THE original idea behind the creation of divisional teams is still valid today, Micheál O’Sullivan insists, but finding a window to play divisions/colleges games continues to present problems.
The Carbery Rangers clubman captained the Carbery division to Cork senior football glory in 2004 so his affinity to the project runs deeper than most. He gets it, but also agrees not everyone does. Is he fighting a losing battle though?
Look at Carbery’s upcoming divisions/colleges football championship semi-final against Muskerry in Castletownkenneigh on Tuesday next, July 8th. The withdrawals of Avondhu and Beara meant the unseeded section of this competition was effectively scrapped, sending Carbery and Duhallow into semi-finals with Muskerry and UCC respectively. It’s already a must-win scenario.
If Carbery beat Muskerry, they progress to the final – and would be one win away from the quarter-finals of the premier senior football championship. If Carbery lose, they’re out. The current structure means it can be a hard sell to players and clubs.
Carbery's Sean O'Riordan gets to grips with Chris Óg Jones of Muskerry during their 2024 clash.
‘It is very difficult,’ admits O’Sullivan, a coach in Colm Aherne’s management team.
‘We have got together a few times since the leagues started winding down. A lot of clubs in West Cork are dual status so that makes it harder again. But we are lucky there is a group of players who want to play for Carbery and who want to play senior football.
‘Three years ago when Carbery won it (Carbery emerged from the divisions/colleges section), we were in the round-robin section and won games – you saw the interest levels rise and the enjoyment of playing senior football. It’s unfortunate this year it’s going to be a one-game knock-out – that’s hard on guys who are willing to make the sacrifice to get involved.’
Now, look at the timing of the divisions/colleges football games. We’re just weeks out from county championships so clubs are ramping up their own preparations. There are also county league finals being played. Kilmacabea take on Argideen Rangers in the Division 7 final this Friday. On Sunday, two days before Carbery’s game, Bandon meet Aghabullogue in the Division 4 decider, while Gabriel Rangers play Kilmurry in the Division 5 final. Hardly ideal build-up for the Carbery football team.
‘I know what’s said about the timing of this competition, but move it where?’ O’Sullivan asks. ‘If you go on a run and win this section, you will have some momentum and the season is up and running. If you play it earlier in the year, any momentum you get will be lost. It’s difficult to find a spot with so much going on.
‘There is a responsibility on clubs and managers to see the benefit to their players to playing with their divisions and at a higher grade, and balancing it by releasing them for maybe one night a week so they get to play at a higher grade.
‘It will be a benefit because they are playing with the best players in their division.’
Ruairi Deane's return to Cork was helped by playing with Carbery.
O’Sullivan admits the exact line-up for Carbery against Muskerry won’t become clearer until much closer to the game; that’s the nature of divisional teams. There’s a strong youthful core to the group – Kilmacabea’s Damien Gore and Ian Jennings, Barryroe’s Ryan O’Donovan, Paddy O’Driscoll and Keith O’Driscoll of Gabriel Rangers, Ballinascarthy’s Sean Ryan and St Mary’s Olan Corcoran are all involved. There’s an opportunity for the rising names of Carbery football to benefit from the divisional team like Brian O’Driscoll and Ruairi Deane did in 2022 when Carbery won this section. That is a selling point.
‘A lot of these fellas are in the same boat that Brian O’Driscoll and Ruairi Deane were in when we won it three years ago,’ O’Sullivan explains.
‘They were on the edge of the Cork panel back then and it provided a window to show what they can do. Suddenly, they were back in. This is a chance for these lads to show what they can do – they have ambitions of getting better and this platform is ideal for that.
‘That’s why I still think the divisions have a huge part to play. You have fellas coming out of minor and U20 football with Cork and are back with their junior and intermediate clubs. There are so many grades in Cork now, you have good players in clubs that won’t make their way up the grades, for one reason or another. But divisions give every player in the county the chance to play at the top level.’
Ruairi Deane, one of the players to benefit from divisional football, will miss the clash with Muskerry through injury. So too will his Bantry team-mates Darragh Sheehy, Mark Óg O’Sullivan and Seanie O’Leary – these are all losses, but still highlight the calibre of player on the Carbery panel. Dan Twomey (Ballinascarthy) is in America for the summer, the O’Driscoll brothers Colm and Kevin from Caheragh are not involved while Dan MacEoin will miss out through injury, too.
At least nine of the Carbery team that started in the one-point loss to Muskerry last season will be missing for this game. It’s an opportunity for others to step up, O’Sullivan adds, and avail of the chance to play senior football with their home division. And he doesn’t want to see this fall by the wayside. Once it’s gone, a route to senior football will be shut down.
