Coláiste Mhuire Buttevant capture Cork PPS Senior C football title 

Coláiste Mhuire Buttevant recently captured the Cork PPS Senior C football championship title after getting the better of Scoil Mhuire gan Smál of Blarney in the final.

The North Cork outfit emerged victorious on a full-time score of 2-12 to 0-13, as they secured the trophy for a second year on the bounce.

The championship campaign got underway last October, when the eventual winners defeated Coláiste an Phiarsaigh in the opening round, 5-16 to 0-6. The quarter-final tie was supposed to be against North Monastery, but they conceded, meaning a semi-final encounter against Beara Community School.

Coláiste Mhuire Buttevant had lost the 2023 final to the Beara outfit, but they gained revenge in this one. It was level after extra time, 5-11 to 3-17 before the North Cork team won 5-4 on penalties.

Cill na Martra player Seán Feury, who was a selector on the Coláiste Mhuire Buttevant winning team, was thrilled with the school retaining the trophy.

“A lot of work went into the season since last summer, back-to-back champions is great,” he says.

“We hadn’t lost many lads from last season’s team, so there was a very settled panel. We had two goals, win the Munster championship and retain the Cork PPS Senior C trophy. We lost the semi-final of the Munster, but thankfully we won the county.

“It’s hard to win two consecutive titles especially at schools football with a lot of different things going on, but the lads were absolutely brilliant. The competition was under the old rules and that kind of suited us. We have very clinical forwards.

“We are all delighted in the school with the players. This was my fourth year training the team and we have been very consistent every season. Huge credit must go to the clubs and the school principal Donal O’Sullivan.” 

After reaching the last four finals in the Cork PPS Senior C football championship, losing the first two before winning the last two, Coláiste Mhuire Buttevant will step up to B level for the 2025-26 campaign. Feury has no qualms about stepping up.

“We are losing players for next season, but we are also gaining a few,” he said.

"Liscarroll/Churchtown Gaels, Ballyhea, Doneraile and Ballyclough. They are the four main feeder clubs and their underage is going from strength to strength. We have had a lot of very strong players from those clubs in the last few years and I suppose the ambition for the next few years is to move up to B level and try and compete at B level.

“I know it will obviously be a different ball game, it will be tougher opposition. The lads are looking forward to it. Some of the lads that might have been subs this season and coming on, it’s up to them now next season to step up.

“They will want to put the jersey in a good place when they are leaving as well."