Saturday night’s celebrations had hardly been completed after a thrilling South East Junior Football championship victory over Ballinhassig, when the Shamrock Ladies carved their own piece of history. The Ladies under 11 side were competing in the Mid-Cork Final against Grenagh. This was a close and thrilling game and it took a huge effort in the final quarter to take the title. Shamrocks won 3-6 to 2-4 and in doing so brought the Club its very first Ladies Football honour. A very worthy Captain Cloe McGrath accepted the trophy on behalf of the team.
Congratulations to the girls and the Team mentors and wonderful supporters.
A LONG WAIT;
The Junior Football Final victory was well overdue and it was all of 22 years away back in 1994 since we last won. The final that year was against Valley Rovers played in Riverstick. It went to two games, the first having ended in a draw. The replay was on the Sunday morning of All Ireland Football Final day in Riverstick.The drawn game was played on September 4th, Shamrocks 2-7 to Valley Rvs. 0-13. The replay took place on the 18th at 12 noon at Riverstick. The team were treated to a “full Irish” in John Carmody’s Owenabue Inn in Carrigaline that morning The team then travelled to Shanbally for as pre-match routine and afterwards set off for Riverstick in Braham Brennan’s bus. Played in continuous rain Shamrocks were up for it and won 0-7 to 0-4. Captain fantastic was Dick Andrews and he accepted the trophy amid wild excitement. Pat Murphy took the ‘man of the match’ award.
Team: P. Cusack, D. Andrews (Capt.), A. Ahearne, Ml. Lannon, Ml.Kidney, P. Murphy, D. O’Flaherty, P. Ryan, A. Geary, M. Hickey, A. O’Driscoll, S. Kelly, B.Beale, J. O’Callaghan, J. Dineen. Subs: O. Ó Cearbhuill, B. Hickey, S. O’Flynn, B. Timlin, A. O’Neill, A. Punch, D. Collins, K. O’Mahony, M. Geary, P. Andrews, D. O’Neill.
History was made in Junior Football that year when the Club completed the Double. The B Junior Football Team won their championship too to make it an unique feat.Shamrocks defeated Valley Rovers in the final played in Camden on Sunday December 11th. Brilliantly led by team Captain Seamus O’Flynn, they led from start to finish and won 2-8 to 0-6.
Team: A. Punch, B. Hickey, S. Horgan, K. Roche, C. Doyle, F. O’ Flaherty, M. Geary, W. Pierce, C. McDonnell, D. O’Neill, R.Dreivers, F.Collins, C. McSweeney, S. O’Flynn, (Capt.)P. Andrews (1-5). Subs. J. O’Flaherty, R. Lannon, P. Prout.
Twenty two years was a long wait, but Saturday night’s victory fashioned out of raw courage and huge commitment made it all worth while. Let the wagon roll on to Carrigaline for the County game on Friday night next September 23rd, under lights at 7.45pm
