Donie O’Donovan feels the benefit of winning promotion to Division 6 of the county football league will outweigh Kilmacabea’s disappointment after losing the recent Division 7 final to Argideen Rangers.
While both Carbery clubs were promoted to Division 6 for next season, Argideen will get the bounce from adding silverware to their trophy cabinet after their 1-12 to 1-8 win.
Intriguingly, both Kilmacabea and Argideen are in the same group in the upcoming Carbery Junior A Football Championship, so they will meet for a third time. So far, Argideen have won both encounters, albeit both in the county league. That game is in the third round of championship action, so it could be decisive in a group that also contains Randal Óg and Kilmeen.
‘We’re delighted to go up to Division 6 next year. In a way, if you didn’t have a league final and you were going up to Division 6, it would be a positive. Now, you have to pull yourself up after losing a game and get ready for the championship. Kilmeen and Randals don’t have the baggage of losing a league final,’ said O’Donovan, as Kilmacabea put their Carbery JAFC crown on the line, starting with a clash against Kilmeen in Rosscarbery on July 26th.
‘Argideen were better than us in the league final – it’s as simple as that. We are still pleased with our year. To be in the county league for a start, and then to go up to the next division is good.
‘We’re probably going the opposite direction to where Timoleague are going – Argideen are the younger, up-and-coming side. Look, in championship, all bets are off.’
Having talisman Damien Gore in the line-up for the whole league campaign was a boost for Kilmacabea. The former Cork player hit 1-2 from play in the Division 7 final, and while he ended up on the losing side, he has looked sharp throughout the league.
‘Of course it was positive,’ O’Donovan agreed.
‘Damien does most of our scoring. If he wasn’t with us and was with Cork, would we be going up to Division 6? I very much doubt it.’
This was Kilmacabea’s first time in the county league, so to win promotion at the first attempt is a positive. Adding a novel factor is that most teams were from outside the Carbery division. With eight of the ten Division 7 sides competing at junior A level, the Kilmacs boss isn’t quite sure if playing those teams in the league will be of massive help in the divisional championship.
‘The teams that were in it were probably junior teams anyway – junior teams out of different divisions. Was there that big of a difference in standard? I don’t think so. At the same time, you were playing different teams and there was a better buzz. There was a pathway to the next division and a bit more bite to it,’ O’Donovan added.
Of course, this will be the first club championship season played under the new rules brought in by the Football Review Committee. So far, and much like at inter-county level, the reaction has been positive.
‘The club game needed new rules. Inter-county definitely needed new rules. We were always playing three up anyway, we weren’t as defensive. The two-pointer is a help alright, and the solo and go. Other than that, though, the game is pretty much the same,’ said O’Donovan, as his attention turns to the Carbery championship and that opening match against Kilmeen.
The league is the past now, it’s all about the championship.
