúna’s, haven’t played them much. Their league form was good and they won the hurling league. They scored 18 points in the first championship game. They seem to have put a bit into football this season and Denis Healy of Dohenys, who was also involved with Clann na nGael, is doing a great job as coach,’ said a cautious O’Donovan. ‘They are definitely on a roll. We’ll sit down and look at their players and see what has to be done.’
Kilmacabea’s geographical and ranking location in Carbery football isn’t always the easiest as they struggle for numbers at time and are surrounded by far bigger clubs. ‘We’re a football only club, a small club,’ explained the manager. ‘We have Castlehaven on one side, Skibb on the other and Ross on the third, so it hasn’t been easy being sandwiched in the middle. But every time we go out, and I was playing a long time, we believed we were going to win.
Maybe Saturday night under lights isn’t the best time for a final but we were there last year and we know what it’s like to be going home beaten in the dark. It’s not something we’re anxious to experience again.’
