Imokilly division eager to run league games and a new football cup in 2021

THE Imokilly GAA Board held its Annual Convention with officers and delegates assembled on a virtual basis, with some alterations at the top table.

Donal O'Keeffe remains as chairman and Jerome O'Brien continues as vice-chairman, while outgoing secretary Michael O'Brien has now taken up the position of treasurer. Castlelyons man Kieran McGann, who had served as the treasurer, now moves to take up the position of PRO with a vacancy now existing in the secretary's position. 

It is anticipated that this vital position will be filled within the next few weeks. Only seven people have previously been elected to the role in the history of the Imokilly GAA Board. 

Development officer Dick Fitzgerald from Russell Rovers and cultural officer Liam Ó Laochdha of Youghal both stay on for the coming year.

Chairman Donal O'Keeffe in keeping with all administrators countywide is hoping that games resume as normal early in 2021 and that it will be a relatively Covid-free year.

"We are all hoping matches can be played in the relatively near future. 

"There is uncertainty still as to the shape of the overall fixture list but we would certainly be hoping that league games return. 

"And that our championships will revert back to what was our preferred format this year. 

"In that respect, it is our intention to run the junior football championship in a group format with 16 clubs taking part, each of which would have a minimum of three matches. 

"All going well, it is also intended to re-introduce the Abernethy Cup to the hurling calendar and we hope to begin a new football competition, the Oliver Brennan Cup. This would feature the three intermediate teams from East Cork, Glanmire, Aghada and Glenville, along with the winners of our junior football championship."

The Lisgoold clubman makes no secret of the fact he hopes to see his own team progressing to win the county junior hurling title, when that competition resumes early in 2021. He's also eager to see the Imokilly hurlers regain the Sean Óg Murphy Cup and the divisional football team to get back into action.

Following their three in a row triumph, Imokilly's hurlers lost out to UCC in this year's championship but will be looking to be very much back in the mix in the new season. The divisional outfit have claimed top honours on five occasions, which leaves them joint sixth on the roll of honour.

In football, having fallen dramatically from the heights of the 1980s when two counties were won and after a few seasons out of competition, Imokilly's return to the playing fields in 2019 was a positive development.

The East Cork Board hopes to reconvene early in the new year when the election of the GPC will be amongst the issues on the agenda.