THERE’S a good reason why Adrigole are consistently at the business end of the county championship – they have a deep passion for football.

Despite falling at the intermediate A semi-final stage in each of the last three seasons, the men from Beara keep coming back.

All those last-four defeats were agonisingly close too.

In 2023, they lost after extra time to Mitchelstown. In 2024, it was a one-point defeat to Boherbue. Last year was, again, extra-time heartbreak, against Ilen Rovers.

Adrigole’s fourth attempt at a semi-final victory will come this Saturday in the McCarthy Insurance Group IAFC against Buttevant in Kilmichael (3pm). Fourth time lucky, perhaps?

‘Down here in Adrigole, all we really have is football. It’s all we talk about during the week. We don’t have much else, so everybody takes it very seriously,’ Adrigole captain Fergal Carey told The Southern Star.

‘There’s fierce chatter in the parish now about a county semi-final. Everybody gets behind you. You can see it means a lot to everyone.

‘Getting to a county final would mean a lot to every club. It might mean a small bit more to us down here. However, it’s not something we’re thinking of too much. We’re just thinking about the next day out against Buttevant and, hopefully, getting over the line.’

Neil O'Sullivan in action for Adrigole. (Photo: Paddy Feen)

By beating Bandon, Boherbue and Kildorrery already in this campaign, Adrigole impressed in the group stages and didn’t put a foot wrong.

And for a third straight season, the Beara boys progressed to the last four and bypassed the quarter-finals.

While the advantage of automatically qualifying for the semis didn’t help them in the last two years, they are determined to show that the extended break can be of benefit.

‘Some people say it’s an advantage. Some say it’s a disadvantage. Hopefully, the week’s rest should help us. All we’re really focusing on is getting a big performance and getting over the line,’ the experienced Carey (31) mused.

‘We knew this year we had a really tough group. We couldn’t really take anything for granted, so we just took it as one game at a time.

‘Starting off with Bandon, who came down from premier intermediate, they were going to be really tough and that was our first focus. It was onto Boherbue then after that. It was really just taking it one game at a time. We haven't really looked past the next game all year.’

A big victory this season came against Boherbue. In a game where they didn’t score for 20 second-half minutes, Adrigole pulled a result out of the fire.

It felt significant at the time and could be a game they look back on with fondness.

‘Boherbue are a team we’ve had a lot of close games with down through the years, and they’ve probably got the better of us on a few occasions. ‘It was something we talked about – that we really needed a win against them.’

‘As you can see from the results, they’re a team that’s right up there, one of the top three teams in the grade, so it was great to get a victory over them,’ Carey explained.

This is the captain’s first year in the role but it’s one he doesn’t see as much responsibility. The main objective is to guide the younger players in the team.

Just two years ago, the Beara divisional team competed in a county U21 final against Bishopstown in which six Adrigole players started. Included in that team were Tom O’Connor, Ben O’Sullivan and Mark Downing, who are key players for the club’s adult team now.

Cork All-Ireland winning minor Conor Downing isn’t eligible to play for the team this year, but still can be seen on the line giving his clubmates encouragement. The future is bright.

‘There’s quite a mixture between youth and experience in our squad. Two years ago, we had a good shot of young lads coming onto the team, which would have been unheard of in Adrigole. We had seven or eight lads come into the team at once. They rejuvenated things a bit and helped drive us older lads on a bit,’ Carey explained.

‘Conor is going around the schools there now with the cups and everything. It brings a bit of excitement. All the underage lads are talking about him. There’s a great buzz around the place.’

Adrigole manager Tim O'Sullivan. (Photo: Paddy Feen)

This Saturday’s game will offer another challenge.

Buttevant have won three of their four games so far and impressively beat 2025 finalists Ilen Rovers and championship favourites Mitchelstown to reach the latter stages.

Their forwards, including Mark Lenahan (4-12), Conor Hanlon (1-16) and David Hanlon (0-18), are flying so Adrigole will be wary of the test ahead of them.

‘We know we’re probably underdogs going into this game, to be honest,’ Carey suggested.

‘Having looked at some of Buttevant’s results, they were very impressive against Ilen Rovers and Mitchelstown the last day out. Their forwards are very good. They’re good scorers and we know we’ll have to be at our best to be in with a chance of beating them.

‘At the start of the year, our plan was to get back to a semi-final after last year and the previous couple of years. It’s a big day for everyone involved with the club and everyone around the parish,’ Carey said, as this football-driven community hopes for a county final.