NAOMH Abán face an arduous task against Aghada in the Baile Bhuirne club’s first-ever Cork Credit Unions Cork LGFA senior A county final appearance on Sunday.

A decision to stage the Cork Division 2 national league clash against Clare at Naomh Abán’s home grounds in March of last year highlighted how far this progressive club has come.

On the pitch, the Gaeltacht village has witnessed a talented LGFA set-up rise from the junior and intermediate ranks to the heady heights of senior club football.

You can add in provincial titles and an All-Ireland junior football final defeat to Galway’s Salthill-Knocknacarra along the way too.

Bottom line, this Naomh Abán squad means business.

This is a battle-hardened unit that includes senior inter-county talent such as sisters Amy and Lydia McDonagh, Grace Murphy and Rosie Corkery. Add in a sprinkling of up-and-coming Cork minors and U16s, and Naomh Abán possesses the raw materials to cause a shock against Aghada in MTU Cork on Sunday (4pm).

So, should it come as such a big surprise that Noel McDonagh’s charges have reached a senior A county final in their first year?

‘Well, we won’t be going there to make up the numbers, certainly,’ Naomh Abán manager Noel McDonagh informed The Southern Star.

‘For this team, we’ve experienced a lot since 2022 when we were a junior club. It took us two years to get to the intermediate championship, after getting to two finals.

‘Now, this year, it’s a bit unexpected for a team up from intermediate to go straight to the senior A county final.

‘We know we’re going to be up against it with a good team like Aghada. They have been senior for quite a few years. It is our first year up senior. We’ve a lot to learn yet at this grade, but look, we’re going to try and take our chance and we won’t be found wanting at the end of the day.’

Naomh Abán are fully aware of the challenge Sunday’s opponents, Aghada, pose.

Eric Smith’s side won their first senior county in 2024, only to lose last year’s decider to Éire Óg, another first-time winner. This season, Aghada overcame Mourneabbey in a high-scoring semi-final shootout, 4-8 to 3-9, to reach a third consecutive senior A decider.

For their part, Naomh Abán knocked out reigning champions Éire Óg, 1-7 to 0-9, in the other semi-final.

Amy McDonagh and her sister Lydia are manager Noel’s daughters. Each has represented their county at senior level.

‘Beating Éire Óg in the semi-final was absolutely unbelievable and I don’t think we could believe it at all when it happened,’ Amy McDonagh commented.

‘Going there, we knew how tough a game it was going to be. We’d never beaten Éire Óg in a competitive game and they won last year’s senior A. We knew if we could keep things close and were still in the game at half time that anything was possible. It will be the same in the final.

‘Senior was a big step up for us this year. We had the new rules, the extra physicality and going up senior at the same time. We were kind of used to it though as we have come a long way since 2022. Those experiences and playing in county, Munster and All-Ireland finals has stood to us.’

‘As for the final, there’s so much excitement around the place, even the semi-final the last day. It really did feel like our supporters were right there behind us. I do think that they drove us on.

‘After that Éire Óg game, there was a big celebration for us and the community. I do think what we are doing provides a good bit of excitement around our local area.’

Aghada's Clare Walsh and Naomh Abán's Amy McDonagh ahead of their senior A county final.

Amid recent headlines about integration, Naomh Abán’s successful adoption of the one club approach shows what can be achieved with willing participants and common sense.

‘Naomh Abán has been one club now for two years,’ Noel McDonagh explained.

‘They’ve backed us in everything we’ve wanted, whether it’s access to facilities, gear, footballs, strength and conditioning coaches. They’ve been fantastic.

‘In fairness to the club, over the last number of years, they’ve built a great training regime right through the underage set-up.

‘Jonathan Mullane and his team have done great work. It’s beginning to show now. We probably have the youngest team, on paper, in this year’s senior county championship. That all bodes well for the future.

‘We also have girls on the Cork minor and U16 teams coming through. If we can develop those players further, we will hold our senior rank.

‘First year up and we’re in the senior A county final. Anything is possible.’

The two form clubs of this year’s senior A championship have reached the decider.

It promises to be a cracker and anything is possible when Naomh Abán are involved.