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O'Sullivan: West Cork are here to stay

October 30th, 2018 1:00 PM

By Kieran McCarthy

West Cork's Libby Coppinger powers her way past Mourneabbey's Eimear Harrington.

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Cork captain Ciara O'Sullivan West Cork ladies senior football team will be annual contenders from here on.

MOURNEABBEY got the better of West Cork in the recent county ladies’ senior football championship final – but Cork captain Ciara O’Sullivan feels the divisional side will be annual contenders from here on.

The West Cork team was formed three years ago and after two semi-final losses, reached their first county final this year, only to lose to champions Mourneabbey after a replay.

But O’Sullivan expects to see plenty more of the West Cork team in the campaigns ahead.

‘Any team that has the players that West Cork has will be around for a while,’ O’Sullivan said.

‘The only concern for them is that if one or two of their good intermediate teams win to go senior, it lessens their pick. Ross and Clon are good intermediate teams. 

‘But they’ve also lost Kinsale and Bantry players in the last few years and still gone on to reach the county final this year. 

‘I wouldn’t see West Cork going anywhere, to be honest. All those players have experience of Cork underage and senior teams so they’re not going anywhere for a while – unfortunately for us!’ 

It’s a credit to West Cork that they pushed Mourneabbey so hard in the county final, especially in the 1-10 apiece draw, to such an extent that O’Sullivan admits it was one of their toughest county title successes.

‘This was a hard one to win, it’s up there with 2014,’ O’Sullivan says.

‘None of the counties we have won have been easy but 2014 and this year’s do stand out as the toughest. 

‘Back in 2014, we beat Vals in the final.

‘It’s good for Cork football that the championship is so competitive.’

O’Sullivan feels that the West Cork test will stand to Mourneabbey in Saturday’s Munster senior A football final against Waterford side Ballymacarbry in Cahir. The Cork champions, who completed the five-in-a-row domestically are looking to do likewise at provincial level. 

On a side note, Ballymacarbry have won 37 consecutive Waterford senior football titles.

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