SHE has won All-Ireland club and school football titles in recent seasons, and Allie Tobin would love to make it a hat-trick and add an inter-county medal to her collection.
An All-Ireland minor football title is the goal in the summer ahead, but Cork captain Allie (17) isn’t looking past the next challenge: an All-Ireland semi-final against Cavan on July 10th.
The Skibbereen teen, who turns 18 in June, has packed so much into her football story already, including good days and bad against Cavan opposition.
‘We played Cavan two years ago in the All-Ireland U16 final that went to a replay, and they won that by a goal,’ Allie says.
‘I think we have grown as a team since then – we are more experienced and are a better team now. They’ll be better as well, but we’re putting in a lot of work to make sure we are ready.’
Allie Tobin has become a key player for O'Donovan Rossa since she broke onto the panel in 2022.
Allie’s most recent meeting with a Cavan team brings a smile to her face – this tight-marking, tough defender was a key player on the Skibbereen Community School team that beat Loreto College of Cavan by a single point in the All-Ireland All-Ireland PPS senior A final in March.
It’s an All-Ireland schools’ senior medal to go with the All-Ireland junior football medal Allie won with her club, O’Donovan Rossa, in 2023. Add in county and Munster junior and intermediate medals with her Skibbereen club, as well as Munster minor, U16 and U14 medals with Cork, and Allie has already amassed a serious collection.
She’s not fazed by the big occasions – she was one of Cork’s top performers in the recent Munster minor final triumph. Allie feels every game is an opportunity to improve.
‘You learn from the experience of all those games,’ she explains.
‘Even if we are down a few points, you learn not to panic and what’s needed to pull through. There are a few other girls with huge experience on the team, too, and that all helps. You need to keep it calm and not panic, and I think we’re good at that.’
Cork’s results in retaking the throne in Munster certainly highlight this is a formidable young Rebels’ team.
They beat Waterford in the opening game (1-13 to 0-4), and haven’t stopped winning since. Victories followed against Limerick (6-18 to 0-4), Tipperary (0-10 to 0-4), Clare (1-12 to 1-4) and Kerry (4-12 to 2-9) before Cork unleashed hell on the Kingdom in the Munster final, powering to a 5-18 to 1-5 triumph that ended with Allie lifting the cup.
‘Kerry had beaten us in last year’s Munster minor final so it was great to win this season and get the cup back,’ Allie says, reflecting on a journey that she’s sharing with two Skibbereen Community School team-mates, Éabha O’Donovan (O’Donovan Rossa) and Kate Carey (Ilen Rovers).
‘We have a really strong attack with Éabha and Kate, and you have Laura Walsh from Mourneyabbey who scored 2-8 in the Munster final and also Ava McAuliffe who played with the Cork seniors last season.
‘Our manager Kieran (O’Shea) has been with us since U14 level and he has huge experience. Martin Crummy is a coach with us, so we have a lot of experience on the sidelines.’
With her summer holidays started, the fifth-year Skibbereen Community School student has her school exams behind her, but tough football tests await, with Cavan in Allie’s thoughts. Dublin and Galway are on the other side of the draw, with the All-Ireland scheduled for July 26th.
