Naomh Abán on the right road again as they look to rekindle glory days

WHILE Naomh Abán didn’t qualify for the knockout stages of the Bon Secours Hospital PIFC this season, the Muskerry club can look back on a campaign where they have made significant progress.

Just for a bit of context, 2022 was one to forget for Naomh Abán, a season where they clung onto their premier intermediate status by the skin of their teeth following a nervy 0-8 to 0-7 win over St Vincent’s in the relegation play-off. That was after they lost all three group-stage games in disappointing fashion, losing to Kanturk in the opening match, 4-13 to 0-9 then a drubbing by near neighbours Macroom on a scoreline of 4-10 to 0-9 before a 1-11 to 0-7 loss at the hands of Rockchapel.

That meant the St Vincent’s encounter was all about the result over performance and even though that dour contest won’t live long in the memory, Naomh Abán can look back on that result as a starting point where things have been on an upward trajectory since.

Naomh Abán had a change of management midway through the 2022 season and they were also decimated with injuries. After reaching the quarter-final in 2021, beaten by eventual winners Newmarket, not many people would have expected Naomh Abán’s form to dip significantly.

A new management came in at the start of this season, former player Diarmuid Scannell came in as manager with Newcestown’s Carthach Keane coming in as coach with John Quill, Shane McCarthy and Pádraig Hallissey selectors. There were a few new additions to the panel before a ball was kicked with promising young players from the successful underage structure drafted in. There were also departures including key forward Maidhc Dineen who headed for Australia.

The Cork Credit Unions Division 4 football league was nothing to write home about for the team in blue and white as they finished third from bottom, winning three and losing six from nine outings, avoiding relegation by two points. But, the league served its purpose for the Muskerry club. A new management, new players and a new way of playing, so it was always going to take time.

Naomh Abán did go under the radar heading into the championship group-stages and they made use of it by defeating Macroom, 1-14 to 1-9. A massive result considering they lost to Macroom by 13 points 12 months earlier. The next test was always going to be the ultimate one against Bantry Blues, a team that lost out to Kanturk in last year’s final. There was very little between the teams, but a Ruairi Deane goal proved decisive in a 1-10 to 0-10 win for the West Cork team.

But, it was clear just how improved Naomh Abán were in 2023 by just that match alone, pushing a strong Bantry Blues side all the way. Reaching the knockout stages would have been a massive achievement, not just where Naomh Abán were last season, but how difficult the group was. A Muskerry derby with a seasoned Iveleary side last weekend was the final game in the group and with both teams level on points, it was a winner-takes-all encounter. With the game tight and tense, Iveleary got two goals from Daniel O’Donovan and Chris Óg Jones midway through the second-half, as they won 2-9 to 0-10. A lack of experience did play a factor in the two defeats for the team in blue and white.

To just take the Iveleary game for example, Naomh Abán only had two players over the age of 30 while there were two 18-year-olds in promising young forward Ed Myers and tigerish wing-back Jack O’Donoghue.

The season ended in disappointment for Naomh Abán but the hurt and the valuable experience should stand to them in 2024. They are a club who have plenty of history and tradition including winning the intermediate county titles in 1977 and 1999 and being a top flight team for a decade from 2000 to 2010. There's no doubt that the team from Ballyvourney are on the right road again.