COUNTY champions, what a lovely ring it has to it.

Only once in their long existence has the Kilmacabea club been able to describe themselves as county champions. That was back in 1994 when they won the junior B county football title. Up to Sunday last it was their only county adult title. Now they have two.

As a small, rural club based in Leap and Glandore, Kilmacabea always struggled to survive in junior A ranks. When the famed Little Norah Cup – awarded for the Carbery junior A championship – was retired in 1997 after 49 years in service, it was the club’s great regret that their name had never been inscribed on the base of that great cup.

One man swore back then that he would never rest until his beloved Kilmacabea had won the South West junior A title and that their name would definitely be inscribed on the base of the new Mick McCarthy junior A cup. That man was Kevin O’Driscoll, a survivor of the 1994 junior B team.

The junior A success never arrived in O’Driscoll’s time as a player but when he retired and took over as trainer of the team, he was a man on a mission. The team had only once ever contested a junior A final and that was in 2015 when a young side lost to Bandon in the final, and the Lilywhites went on to win the county title.

Tommy Murphy, one of Kilmacabea's staunchest supporters, and Caroline O'Callaghan at the celebrations in Leap. (Photo: Martin Walsh)

Belief was rising that maybe the title was within their grasp and when they were back in the final in 2017, the missing link was in place – O’Driscoll had taken over the team management. Who will ever forget the delight in Clonakilty that evening when a gallant Kilbrittain team were beaten in the final but, after beating Kilworth and White’s Cross in the county, it was disappointment in the semi-final when they lost to Erin’s Own in a replay.

O’Driscoll was now a happy man knowing Kilmacabea’s name was on the base of the Mick McCarthy Cup and that could never be erased from history. Having delivered the Holy Grail, after five years in charge, O’Driscoll decided that it was time to take a break. He was replaced by Noel McCarthy. A good team wins a title, a great one retains it and that was McCarthy’s aim for 2018 – and the Kilmacs delivered, defeating Tadhg MacCárthaigh in a replay. They went on to a first county junior A final, against Dromtarriffe, and Kilmacs were on the verge of glory that day, but it all went wrong in the closing minutes and a heart-breaking one-point defeat was the result. It was truly the one that got away.

They had to wait seven years to get back to this stage again, though they did win Carbery titles in 2020 (under Kevin O’Driscoll again) and 2024, with current manager Donie O’Donovan now in the hot seat. And the latter’s quiet, studied approach was to get the very best from a changing team.

Again, the Kilmacs ruled in Carbery, as they accounted for Kilmeen, Randal Óg, their main obstacle Argideen Rangers, Barryroe, Kilbrittain and St Mary’s – it was the fifth time to have their names on the cup inside a decade.

As Kilmacs faced into the county championship, their veteran warriors like Donncha McCarthy, Ruairí Hourihane and Daniel O’Donovan, were performing as if this was going to be their last chance to win that elusive county. Captain Ian Jennings was inspirational, Damien Gore racking up the scores better than ever, Martin Collins developing into the best midfielder in Carbery. Throw in the Tobins, Shanahans, Wheltons, O’Callaghan, the McCarthys, Kerrisk and the talent was definitely there to go all the way, but could they break through the glass ceiling that had hung over them for 100 years, since the founding of the Carbery division in 1925?

Beating Carraig na bhFear and Charleville, they were back in the county final. And so, to Sunday last and a day never to be forgotten. A young, successful Donoughmore team were installed as favourites and a first-half goal by the mid-Cork men increased the tension among the Kilmac contingent as they trailed by two points at half time.

But the frustrations and heartbreaks of 137 years were about to be unleashed in a glorious second half as Kilmacs drove to victory and glory. The Shanahan brothers will forever be associated with this marvellous historic win and so will every player involved, not forgetting the management team under the now legendary Donie O’Donovan.

A long time coming has come at last, and for the very first time Kilmacabea will campaign in championship football outside of the West Cork division in 2026.

This last decade will go down in the history of this proud club as the greatest the club has ever witnessed and little wonder the bonfires blazed in the rain in Leap on Sunday night.

‘Proud, as proud can be,’ said a breathless Donie O’Donovan afterwards, surely the understatement of the year.