‘IT’S fitting and appropriate that the pitch is named after Donie,’ explained Jason Whooley, as Ilen Rovers honoured a club stalwart in fitting fashion.

As the Carbery club officially opened their new fully floodlit pitch at Church Cross, they also named it in memory of the late Donie Duggan, who tragically passed away in October 2023.

‘Donie and the Duggan family are central to the history of Ilen Rovers,’ said club chairman Whooley.

‘Donie was a player who won junior and intermediate county titles and also played in a county senior football final. He was an All-Ireland intermediate club medallist in 2004 and went on to become a hugely important coach and club member.

‘He had a vision for this pitch. He applied for the planning permission for the lights and would have submitted a grant application before his untimely death. It was up to us, as an executive and as a club, to deliver on the vision he had.’

Kevin O'Donovan, CEO Cork GAA, and Donie Duggan's wife Donna Duggan performed the unveiling of a plaque in his memory. (Photo: Anne Minihane)

It was a proud moment on Friday evening when the lights were switched on at the new training pitch bearing Donie Duggan’s name, with Cork GAA CEO Kevin O’Donovan in attendance.

‘We’ve needed floodlights for some time and, when we set about it, we got it done within 12 months,’ Whooley said.

‘What we have now is a second pitch in Church Cross that is fully floodlit. We’re very happy with the surface, which allows us to prepare teams in a very professional fashion and to facilitate winter training on a surface that can take the punishment.

‘That is really important. It also means our main pitch in Rath and our other pitch in Church Cross won’t suffer the same level of damage during the winter.’

The Ilen Rovers U14 team trained under the lights at the club's new training pitch. (Photo: Anne Minihane)

Ilen now has two pitches at Church Cross, along with a walkway, to complement their grounds in Rath, and the hope is that the improved facilities will translate into progress on the field.

‘With so many of our players based in Cork city, you can’t have them rushing down the road for training only in daylight hours,’ Whooley added.

‘Now we can schedule training at times that suit the players, when they can get there.

‘During the winter months, it’s crucial not just to have floodlights but a surface capable of taking that level of use without impacting on your main pitch. That’s what we have now.

‘Ultimately, if your club is going to compete at a serious level, you must have the infrastructure in place. Whether it’s the right gyms or pitches, it’s for the players. It’s what players – male and female – expect from their club now. It’s up to us to deliver for them.’

Ilen Rovers' new training pitch at Church Cross. (Photo: Anne Minihane)

Whooley also felt the presence of Cork GAA CEO Kevin O’Donovan underlined the significance of the occasion.

‘It emphasised the special nature of the naming ceremony and the night itself. It added hugely to the event and we are very thankful to Kevin. We know he is incredibly busy and could be out every night of the week at functions, so we appreciated him coming down.’

Last season Ilen reached the Intermediate A county football final, losing after a replay to Ballinora. Despite that disappointment, the campaign was viewed as a progressive one that has provided a strong platform to build on.

‘Winning becomes a habit, just like losing,’ Whooley said. ‘Unfortunately, we had a few years on a downward curve. All our underage teams reached their respective finals last year, which was great. We had two magnificent days out in Páirc Uí Chaoimh and that creates its own momentum.

‘There is a great buzz around the place and we have to capitalise on that – keep building for the future. Having the right infrastructure is a big part of maintaining that momentum,’ he concluded.