‘It’s great to be here, but now is the time for us to take the next step forward,’ says Adrigole boss

TIM O’Sullivan can pinpoint the moment when he knew Adrigole footballers needed to do something different to make an impact in the county intermediate A football championship.

In August 2020, the Beara club travelled to Carrigadrohid to take on Mitchelstown in a second-round group game.

Adrigole were thumped 4-12 to 1-7, and O’Sullivan realised something had to change.

‘The physical difference between us and Mitchelstown that day was an eye-opener,’ the Adrigole boss says.

‘After that we started to look for a strength and conditioning coach.’

Enter then Cork GAA PRO Joseph Blake. The Adrigole clubman knew then Cork senior hurling strength and conditioning coach Mark Brady, and asked if he could recommend anyone for the role.

‘Mark told Joey he would have a look himself, he called down, saw the facilities we had, and that was the start of it,’ O’Sullivan explains.

Even though Brady’s involvement with the Cork hurlers ended in 2021 and he is now based in Dublin as the Dublin senior football S&C coach, he has continued to work with the Beara club. This is Brady’s third season with Adrigole, and he has made a huge difference.

‘Mark has been outstanding. He is just at the other end of the phone for the lads, whether it’s about nutrition or whatever they need. He brings that professional approach and every one percent makes a difference at this level,’ O’Sullivan explains.

‘He works with us remotely now, but even though he got involved as the Dublin footballers’ strength and conditioning coach, he agreed to stay with us. You can see that the lads have come a long way in the last three years.

‘A big part of this also is injury prevention, especially for a small club like ours when you need all your players. When you are working off a tighter panel, any injury is felt and it can make a difference. Thankfully, Mark has made a huge difference with injury prevention.

‘We have a great coach too in DJ Brennan from Kenmare who is in his second year with us. Between DJ and Mark, the players are benefitting from expert knowledge and it’s making a difference.’

The results on the field back this up. This is the second season in a row that Adrigole have qualified for the knock-out stages of the Bon Secours IAFC, and they take on St Vincent’s in Inchigeela this Saturday (5pm) in a county quarter-final. There is an opportunity to go one step further than last season when the Beara men fell at this same hurdle, losing to Boherbue by a point after extra-time.

‘It’s great to be here, but now is the time for us to take the next step forward. That’s our goal: to progress,’ O’Sullivan explains.

‘We want to get past the quarter-final and into the semi-final. St Vincent’s are a very good team, they have that experience from playing at a higher grade, they are a division above us in the league so they are used to playing better teams than we play against, but we feel we are ready to take that next step.’

Despite losing their group opener to Aghabullogue (3-13 to 1-7), Adrigole regrouped impressively for their must-win second game against Gabriel Rangers. They delivered a 2-11 to 1-9 victory in Kealkill, inspired by David Harrington with 1-5. Adrigole guaranteed their quarter-final spot with an emphatic 1-19 to 1-7 win against Glenville in the final group game. Now, they’re back in knock-out territory, hoping last year’s experience will now come into play.

‘Even though we have a young age profile, last year was a big learning curve, to experience knock-out football. I have seen it this year, that the lads have come a long way mentally, and physically as well,’ O’Sullivan explains.

Adrigole and Vincent’s have almost identical records in this season’s championship. Both finished second in their group with two wins and a loss. Both conceded a total of 44 points across their three group games, while Adrigole (49) scored two more points than Vincent’s (47). With such tight margins, every one percent can make a difference, and that’s what Adrigole have been working on in recent years. Maybe Saturday is the day it starts to pay off.