Bandon and Ilen Rovers ladies football clubs on the rise

West Cork clubs Bandon and Ilen Rovers are aiming to climb the Cork LGFA ranks having each enjoyed productive seasons in the junior grade.

Plenty of West Cork clubs made headlines at the top end of the Cork LGFA championships in the senior and intermediate grades over the past twelve months.

At the time of writing, Skibbereen club O’Donovan Rossa are two victories away from claiming an All-Ireland intermediate title.

Clonakilty edged Kinsale in an all-west Cork senior B county decider. Castlehaven are now established as a senior club having enjoyed numerous successes over the past decade.

There are an increasing number of junior clubs looking to climb the ladder and join the county senior ranks. From Junior A right down to Junior G, clubs from the rural region are competing and making strides at both underage and adult level.

This past year saw Bandon and Ilen Rovers make their mark at Junior D.

Bandon will play Junior C football in 2025 following a successful county-winning campaign that culminated in victory over their west Cork rivals.

POSITIVE

The Lilywhites’ year began in positive fashion by reaching a Division 4 county league final. Mallow proved too strong in that encounter, winning 3-7 to 0-12, but Bandon would carry their league form into the championship and emerge with a trophy.

Another west Cork club, Ilen Rovers, also reached a league final, overcoming Carrigtwohill 4-19 to 2-6 in the Division 8 decider.

Rovers joined Bandon in the junior D county championship group stages and their local derby ended in a 2-15 to 2-10 Ilen win. Kate Carey (0-5), Carla O’Regan (0-3), Keelin Murphy (0-2) and Amy Harte (0-1) were Rovers’ scorers on that occasion.

The final group standings saw Ilen finish top and Bandon in third. Both west Cork sides safely negotiated their respective semi-finals, Rovers accounting for Youghal and Bandon defeating Ballinhassig.

That setup an eagerly anticipated junior D final matchup which took place in Rosscarbery amid awful weather conditions. Rovers were favourites and led 0-10 to 2-1 at the short whistle.

Four points down heading towards the end, the lilywhites roused themselves and forced extra time by scoring 1-1 including a crucial Kate McLoughlin injury-time goal. Using a gale wind, Ilen led by two at the final changeover but Bandon dug deep and emerged 4-9 to 2-14 winners to capture the junior D county trophy.

It was a memorable day for the lilywhites who have enjoyed sustained success at underage level in recent years. Translating that success into an adult trophy was a big moment in the club’s history. Kate McLoughlin top scored with 1-8 while Clodagh Barry (2-0), Hannah Buckley (1-0) and Anne Marie Troy (0-1) also contributed.

Despite the defeat, Ilen Rovers have much to look forward to in 2025. The core of a young panel remains in place and the West Cork club will restart the junior D championship as favourites.

“We have a very young team and one that has played together up through the age grades,” Ilen Rovers mentor Josephine Carey said.

The talent is there and they have put in the work for sure, but they wouldn’t be too experienced playing at junior county level. The youngest girl on our panel is 15.” 

As for Bandon, a large town with a rich sporting pedigree, winning a Cork LGFA county trophy represented a timely boost.

“This county title is a huge boost but it has taken a long time to finally win one,” Bandon manager Richard Tarrant admitted.

“We have been close on occasions in the past. We look at our neighbours, the likes of Castlehaven, Clonakilty, O’Donovan Rossa, Kinsale and Rosscarbery, all the West Cork teams really, playing at the top levels.

“Over the last decade, Bandon has been competitive against those clubs in the West Cork LGFA underage grades. So, that’s what we are aspiring to. Hopefully, this victory will be the catalyst to drive things on.

“Winning was brilliant and the girls will enjoy it but we hope that this is the first step on the ladder up the adult grades for Bandon.” 

So, as the year draws to close, two west Cork clubs with big ambitions will be back in 2025 looking to continue their upward curves.