SUCCESS, at last, for Carbery football in 2025, as Kilmacabea junior footballers laid the ghosts of 2018 to rest with victory over Muskerry champions Donoughmore in Páirc Uí Chaoimh on Sunday.

A dry, cool morning gave way to grey skies and torrential rain for the afternoon and the Kilmac’s prospects looked equally grim at the halfway stage as they struggled to contain the youth, energy and enthusiasm of the men in black and white.

A goal-of-the-season contender from Donoughmore danger man Gavin O’Sullivan was the crucial score in a tight and nervy first half, helping his side into a two-point lead at half time.

Ian Jennings and Damien Gore had contributed the bulk of the scoring for Kilmacabea in their path to the final, but neither had scored from play at the break, with Gore converting just a solitary close-range free. Jennings, though, kicked a trademark two-pointer after half-time to level the game before O’Sullivan responded with a brace of kicks from inside the arc.

Jennings was stationed around midfield, and it was in this area that the Leap men took control in the second half. Daniel O’Donovan left his full-forward berth to operate around the middle also, and with Martin Collins anchoring a strong half-back line and Donnacha McCarthy handling his usual volume of possession and using it wisely, the tide began to turn.

Now in control of the bulk of possession, it was up to the Leap forwards to begin to make their advantage pay, and it was the Shahahan brothers, Eamon and substitute Ray, that would come up trumps. Eamon was Leap’s main threat all through and would end the hour with five points from play, including a two-pointer late on that iced the Kilmac cake. Ray was on hand shortly after his introduction to goal when fellow substitute Liam McCarthy’s shot rebounded to him.

That goal gave the West Cork champions a three-point lead entering the final quarter of the contest. To their credit, Kilmacabea put the foot down for the closing stages to finish with five points to just one in reply from a stunned Donoughmore. Manager Donie O’Donovan acknowledged their first-half nerves but once they were out of their system, the men in green hit their stride when it mattered most.

It’s better to finish strong than to start fast and fade out of a contest, and Leap more than doubled their first half tally of five points with 1-9 in the second. The taste of success will be sweet for our neighbouring parish as they now escape what O’Donovan described as the ‘West Cork bear pit’, ascending into premier junior ranks for 2026. Having won five Carbery championships in this last decade, they have well earned the promotion.

Clubs such as Knocknagree, Uibh Laoire, Cill na Martra and Aghabullogue have shown in recent years that once you start to get some momentum, moving through the ranks in the changed landscape of Cork football is very attainable for those who are capable. There is time enough to be thinking about all that in the new year, though, and it will be a December and Christmas to remember in the village of Leap and the parish that surrounds it.

We once got a pep talk from Padraig Harrington when we were involved with Cork, and if I remember one thing he said, it was to always make sure you celebrate your successes. I don’t think I need to tell any of my neighbours that twice when I do meet them. Congratulations to the team, management and all involved with the club, take it from someone who won a county junior medal on the very same date 22 years ago, that elusive county title is a special feeling for every club. January is time enough to start thinking about the new challenges that await.

Captain Ian Jennings arrives in Leap with the cup on Sunday night. (Photo: Martin Walsh)

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Saturday evening saw the centenary celebration for Carbery GAA in the Westlodge Hotel in Bantry. As with most social occasions these days, I wasn’t in attendance, but a number of my Carbery team-mates from our senior county championship success in 2004 were. The reports back were of a most enjoyable evening. As a group, we haven’t got together since our victory over Bishopstown in the older, far less salubrious Páirc Uí Chaoimh. For a GAA stadium, the dressing-rooms and shower facilities were seemingly designed with soccer in mind, so cramped were the spaces.

The pitch itself has undergone much work too and now remains pristine no matter the weather conditions, whereas previously it was more weather dependent. Lush like a carpet in the summer months, it would soften substantially as the year progressed. There were no issues with the surface or the weather on that mid-October day when the Carbery team that was laden with inter-county experience comfortably accounted for the city side with a Kerry twist. All-star Johnny Crowley had returned to Glenflesk at this stage, but his county-men James O’Shea and Jack Ferriter remained the primary scoring threats.

Thankfully, the Carbery defence on the day was rock solid, keeping Bishopstown to just seven points in total and only three from play. Owen Sexton and Sean Levis were the inter-county stars holding the centre, but Eoin Barrett, Eugene Murphy, Bernard O’Brien and Micheál Fehilly were outstanding on the flanks also. Behind them, Pat Prendergast of Bandon kept his fourth clean sheet in succession, and his fifth in seven games.

That run included two turgid contests with Clon in Skibbereen but also the miracle save in the final seconds against Mallow in the dramatic semi-final that secured our spot in the final. I’m not too sure he knew too much about the shot that seemed to hit him in the face before striking both crossbar and post, before Owen Sexton punched the ball to safety and the final whistle sounded. We came within whiskers of elimination that day in Macroom.

Captain Micheál O’Sullivan and fellow Ross man Kevin MacMahon were our midfield pairing and having played with them for years, there weren’t too many midfield combinations that could rival that duo at club level then or now. The platform for so much of our success in Ross around that time, they did likewise for the divisional team that year also. They were supplemented also by our goalscorer on the day, big Alan O’Connor, who presented another valuable kick-out option for Prender.

I started at centre-forward and, being straight, didn’t do a whole pile in the first half before waking up a bit in the second and kicking a pair from play. In fact, all of our total of 1-11 came from play and I don’t remember having any frees at goal either, perhaps symptomatic of Bishopstown's lack of intensity on the day. Frankie Arundel was on the other wing and scored a point as well, as did corner-forwards Declan Hayes and Maurice Moore. Another renowned Cork and Carbery midfielder, Pat Hegarty, started at full-forward and caused serious trouble for the Bishopstown defence, knocking over three points from play and setting up Alan’s goal also.

The big man at full-forward would soon come into vogue with Kieran Donaghy and Michael Cussen, however John Corcoran was ahead of the curve with that selection. The big man from St Mary’s is a much-missed figure in Cork GAA circles, as is his fellow selector from St Colum’s, Pat Cronin. They were joined Densie Whelton from Barryroe and Phillip Moore who rounded out a strong Carbery Rangers presence on the day.

As well as the starting team, five subs were used with Martin Cronin, Liam Harte, Alan O’Leary, Michael Milner and Kevin Walsh also tasting action. In total, between players and management, 12 West Cork clubs were represented and they are as follows; Bandon, St Oliver Plunkett’s, Kilbrittain, Carbery Rangers, Barryroe, Muintir Bháire, Diarmuid Ó Mathunas, St Colum’s, Tadgh McCarthaigh, Argideen Rangers, Randal Óg and St Mary’s.

Will it ever happen again? It’s definitely more difficult now with the new formats and the massive preparation done by clubs at every level now. Our preparation with Carbery amounted to one or two sessions in Ballineen but, astute as he was, big John decided that a bit of relaxation in the pool in Inchydoney was worth more than any extra training for already busy footballers. No one enjoyed that success more than John did, and he can take a great deal of the credit. Hopefully I will see the group again soon to raise a toast to him and to Pat, and to reminisce on what were the good old days of 2004.