Cullen look to kick on after football league promotion

Cullen have made such a good start to life in Division 6 of the McCarthy Insurance Group Football League that they have points on the board without yet playing a match.

The Duhallow club, winners of Division 7 last year, had been due to play St Michael’s in their 2025 league opener a fortnight ago but were awarded a walkover and so Sunday’s clash away to St Nick’s will be their first chance to get on the pitch competitively.

Since earning a spot in the newly created Premier JFC for 2023, Cullen have competed well and their goalkeeper Fachtna O’Connor hopes that the league victory of last year can provide extra impetus.

“We were delighted to go up,” he says.

“If we had this maybe four or five years ago, I think we'd be in a stronger position.

“When you’re stuck in your division for a long time, it’s tough because junior A is probably the hardest grade to get out of.

“I think if it was there longer, we would have probably definitely developed more, because we're playing different teams every year.

“I think winning the league was the first bit of county silverware that the club has ever had, so we were delighted.

“We had a lot of games down in West Cork last year. This year, we're nearly city-based, if anything, but we're looking forward to it.” 

Given that it was Canovee that Cullen beat in the Division 7 final and the Muskerry club then came within an ace of championship glory, it provided more belief.

“We knew we’d get a good test off them,” O’Connor says, “and they're a very good side, and when we saw them in the final, it was a case of feeling that we can be equally as good on our day, if we can get up there.

“The league went well, the championship probably just didn't work out. A few injuries and stuff – I was injured myself for the last two games – so it kind of came against us in the end.

“It was disappointing, but hopefully this year we can push on a bit more to get to the knockout stages.”

 In terms of age-profile, Cullen have a nice mix.

“We'd be not too bad,” O’Connor says, “it'd be probably in the middle of the road, 24, 25, but there's a good few older lads as well that have been there a long time.

“We've a good few minors coming up now the next couple of years, obviously Luke Murphy with the seniors now too, which is a huge thing for the club.

“We had a Cork minor last year, and I think we've had three in the last maybe six or seven years, so it's been great.

“There's very good spirit in the club with the youngsters. We kind of do a thing where the 17-year-olds are training a year before they can play.

“They know all the lad, and when they come onto the panel, they're ready to go. They're fitting in seamlessly.” 

O’Connor – a full-time GDC with Cork County Board, covering west Muskerry – is in his 13th year on the panel, having taken over goalkeeping duties when his brother Billy suffered a broken ankle eight years ago. This year of course brings new challenges as teams adapt to the changes in football rules.

“From my own perspective, the quads are under pressure from kicking the ball out long!” he laughs.

“It's going to take a while. Just one thing I kind of noticed myself is that, the first practice game we played against Grenagh this year, I couldn't actually see the arc myself.

“If a guy was standing five yards inside for a short kickout, I didn't know what to do, so it is difficult.

“It takes getting used to, but we've three challenge games played and we're adapting, getting used to it.”

 And forays up the field?

“I did it once and I lost the ball, so I went back in after that!”