THIS WEEKEND COULD potentially be an incredible one for three Cork ladies football clubs who are contesting All-Ireland finals.
Aghada will kick off proceedings on Saturday as the go into battle against Monaghan side Corduff in the All-Ireland junior decider. [Throw-in, 2pm Crettyard]
Sunday will see Kinsale face Dunboyne of Meath in the intermediate final[Throw-in, 1.45] followed by the senior final between Mourneabbey and Mayo champions Carnacon. [Throw-in 3.45]
Both of those fixtures will take place in Parnell Park in Dublin.
All three sides will be hoping to follow in the footsteps of fellow Cork clubs Donoughmore (senior), Naomh Abán (intermediate) the and Gabriel Rangers (junior) whose combined victories produced a clean sweep of All-Ireland victories for the county in 2003.
Aghada won their first county championship title this year, which was followed by a first Munster crown and indeed, a first appearance in an All-Ireland final.
Kinsale contested the 2016 All-Ireland Junior final, where they lost out to Dublin side St Maur’s.
They will be looking to impressive Cork forward Orla Finn for scoring power on Saturday.
Meanwhile, Mourneabbey have previously featured in the 2014 and 2015 senior finals where they suffered defeats against Donegal’s Termon and Donaghmoyne (Monaghan) respectively.
They fell at the All-Ireland semi-final hurdle last year and will be hoping to avenge that hurt against five-time All-Ireland champions Carnacon.
They also carry the memory of club stalwart Ted Linehan, who passed away recently following a kayaking accident.
Speaking in a video published on Ladies Football TV, Timmy O’Callaghan of Mourneabbey said:
“The place was in a bad place and at a low ebb before the semi-final, we buried him the week of the semi-final. We’re hoping next Sunday will be the start of a healing process and getting over the absolute shock that Ted’s loss was to us.
“He’s closely related to eight players on the team and he’s gone and we’re hoping that he might look down on us and give us a helping hand on Sunday. Certainly the players will be out there doing their very best for him.”
The video, composed by Denis Vahey on behalf of the LGFA, also features interviews with Seán O’Callaghan of the Kinsale and Aghada’s Barry Moran explaining their own club’s journey to the All-Ireland final.
The42 has just published its first book, Behind The Lines, a collection of some of the year’s best sports stories. Pick up your copy in Eason’s, or order it here today (€10):
#4 is madness (if Ive read it right), a team that doesnt get to the Ulster final (eg Armagh lets say) will have a knock out game against (randomly) either a Dublin/Kerry etc or a Clare/Westmeath.. The provincial championships are too unbalanced to be the basis of any seeding
A definite no on the first one. The others might be interesting, though unlikely to see every club introduce an underage hurling team.
@Ian Cunningham: Me thinks number one a great idea. Watching underage players now when they get onto a divisional never mind county panel, think they don’t have to show up for club games. Club ought to always come first for players, unfortunately though, there’s no money for the association incoming from club games, it’s inter county that generates that, alas this motion be turned down
@Jed Ward: Cork have enough injury concerns without having to worry about fellas playing meaningless RedFM League matches. If it was county championship matches maybe. That’s what the split season is for.
@Jed Ward: . The demands on inter county players at both underage and senior level are huge. Younger inter county players between the ages of 19 and 22 have in many cases the very significant additional demands of university competitions to cope with. A balance has to be struck. These huge demands are leading to soft tissue injuries. Additional demands being placed on this group of players are highly questionable.
@Richard Ford: as you say “the demands” on amateur players. There is actually no need to elaborate on this. The top brass don’t give a fiddle about “the demands” on players, players are just a commodity for their chunky pay packets and Croke Park
Would love to see football format returned to lose a game and you’re out of provincial championship. Four province winners go to all Ireland semi final and winners of that game onto final. Then again, it’s all about the money, so not a hope of ever seeing that format again in either code
@Jed Ward: given the commitment and training that players put in these days, you can’t have fellas knocked out after one game.
@Jed Ward: Catch yourself on. That format is outdated and way past its sell by date.
@Richard Ford: all about the money money money,
@Ian it’s taking to absolute Michael out of players who are amateur with all the training and commitment they put in. Again it’s all about the money money money. The Grab All Airgead association.
@Jed Ward: OK, you’re one of them. A GAA hater, who knows nothing about the GAA, but has a smart nickname.
@Ian Cunningham: 100% correct there Ian. Actually I’m an ex county player, now coaching an underage level and vice chairman with my juvenile club.
@Jed Ward: what a crock of … .