MATTHEW HURLEY profiles ten West Cork League teams that are no longer in existence
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BANTRY GUNNERS – Bay Rovers, with their home in Kealkill, are currently flying the flag for the greater Bantry area, but there once was another team to hail from around Bantry. Step forward, Bantry Gunners who finished as high as second in the Premier Division in the 2005/06 season. In that same campaign, they won the Beamish Cup, beating Bunratty United on penalties. The Gunners were consecutively in the top grade in West Cork for five seasons running between 2004 and 2009. They won the Championship (then known as Division 1) in 2004 before going back down. The Bantry side spent two more seasons in the West Cork League system before calling it quits in 2011, finishing 11th (bottom) in the second tier in their final campaign. Their last game was on March 13th 2011, a 3-1 home loss to Baltimore. Ironically, it was Bay Rovers who finished top of that division in the same season.
COURTMACSHERRY – A club that didn’t compete in the Premier Division from 2001 to 2023, Courtmacsherry still provided a pastime for sport lovers from around the Barryroe and Timoleague area. They were one of the top teams in West Cork League in the 1990s with a star studded team with some high-profile names. A place known for its ocean views and coastline, their highest recent WCL finish was in the 2021/22 season where they finished sixth in the Championship. Worth noting that they won the opening game of the 2020/21 season against Castlelack (3-0) and sat top of the Championship but unfortunately for Courtmac, the rest of the season was cancelled due to the second Covid-19 lockdown. They competed in the WCL from 2001 until 2018 until they took a two-year break. They came back in 2020 and were competitive in the Championship until 2023 when they bowed out. The drive was there for their first return so who knows, third time might be a charm for Courtmac.
DROUMREE DYNAMOS – Dynamos were based in Rusheen, near Macroom, and were in Division 2 (tier three) from 2001 to 2008. Their golden period was between 2008 and 2011 where they reached two Beamish Cup semi-finals and earned two promotions in three campaigns. Their first cup semi-final appearance was when they finished sixth in Division 1 in 2008/09, beating Baltimore, Bay Rovers and Togher Celtic along the way. A 2-0 defeat to Ardfield stopped their gallop. Second spot in Division 1 in 2009/10 earned them promotion to the Premier. In their first and only season in the top tier, they finished ninth but on 20 points, just three off 4th placed Molaga Celtic. Another cup foray brought them to another semi-final as Kilmichael Rovers, Castletown Celtic and Togher all fell to Dynamos. Bunratty United beat them 3-1 in the last four and in 2011/12, the club didn’t compete in the WCL. They returned for one season in 2012/13, finishing seventh in Division 2 but disappeared again after that.
DURRUS – This is a team that amalgamated with Bay Rovers to form Kilgoban Celtic in 2021. Celtic disbanded in 2024, and Bay Rovers since went solo again at the start of this season. Durrus are currently out of action but a return can’t be ruled out. In terms of the team being on their own, they bounced between Divisions 1 and 2 (tier two and three) between 2001 and 2016. They did briefly appear in the Premier during that time (2004/05) but finished bottom. In the 2017/18 season, they finished a respectable fifth in Division 1 and reached a Beamish Cup quarter-final in the same season. The next season, they gained promotion while winning the Championship title (league renamed). Their second stint in the Premier was stop-start due to the Covid-19 pandemic as they were fourth at the time of the first lockdown in 2020. Kilgoban finished fourth in the Premier in 2021/22, but got relegated the next season.
GURRANE CELTIC – A club that was based in Clondrohid, between Macroom and Millstreet, Gurrane Celtic ran for about 13 years. Their last season in the West Cork League was in the 2004/05 season where they finished eighth in Division 1. Finbarr O’Brien started up and ran the club. With help from Ted Kelleher, O’Brien also led them to a Beamish Cup final in 2004, which they lost narrowly to Dunmanway Town, 2-1. The 2003/04 was their best season in the league too as they finished fourth in Division 1. Their run to the cup decider that year included winning on penalties against both Drinagh Rangers in the quarter-final (6-4) and Castletown Celtic in the semi-final (6-5, after 0-0 draw). O’Brien was joined in running the club by Shane and Niall Kelleher but both of them have a life abroad now. O’Brien just couldn’t run the club on his own and the project faded away after that.
