Ibane Gaels U21 success will reap a reward for Barryroe and Argideen Rangers
The Ibane Gaels U21 football team with their management team before the recent South West U21 A football final. They defeated Newcestown to capture a unique U21 A Carbery double.
IBANE Gaels enjoyed a brilliant season as they captured the U21 hurling and football championship double in the Carbery division this year.
An underage amalgamation of parent clubs Barryroe and Argideen Rangers which was formed in 2012, it was set up due to a lack of numbers in both parent clubs and they field teams in a number of grades.
The club is named after the Ibane peninsula of the area and has breathed new life into both clubs. Well-attended training sessions along with full-strength teams are gradually raising the skill set of players.
Paul Holland who coached both the hurlers and football to divisional glory admitted it has been an ‘unbelievable’ year for the club.
“We are delighted. It has been an unbelievable year for the club. The young lads are delighted to be playing clubs of that stature and testing themselves. When you come out the other side and win things it is a great bonus,” he said.
“We won the U21 A hurling championship back in April. This was a huge achievement. When the players won this title, they found it hard to believe themselves. It put a small bit of pressure then on the football team, but they stepped up and delivered. The vast majority of players were members of both teams. The football goalkeeper doesn’t play hurling.
“To win the U21 A football title is brilliant. They beat Castlehaven, Carbery Rangers, and Newcestown which is a great achievement. To beat three teams of that stature means you can’t win a better title. The championship was played late in the year, but it ran off very smoothly."
He was helped by Danny Murphy, All-Ireland winning Cork U21 captain in 1997 and '98, with the U21 hurlers, while he added young players to the coaching team who brought ‘new’ energy.
“Danny Murphy and I did the hurling. We got young players from both clubs whose seasons were over to fall in with the footballers. These lads are in their twenties, and they brought new energy and ideas as the players were probably sick of listening to us.”
The GAA coach said they have always had a plentiful supply of volunteers willing to coach the various Ibane Gaels teams.
“There is great work going on with the players at all grades. We have had lots of great guys from both clubs who were interested in giving back. We never had any problem with getting help.
Holland said the club was initially founded as both clubs were struggling to field at the underage level.
“I was involved with Argideen Rangers. Numbers were getting very tight. We had U12 teams with only two or three subs. The writing was on the wall as regards fielding teams. I floated the idea to Liam Murphy in Barryroe and he sounded out the people in his club and we got it done. When the players finish up playing U21 with Ibane Gaels they go back to their respective clubs either Barryroe or Argideen Rangers.
“This year’s sixth class in Timoleague had five boys in it and only two boys played GAA. You won’t make teams out of that. It was a big move. We approached the County Board with our idea. We found out that 43 clubs in Cork had already amalgamated.
"It is running away fine. If we didn’t have this team, those players could be lost to the GAA.
“The main aim is to get them playing and make sure they go back to their clubs as better players. The aim of the club is to produce players for both adult clubs. It is always a bonus when we pick up a few trophies along the way.
"Argideen Rangers made this year’s SW Junior A Football final which might mean it is the start of a new era for them. Seven of that team were players on the U21 team. That experience will be invaluable. We are hoping they go back to their clubs better players.”
