Former Cork selector Eoin O'Neill plans Imokilly overhaul

AGHADA club man Eoin O'Neill is the new manager of the Imokilly senior football team.

Although football has always been in the shadows of the small ball in the eastern division, efforts were made a few years ago to revive the divisional senior team, after a period without participation in the County Championship.

Prior to Covid, after an absence of a number of years, the division did tog out again and now they are back again following a brief break with a new and enthusiastic management team at the helm.

Former Cork senior selector O'Neill is joined on the sideline by Noel O'Riordan (Glenville), Pat Mackey (Youghal), Gerry Sparrow (Glanmire) and Clive Cremin (Carrigtwohill). Martin Enright from Castlemartyr will look after strength and conditioning duties.

The new team manager brings considerable experience to the fold, having played football for 17 years with Aghada, he then went on to play a pivotal role as an analyst and statistician with the Cork senior team under the management of his clubman Conor Counihan. 

The highly successful era saw Sam Maguire returning to Leeside in 2010. Following that stint, Eoin was appointed as a selector with the Cork team under the management of Peadar Healy. Subsequently, he has been very heavily involved in coaching in his own club, Rebel Óg Development squads and other clubs in the county.

"On the ground, there is a lot of good football work going on in Imokilly with squads. If we don't have something at the end of it for players to aim for, you just wonder what the point is in doing all this squad work.

"We want to put a structure in place that are going to last for a number of years, based on having regular get-togethers and in the process create a bit of identity. We want the players that wish to play football to enjoy coming to our sessions and know that there is a place for them. 

FRAMEWORK

"We want to go and do that within the correct framework, with good coaching and hopefully improve the standard in the division. To be fair we are getting great backing from the East Cork Board with our plan. With proposal B coming in, it's going to be positive for football. 

"While acknowledging the huge part that hurling has in the fabric of East Cork, Eoin also brings to mind the good tradition that exists with the big ball in the barony.

The last time Cork were winning All-Irelands, there were East Cork men playing and that is something obviously everybody is very proud.

"I think it's injustice if we don't try to keep that going remember Imokilly won county football titles before hurling titles."

Imokilly caused a real stir when they lifted the Andy Scannell Cup twice in the mid-'80s as they assembled a highly talented group of footballers, many of whom were involved Cork teams at various levels. Conor Counihan had the honour of captaining the senior team that broke the Kerry dominance in 1987, as the Rebels went all the way to the All-Ireland final. 

"Back-to-back victories in 1989 and 1990, with Conor in the pivotal role, coupled with the aforementioned Imokilly double resulted in a huge surge of interest east of the city."

Bantry native Clive Cremin who is now based in Carrigtwohill joins what are a number of very recognisable football faces in East Cork a part of Eoin O'Neill's 2022 new backroom team.

"Clive, like the rest of the crew, has been heavily involved with development teams. Noel, Pat and Gerry have all been involved with clubs for a number of years. These guys have all put up their hands and said they want to be involved and are putting effort into the task ahead. 

"I'm delighted to be involved with them all. We have approached nearly every club and they are all very positive about it.

"We will work around the clubs in order to get access to players for training and games, so that by the time the round robin series comes around, we have adequate preparation done. The job this year is to get a foundation and be competitive. This is a project for a couple of years. Hopefully when our time comes to move on, there will be structure there for people to continue."