Red letter day for Naomh Abán as they host Cork against Clare 

Cork will face Clare in their final Lidl LGFA National League Division 2 home fixture of the 2025 campaign in Ballyvourney next Sunday.

A decision to stage one of the Rebels’ home league fixtures outside their usual SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh or Páirc Uí Rinn venues looks set to attract a huge attendance to Naomh Abán’s grounds this weekend.

Joe Carroll and his Cork senior players will run out onto the Ballyvourney pitch at 2pm on Sunday as the host club, located near the Kerry border, shows off their upgraded facilities.

Hosting an LGFA inter-county fixture will be a special moment for all involved, especially Naomh Abán LGFA manager Noel McDonagh. 

Noel’s daughters, Amy and Lydia, are on this year’s Cork senior panel as well as their Naomh Abán club mate Rosie Ní Chorcora.

McDonagh led the Gaeltacht club to county and provincial junior titles as well as an All-Ireland junior final appearance back in 2022. Since then, Naomh Abán has contested two intermediate deciders.

“Every club likes to show off their facilities, and in fairness to Naomh Abán, in the last number of years they’ve upgraded to a great extent,” Noel McDonagh commented. “Next Sunday’s game is a showcase for them, really. 

It will be great for the local community to just go out and watch the Cork senior ladies playing but also for the kids.

“Even for ourselves involved in the Naomh Abán club, if we’re promoting ladies football, it’s a great way of doing it. 

"People from the local area coming to see the Cork seniors playing Clare, it will be fantastic.

“Hopefully, it will be a good day and we will get the right result. Guaranteed, there is going to be a big crowd there.” 

Sunday will be an important and historic moment for a club that has come together and is thriving under the ‘one club’ initiative.

Naomh Abán is now an established Cork LGFA intermediate setup and aiming to become senior. Having equal access to all their club’s new facilities is making a huge difference from underage to adult level.

EQUALITY

“In fairness, Naomh Abán are probably one of the first clubs that have gone down the one club route,” McDonagh said.

“They’re very positive towards the ladies in Naomh Abán, to be fair. We get access to the gym, same as the lads, so it’s great. That really encourages the girls to keep playing and stay at it. Once they see that they’re being treated equally, it’s fantastic. 

"This year we have a strength and conditioning coach on board in Tadhg Corkery and he is based in the gym.

It’s being promoted well in the club and it’s fantastic to see.” 

The future looks bright for the Gaeltacht club with increased numbers representing their underage section.

“The underage section in the club, we have two girls on the Cork U16A team, one on the U16B and two more on the U14 county panel,” the Naomh Abán LGFA manager added.

“So when you’ve got girls representing the club at inter-county level, that really strengthens the base. All the other girls really look up to those players.

“When they come back to the club, they bring a bit of life and raise the standards, raise the bar for everybody really.” 

As well as raising standards, Naomh Abán’s one club approach and upgraded facilities will be rewarded with an LGFA National League fixture between Cork and Clare on Sunday.