Senior B squad will be vital to developing Cork ladies footballers

CORK'S senior B inter-county football panel is preparing for their upcoming 2023 Munster LGFA championship.

Leaving the Cork minor ranks and trying to make it onto the Cork senior inter-county panel is becoming increasingly difficult with each passing year. That is because the Rebel county is blessed with a huge number of U18s and adults desperate to pull on the Cork jersey.

As a result, many talented players too old for minor and not yet ready to earn a senior berth end up drifting away from the inter-county scene. Thankfully, Cork LGFA addressed the issue head-on. 

Creating a Cork senior B panel has presented players still interested in making it onto the county’s senior team with an outlet to show what they can do.

Now, a new Munster LGFA senior B championship represents another welcome addition and offers Cork’s senior B footballers a minimum of four competitive inter-county matches this year.

Peter O’Leary is Cork LGFA senior B manager once again this year and joined by Brian Collins (Kinsale), Paul Lombard (Ballinhassig), Ken Whelan (Nemo Rangers), Colette O’Neill (Erins Own). The Cork senior Bs will be captained by Abbie O’Sullivan (Douglas) this season. Dromtarriffe’s Danielle Murphy has been named as vice-captain.

“We started training back in January and have been working at it ever since as well as playing challenge games whenever we can,” Cork LGFA senior B manager Peter O’Leary commented.

“The fact there is going to be a Munster LGFA championship this year meant we had to get organised. I invited most of the players from the previous year’s Cork senior B’s back as well as a number of girls not involved with this year’s minor panel.  22 clubs are represented in the squad so there is a good mix from all over the county.” 

O’Leary’s side begin their provincial campaign with two difficult matchups against Limerick (April 23) and Clare’s (April 30) first teams. Kerry (May 7) and Waterford’s (May 14) senior B teams will take on Cork in their final two round-robin clashes before, hopefully, qualifying for a Munster senior B final on May 28.

Irrespective of results, having an inter-county senior B football setup in place is something Peter O’Leary strongly believes in.

“Well, three of the B Cork squads I was involved with back in 2007, 2008 and 2009, 13 of those players moved up into the late Éamonn Ryan’s senior squad,” O’Leary added. “A senior B squad has been there as long as Cork has been successful. You always need to have a steady stream of players coming through.

“There seems to be a huge drop off of players between minor and senior, not just in Cork, nowadays.  

Keeping young players involved in senior B helps open their eyes to the demands of senior inter-county football, even for a month or two.

“It is a chance to show they can play and, maybe, force their way on to the Cork senior training panel for the winter months. There is nothing there for players who make minor unless you have a Cork senior B squad. There is nowhere else for them to go.” 

A ‘B squad’ in between senior and minor also contains a hugely important ingredient. Hunger.  An opportunity to move up to senior means every player on the Cork senior B panel wants to impress whenever they go out on the pitch.

“There was only Kerry and ourselves (with a B squad last year) but we stayed training and played lots of challenge games,” the Cork senior B manager added. “Kerry were as anxious to stay going with it as we were because they also see the value in it. 

Four of our B panel moved up to the Cork seniors this year and played significant game-time during the National League. 

"So, everyone on this year’s B panel should be saying to themselves, well if they can do it, why can’t I?

“This year, having dates and fixtures for a Munster LGFA Championship is hugely important to the girls. The reality is that Limerick and Clare will be ahead of us in terms of strength and conditioning but that is a great challenge for us.

“The Kerry B manager is of the same opinion. This is the way to go. The senior B’s should be playing as many competitive games as possible as everyone benefits.” 

Munster LGFA B SFC: 

Limerick (away) - April 23, 

Clare (home) - April 30, 

Kerry (home) - May 7, 

Waterford (away) - May 14, 

Munster final (neutral) - May 28.