New manager Michael O'Sullivan welcomes return of Courceys' 2021 PIHC winners

After a couple of turbulent seasons for Courcey Rovers, normal service is expected to resume in 2025 for the Ballinspittle and Ballinadee outfit.

Seán Guiheen and Eoin Galvin’s return in 2024 may not have panned out the way either party would have liked – but Courceys have been without the use of several key players in the past two seasons.

The effects of that can’t be overlooked, but 2025 brings new opportunities.

Their new management ticket, spearheaded by former selector Michael O’Sullivan, includes the experienced Peter Smith, who guided Midleton to senior county success in 2013.

O’Sullivan was involved with Valley Rovers last season but returns to Courceys for 2025 – and is confident of success with the club as they welcome the return several key players from ’21 and ’22.

“One of the reasons for that [recent struggle] was we won the county in 2021, was we had a relatively young team,” O’Sullivan begins. “We got to the final with the same team the following year, with an average age of maybe 24 – and then a lot of players went abroad.

“A lot of players went travelling – some went abroad, some went working up the country. We were down a good few players with the last couple of years. We should have them all back bar one, Jerry O’Neill. He’s still travelling.

“From the county final team in 2022, we were down eight players the following year.

“It’s been a good thing too – we probably have a stronger panel; in that we’ve brought players through.

“I wouldn’t be back if I didn’t think we were going to achieve something.

“We’re still relatively young, we’re a good age. We won a county with an average age of around 23. They’re gradually coming back to Ballinspittle, slowly but surely.

It should make for an exciting year hopefully.

The year begins with the league campaign in March, and after suffering relegation from Division 2 last season – the aim for O’Sullivan and his players is straightforward.

“We were relegated last year – [so] consolidation. That’s what we want.

“We will probably try out a few new players,” he says. “It’s very difficult with the level we were playing, Division 2 last year.

“We’re a small club, numbers are small.

“It’s very competitive, even Division 3 is as well. The league tells you where you are. For the size of club we are, if we’re not going out with a reasonably strong team, we’re going to suffer.

GROUP OF DEATH

The league is a useful indicator if nothing else – but Courcey Rovers will have their work cut out at the end of summer, facing into arguably their most challenging group stage campaign since gaining promotion to senior A.

“It's as hard as it gets in that grade,” O’Sullivan remarks. “This is third year in four playing Blarney.

“They’ve won two, we’ve won one – and there’s very little between us.

“Last year’s game in Riverstick was a fabulous game of hurling, a really good quality game. They’ll be very, very strong. Hopefully we’ll be able to match them on the day, that’s all we can hope for.

“Bride Rovers, again, we’re going to be playing them in the league – a quality side. A very good side with good players. Watergrasshill, with the high they’re on, at the moment they’ve a great spine of a team. We know plenty about all three teams.

“Our first game is against Watergrasshill, and if you don’t win your first game, you’re on the back foot, you’re going to be struggling.”