Joe Carroll: We set our target of promotion and we achieved it

Joe Carroll has overseen Cork’s return to the Lidl LGFA National League Division 1 at the first time of asking thanks to victory over Clare in Baile Bhuirne last Sunday.

A 1-12 to 0-7 defeat of the Banner was hard-earned in front of an appreciative attendance at Naomh Abán’s home ground of Áras Íosagáin.

The Rebels needed to win their penultimate league outing and for Galway to defeat Monaghan to seal promotion back to the top tier. Both of those scenarios played out and Joe Carroll was pleased, despite struggling to see off a dogged opponent, to get back to Division 1.

“Yeah, we are very happy with it," he said. “Like, we set out our target, our stall, and we were very clear about it at the start of the year. 

Whatever about winning the Division 2 league, getting promotion to Division 1 was a priority and we have achieved that.

“Our first half performance was very, very sloppy. We gave the ball away a lot. Now, to be fair to Clare, I thought they played quite well. I thought maybe towards the end they faded fitness-wise, and I think our fitness pulled in a small bit. I suppose we are just delighted to get the win."

HUGE COST

Cork travel to Donegal next weekend with nothing on the line. That and an upcoming National League Division 2 final against Galway gives Carroll an opportunity to run the rule over his full squad ahead of the 2025 Munster LGFA Championship.

“Maybe next week against Donegal, we might have a look at a few more players that haven’t got much game time,” Carroll admitted. “It isn’t easy to give them all game time. 

I suppose your priority is winning and you don’t want to be changing the team too much because it disrupts it.

“You want to give players a bit of confidence by letting them play for a bit and things like that. Donegal is a long trip, and I suppose if there’s anyone out there willing to throw a bit of sponsorship our way for that weekend, it’s going to be a huge cost to the county board.

“So, if there was anyone out there, we’d be delighted to take any sponsorship towards the trip.

“We will be taking Donegal seriously. We’d like to continue our unbeaten run. We’ve only been beaten once so far, and we’d like to beat Donegal as well.” 

It was a special day for the Naomh Abán GAA and LGFA club who put their best foot forward and delivered a superbly organised event.

A huge crowd was treated to a tough, non-nonsense league match and the club’s fantastic facilities showed why there is no reason Naomh Abán cannot host another inter-county game in the near future.

“We had an opportunity use the facilities and it was fabulous the way it was set up by the Naomh Abán club, it was absolutely outstanding.

“The best ladies football venue I’ve been to so far this year because there was a crowd here, a fabulous atmosphere. They had savage preparation done.

“The pitch looked fabulous and everything. So, we’d like to thank Naomh Abán, hugely, for all the work they put into preparing for it.”