ILEN Rovers boss Flor O’Driscoll hopes the momentum built in 2025 can push his side forward again this season.

After a number of disappointing campaigns, Ilen halted their slide in style last year – Rovers caught the eye with an impressive run to the county intermediate A football final.

Ultimately it ended in heartbreak as Ballinora won the county final replay, but there were encouraging signs that Ilen can build on.

Still, O’Driscoll has warned that his team must work hard to put themselves back in contention later in the season.

‘We built up good momentum last year so we have to carry that into this season,’ O’Driscoll told The Southern Star.

‘What happened in 2025 is no guarantee of being successful this year.

‘We must apply the same attitude and workrate and, hopefully, we can be contenders again by the end of the year.’

In his second season in charge, Ilen stalwart O’Driscoll worked wonders in his first campaign at the helm. Previously, the Carbery club had suffered three relegations between 2021 and 2024, dropping from the top tier of Cork football to the fourth grade. That turnaround began in the 2025 county league, and O’Driscoll knows the importance of Ilen’s McCarthy Insurance Football League Division 5 campaign.

‘We are going to take the league in blocks, first focusing on the opening four games and seeing where we are,’ O’Driscoll explained.

‘The aim is to get promoted but we also have to try and develop the squad. Instilling a game plan and improving fitness are the priorities, but you want to be winning too – that’s an important part of building a successful team,’ he said.

‘Your north star is to be competitive in winning the championship, but we’re not going to get ahead of ourselves. We are looking to build the season as it develops. Right now our immediate focus is the league.’

Ilen Rovers manager Flor O'Driscoll.

Ilen were beaten in their Division 5 opener, losing 1-9 to 1-7 away to Mitchelstown, the only other intermediate A side in the league. The division also includes two premier intermediate outfits, Bantry Blues and Ballinora, while the remaining teams operate at premier junior or junior A level.

Ilen hope to get back on track when they host Ballydesmond this Sunday (12pm).

‘There are a lot of good teams in Division 5. It’s going to be very competitive so we have to take it seriously,’ O’Driscoll said.

‘Our objectives? One, to do well in the league. Two, to build up for the championship. You need to have a good campaign behind you.’

In terms of the Ilen squad, they are boosted by the return of Daniel O’Driscoll and Donal Collins from Australia.

‘We hope to get them back to the level they were at previously. They’ll be big additions,’ O’Driscoll said.

The return of Peter O’Driscoll from injury will be a major boost too. An ACL injury ruled Cork’s 2019 All-Ireland U20-winning captain out of last season’s championship run.

‘Peter is probably tracking for mid-season. An ACL is a serious injury and he is going to get all the time he needs to get back to 100 percent,’ O’Driscoll added.

‘We aren’t going to take any shortcuts or rush him back. Whether he is back for the championship, that’s to be determined. These are tricky injuries to recover from. He would be a massive boost for us if he can be back in time.’

The Carbery club’s new fully floodlit pitch at Church Cross – named after the late Donie Duggan – has also helped early-season training.

‘Having the new pitch is huge. Even at the end of last season we opened it up in October and it was a big help during our preparation for the latter stages of the championship,’ O’Driscoll said.

‘It may be just one pitch but there are a number of teams training on it. It creates a great bond, a togetherness across the teams. It’s been a great development.’