AN all-West Cork county junior B football final between Bandon and Ilen Rovers should produce plenty of drama at MTU Cork on Saturday (1pm throw-in).

These two West Cork rivals are no strangers to one another.

Bandon and Ilen Rovers met in the 2024 junior D county decider, with the Lilywhites emerging 4-9 to 2-14 winners after an extra-time epic. Richard Tarrant’s side followed up that success with a junior C county final win over Lisgoold the following year.

Getting ready for another high-profile occasion is nothing new for Bandon.

‘There’s great excitement around the whole panel,’ Bandon’s Alice Tarrant said.

‘It’s great to be going training at this time of the year. Long may it last now as we get ready for another final.’

Victories over Donoughmore and Ibane Ladies, plus a defeat to St Peter's sent Bandon into the knockout stages of this year’s junior B championship. There, a superb 3-14 to 2-12 victory over Lisgoold has qualified the Lilywhites for a third straight county decider.

‘It was a really tough semi-final against Lisgoold,’ Tarrant said.

‘They really put it up to us. We really had to dig deep in extra-time to get it over the line, which is great preparation for this year’s county final. Hopefully, that will help us to push forward, get that cup and bring it home.

‘Playing Ilen is 100 percent going to be our toughest challenge to date.

‘This group has been together for a good number of years and trust each other inside and out. We’d do anything for each other and everyone is just looking forward to the final.’

Chairperson Willie Buckley is equally delighted to see his club’s ladies footballers reaching another county decider.

All this in the same year Bandon’s camogie team are in the last four of their county championship and as the club’s hurlers prepare for an intermediate A hurling county semi-final meeting with Midleton.

‘It would be a great achievement if three of the adult club’s teams were to reach county finals,’ Buckley commented.

‘It has been a hard challenge all year, as we saw from the semi-finals. We needed extra-time to just about scrape past Lisgoold.

‘As for Ilen, everyone on our panel knows their players. They know us. So, it is going to be a tight, tight game.’

Similar to Bandon, Ilen Rovers are on an equally impressive rise through the Cork LGFA ranks.

Junior E county champions and Division 8 county league winners in 2024, Rovers added a U21C county title and junior D county championship last year.

Regrading directly to junior B has not halted the Rath-based club’s progress. Wins over Lisgoold, Nemo Rangers and Watergrasshill preceded a terrific 3-19 to 5-9 semi-final success at home to Donoughmore after extra-time.

‘We’ve always aimed to move higher up the grades,’ Rovers’ Padraig Kiely said.

‘This bunch of girls always give it everything and deserve all the success they’re getting.

‘We are under no illusions after regrading up two grades. It has been tricky enough at times but we have managed it and played through it. The higher grade actually seems to be suiting the girls, football-wise, to be honest.

‘The reason we are in this final is the girls’ talent. They are an amazing bunch of players. It is just to get over the line now.

‘We are hoping to get out the right side of the result this time against Bandon. I think we are ready for it.’

Leah Carey is one of those talented Ilen Rovers individuals and believes the decision to regrade from junior D to junior B has been justified.

‘Reaching a junior B county final has boosted our confidence,’ Carey said.

‘We knew it was going to be tough but we’ve had a good go at it.

‘The last time we played Bandon, in 2024, that final went to extra-time. So, this weekend’s game is going to be close but, hopefully, we can get over the line.’

A consistent spread of scores amongst Carey, Kate Carey, Maebh Collins, Emma Hurley and Clare Collins has helped Ilen reach the junior B decider.

‘Yeah, our team-play is massive and we have multiple shooters which makes it kind of hard to mark all of us,’ Carey agreed.

‘There is talent all around our team. So now, it is all about taking one more step.

‘We have grown up as a team together and our confidence has grown as well. As you get older, you get closer. Even the younger girls that have come into the squad, I feel like the team has really bonded which has also helped us.

‘We are a tight-knit group, very tight-knit.’