CLOYNE ladies football club is on something of an all-time high at the moment.

Not renowned as a stronghold for the big ball game, the men’s footballers have, however, had their moments, with Imokilly and county success in the not too distant past. Last week, the exploits of Abigail Ring and Aoife Healy thrust this famed hurling hotbed firmly into the football spotlight.

Abigail was named Player of the Match as Cork made it title number 13 in the All Ireland minor ladies football grade with victory over Galway in Nenagh.

It was the climax to a thrilling season for a large group of Cloyne folk who had travelled to cheer on their two local stars in all their championship games.

Aoife had also been named MVP when Cork won the minor camogie title just a few months ago.

As a club, Cloyne ladies football has experienced a massive upsurge of interest in recent times with teams being fielded in a variety of age groups, including junior, over the past two seasons.

“We are all buzzing at the moment,” said club secretary Donna Dempsey, the Sligo native who has found her new home in Cloyne and has fallen in love with the game.

“It was some occasion to see Abigail and Aoife to win All-Ireland medals with Cork. 

They both had started playing with us at U9 level and lined out first in our U12 team. 

"Their progress has certainly captured the attention of the local sporting public, reflected by the huge support that travelled to the final.

“We are looking forward, to hopefully, having the silverware here in Cloyne some day next month when all our younger players can come along to enjoy the occasion. Aoife and Abigail are real stars here — so many of the younger generation look up to them and want to follow in their footsteps.”

Cloyne’s emergence on the ladies football scene is due in no small measure to the work that has been in at underage level. Club chairperson Diarmuid Falvey and vice chairperson Valerie Nyhan have been two of the major driving forces of the success story.

The club is also fortunate to have the services of a dedicated team of local coaches and helpers who have given of their time very generously.

Then, there is the link-up with the GAA club, where the nursery brings boys and girls on board from four years upwards to take their first steps on the pitch, before the boys move to St Colman’s and the girls join the ladies football set up.

“A regular weekly coaching session is organised in the local school to further strengthen the early love of our native games. But keeping players involved in the game in later years is still seen as the greatest challenge,” Dempsey said.

“It’s our ambition to work harder and make it more appealing for girls to stay involved in the game. Like most clubs, we have seen a drop-off in the teenage years, but we hope to reverse that trend.

The exploits of Abigail and Aoife in winning All-Ireland medals will no doubt inspire many of our young players”.

With the surname Ring, there is no doubt that there is a link with the legendary Christy. Abigail is in fact a great-grandniece of the great man.

Along with Aoife Healy, they also play camogie with Aghada, where both are hugely important players.

Winning the Player of the Match award was the crowning glory of a remarkable few months for Abigail.

“It’s hard to put into words what it means to have won, the whole team was brilliant, everybody put in a huge shift. The majority of the squad have been together for the past few years. We were driven on by the fact that we did not get to play the All-Ireland last year, having won Munster,” said Abigail.

Aoife has also had a year like no other. Player of the Match in the All-Ireland minor camogie final, she received a similar accolade a week later as St Mary’s High School won the All-Ireland senior ladies football school title.