ARGIDEEN Rangers stalwart Bill Fleming has seen enough to know how much Ibane Gaels – an amalgamation of Argideen and Barryroe – has been of benefit to his club.

BY JACK McKAY

The on-again, off-again nature and uncertainty surrounding amalgamated clubs rumbled on last year. Initially, Ibane were told they couldn’t amalgamate at U21 level for 2026, but were successful in their appeal so will line out again this season.

‘It’s been absolutely brilliant for us as players. You can see, even in the Cork U20s this year, there are a couple of Ibane players,’ Fleming said.

‘In the last couple of years, we’ve had players like Jack Lawton and Ryan O’Donovan (who) won All-Irelands at minor level. If we were playing by ourselves, we’d be playing C and D grades, 12 aside.’

That is what the alternative is, especially for younger ages. The primary focus of underage competitions is to provide meaningful games. Without amalgamations, that can’t happen.

‘When you go up to play county league or to play junior football or premier junior hurling, you’d be way off the standard of other teams. Whereas, with Ibane Gaels, you’re competing with the likes of Newcestown, Clonakilty and Bandon. You’re getting good experience and you’re playing at a decent level, so you’re prepared when it comes to stepping up to adult level,’ Fleming explains.

‘The results, if you win it’s great. If you don’t, that’s not the be all and end all, especially at underage. People think that it’s just focussing on improving the amalgamated teams, but it’s really improving everyone around because it’s creating more competition at a higher level.

‘Look at West Cork U21 hurling, if Ibane weren’t in it this year, there would only be two teams in it. As regards the lack of competition then at the top level, we’ve been lucky enough to have been in the last couple of U21 West Cork finals and we’ve only won one of them. You can’t say that we’re running away and winning everything because that’s not the case.

‘You’re competing with the likes of Bantry, Newcestown and these teams. That’s only bringing them on as well as it’s bringing us on. It’s beneficial for everyone to be honest.’

Argideen Rangers enter 2026 on the back of promotion to Division 6 football and with a fresh injection of talent coming through from Ibane’s U21A football team last season that went all the way to the county final.

With the club exiting the Carbery junior A championship to Kilbrittain at the quarter-final stage last year, Argideen are looking for improvement. The year starts with a trip to Kildorrery on Friday (8pm).

‘The league was brilliant (last year). We were playing Division 7, which we hadn’t been up in before. We were playing teams of higher grades and we didn’t know how we’d fare, but it worked out very well for us. Of course, playing hurling in football, it was difficult to keep it going with a small pick,’ he added.

‘It was unfortunate that our form just tailed off a bit at the wrong time. It’s something we’ll be looking at this year, hopefully, to change that.’

The dual element remains one of the biggest challenges for the club as Fleming explains.

‘It’s very difficult. It’s very enjoyable because you’re constantly on the go. There’ll probably be 12 or 13 of the base of the team covering both hurling and football. It is tough going, and when you pick up a couple of injuries, then it’s very difficult. It’s just about trying to manage it, I suppose, a little bit better, especially in the league.’