ILEN CELTIC – A team that earned promotion to the Premier Division in 2002, Ilen Celtic were a decent side back in the early 2000s. They managed to hold their own too, finishing sixth and seventh in the top tier in the 2002/03 and 2003/04 seasons. The Skibbereen-based outfit eventually joined up with Skibbereen to play their soccer in 2004. Skibb now have two junior teams in Skibbereen AFC (in the WCL since 2004) and Skibbereen Celtic (in action since 2023). With Baltimore also having its own soccer club now (Baltimore Crabs, joined in 2006) and GAA stars such as Dan MacEoin finding a club there, it looks Ilen Celtic won’t be on the way back anytime soon as the area is well served with local clubs.
LEESIDE – Consistency to a tee in the Premier Division, Beamish Cup champions in the 2004/05 season and competitive at underage, Leeside looked like a club that were going to be around for quite a while. It was a shock to many when the Inchigeela-based outfit ended up leaving the WCL in 2017. From 2001 to 2016, they had 12 seasons in the Premier Division, their highest finish being fourth in 2002/03. They finished eighth in the 2004/05 campaign but that cup win will live long in the memory, beating Ardfield 2-0 in decider. Their run included a 3-2 win over Mizen, beating Kilmichael Rovers 3-1, a 1-0 victory over Drinagh Rangers and 1-0 win over Crossmahon. They were relegated from the top tier in 2012 before finishing fourth and seventh in Division 1. They earned promotion back to the top flight in 2015 but their comeback was short-lived.
OLD CHAPEL CELTIC – Bandon is seen by West Cork locals as a rugby stronghold, given Bandon RFC play their home games in the area, but soccer was prevalent there too. Old Chapel Celtic were quite good too, getting to a Beamish Cup quarter-final in 2003/04 while being in the WCL third tier. They got promoted from Division 2 that season before getting promoted again to the Premier Division just a year later. After finishing ninth in their first year in the top grade, they pulled the plug ahead of the 2006/07 campaign. Rugby and GAA are quite strong in Bandon, but could there be room for a return in the future for soccer? There isn’t any Bandon representation in the WCL currently, only in Masters cups competitions. It would be a great boost to have a junior club to support Bandon AFC, who compete in the Munster Senior League.
Seamus Hayes (right) and Ruairi Hourihane in action for Rosscarbery in a West Cork League game against Drinagh Rangers B. (Photo: Eoghan Daly)
ROSSCARBERY – Beamish Cup champions in 2011/12 season managed by Robbie Ahern, Ross were quite the team on the soccer field. They had players such as current Carbery Rangers football manager Seamus Hayes and current Kilmacabea player Ruairi Hourihane leading the charge. The latter is actually a first cousin of West Cork’s most successful soccer star Conor Hourihane. They won the primary cup competition in West Cork after a 1-1 draw in the final against Skibbereen, before winning 6-5 on penalties. They won three other ties on spot kicks on their journey to glory. Ross epitomised the magic of the cup that season after winning the lot as a second tier side. In terms of the West Cork League, their highest finish was seventh in the Premier Division in the 2013/14 season. GAA might have taken over, Carbery Rangers having won the Cork SFC title in 2016, but who’s to say that soccer can’t rise to the top in the area once more.
TIMOLEAGUE/MOLAGA CELTIC – The village of Timoleague had more than one go at the WCL in terms of soccer. Timoleague FC won the Premier in 1999 and 2001. They also finished as high as third in 2002/03 and fifth in 2001/02. 2003 was their final year in the West Cork League system, despite being listed to compete in the Premier and league cup competitions in 2003/04. They lost the Beamish Cup final in 2003 (2-1 against Dunmanway Town) and reached the quarter-final in 2001/02.
The area in terms of soccer rose from the ashes in 2007 under the name Molaga Celtic. Celtic started in Division 2 and gained promotion in their second season. In 2009/10, they finished top of Division 1 and got to the Beamish Cup semi-finals.
In the Premier, they finished fourth and fifth before calling it quits in 2012. This is another area that is steeped in GAA heritage with the club Argideen Rangers, but hopefully soccer can make a comeback sometime in the future.
Do you have any photos or stories about West Cork League clubs and teams that have finished up? Get in touch with us, and email [email protected].
