Carrigaline face Kinsale in Carrigdhoun U21 football final

Carrigaline U21 football manager Killian O’Mahony believes success this evening would mean so much to the club.

The team in blue and yellow face Kinsale in the Huntsman Bar and Restaurant Carrigdhoun U21 A football championship final in Belgooly with throw-in at 6.45pm.

As well as silverware on the line, progression to the county championship is also the prize for the winners.

The teams met in the group stage back in February on a day when goals proved crucial in a 2-11 to 0-14 win for Carrigaline.

Carrigaline lost last season’s decider to Valley Rovers.

“We are really looking forward to the final,” O’Mahony says.

“We had great momentum back in February, but unfortunately due to the weather and the deadline that was in place, it wasn’t possible to play the final. We couldn’t do anything about it, Kinsale were in the same boat. It’s here now.

“All of the teams have improved since the start of the year, which has been shown in other divisional U21 games. We know what Kinsale are about. We were lucky to get over them in February.

“Kinsale have something going for them, especially with their minors coming through. In years to come, they will be strong at adult level. All of our players are really relishing this. It just has been building up and building up over the last six months.

“We are taking this as a new game and not relying on anything else. We certainly won’t be overlooking Kinsale, but we are confident that if we play our own game, we will hopefully get the job done.” 

It’s not lost on O’Mahony how much winning the Carrigdhoun U21 A football trophy would mean to the club.

“We won the Senior A football title last year and it just totally lifted the club,” the Carrigaline boss said.

“It gives the younger lads motivation to be involved with winning teams. I work with the Ballincollig U21 football manager so I know full well how much winning Muskerry meant to them a few weeks ago.

“I don’t think the U21 competition gets the credit it deserves or the window it deserves. To be thrown into the calendar in February is a bit much. That’s for another day, but winning means everything and it has a knock-on effect on a lot of people.

“If we did manage to beat Kinsale, for example, our minors had a disappointing season, if they saw us lift silverware, it would spur them on and they would want to get involved next year."