The tide is turning for Macroom says former stalwart of the club 

It has been a challenging few years to say the least for the Macroom footballers.

They don’t need reminding that they have ended up in the last two PIFC relegation play-offs, but crucially from their point of view, they managed to win both of them against Na Piarsaigh and Ilen Rovers respectively.

The Muskerry side haven’t had a sustained challenge since losing the final at this grade to Clyda Rovers back in 2013. That came three years after Macroom won the IFC title after a nail-biting win over Kildorrery in the final. They haven’t reached the business end of the PIFC since a quarter-final loss to Newmarket in 2017.

Kerry legend Aidan O’Mahony is going into his second campaign as manager and former player James O’Connell, is hopeful of Macroom pushing on this year.

“The Premier Intermediate grade is hugely competitive,” he said.

“To be fair, Macroom have been very unlucky over the last few years not to have finished in the top two of their group. It went down to the last game of the group and unfortunately then ended up in the relegation final, but always had that game in them to come out on the right side.

“I genuinely believe with the work that is going on behind the scenes and the great people involved, the tide is turning for Macroom. Winning the Tom Creedon Cup at the end of last year was a huge boost to all of the players. It has given them great encouragement going into the new season.

“The ship is definitely turning and hopefully Macroom can be a senior football club again in the not too distant future. The minors won the county last year for the first time in 20 years having trained over 50 times. They were led by Olan Murphy, a great Macroom man. The players are coming.” 

In the championship group stage this year, the Mid-Cork outfit will take on Kiskeam, Iveleary and Castletownbere.

“It’s a difficult group, no doubt about that,” O’Connell states.

“But, on any given day, Macroom can put it up to anyone. I can remember being at home when they played Kanturk in the last game of the group stage in 2022. There was nothing in that game and you can see how well Kanturk have done since. 

"Macroom can build on last year in what was Aidan O’Mahony’s first season as manager. The players hugely enjoyed the year. I would be hopeful that they can challenge for a top two spot and see what happens then.” 

O’Connell made his debut in goal for Macroom when they were a senior football club in 1993 and played for the first team until 2015 when work called him over to Dubai.

“From my point of view, I have seen both sides of the coin,” he says.

“When I started off, Macroom were in the top grade of Cork football with 10 county senior titles to their name, but the following season we dropped down. We were lower Intermediate for an awful long time.

“We were very competitive when I started off. The start of the noughties, things then dried up a small bit. It came good again when we had a bunch of younger players all coming at the same time. The likes of Fintan Goold, Seán Kiely, my brother Brendan, Rory Buckley and so on. We eventually had success in 2010, winning the Intermediate football championship.

“It was the first county final for me, having been on the panel for 17 years. 2011, 2012, 2013 were very good seasons for us. We got to the Premier Intermediate football final in the last of those years. But, there probably was a window in the noughties where there weren't enough young people coming through the ranks and that hurt us.

“But, in fairness, Macroom saw that and put an awful lot of work into the underage structure. We have had a lean period, but we will come again.”