Áine Terry O'Sullivan: Growing up in Garnish means football is everywhere 

Cork forward Áine Terry O’Sullivan was honoured last week as the latest winner of the 96FM/C103 Sports Award, held in association with co-sponsors Rochestown Park Hotel.

She was recognised after a spring that delivered a Division 1 League title for Joe Carroll’s side, a demanding Munster campaign, and now a focus on the All-Ireland series.

O’Sullivan has been part of Cork’s ranks for a long time, and this year’s league success stands out. Having only been promoted from Division 2 last season, Cork’s rise to the Division 1 title was not widely predicted.

“At the start of the year, our main mission was just to stay competitive and stay up,” she says.

“We’d been relegated two years ago, so getting straight back up was great, but the focus was on competing and getting a few wins. 

"As the league went on, we kept winning, and towards the end we started saying, ‘there’s a possibility here.’ A lot of the girls are under the age of 26.

“Many hadn’t experienced winning a Division 1 League. We haven’t won much in the last few years, so once it became a possibility, we were mad to put in a big performance. We left it late on the day against Galway, but we were delighted.” 

Cork’s ability to grind out tight games was a major factor. Wins against Kerry, Waterford and Armagh, and a battling display against Meath, helped build belief.

“We showed we were able to stay in games and push on in the last ten minutes,” O’Sullivan said.

“Our only blip was the last league game against Dublin, but we were already in the final. Even though we played poorly in the first half, we nearly clawed it back. That was encouraging.” 

The league final itself, played in Limerick, was a strange affair but ultimately proved a positive one for Cork, even if they had luck on their side.

“Conditions didn’t help, but it was the same for both teams,” the Garnish native states.

“We only got a couple of points in the first half, but we were happy enough going into the dressing room. Galway were up by five, but we didn’t give away goals and we worked hard. 

"It took until the last ten minutes, but we scored 2-3 or something like that. It showed great character and fight.

“It was such a huge win. Cork hadn’t won anything in a few years.

“When you see it written down, you realise how long it’s been. It was brilliant for the girls who’ve been there since 2014 or 2015. A great reward for everyone who stuck at it.

“Being from Garnish, you grow up with football everywhere. It’s the same for a lot of the girls. That pride drives me on.” 

The Munster championship, however, did not go to plan as Cork lost their three group games.

“We were very disappointed with that,” she admits.

“It was a quick turnaround from the league final. We’d been training hard since December, so maybe there was a bit of tiredness. The Tipperary game had no positives really, but against Waterford we started well, and against Kerry we had a very good first half. We just struggled in the second.

“We took a few days off after the last group game against Kerry. We’re back training now for the All-Ireland series. We will have a tough group again, but if we can bring the form we had in the league into the next few weeks, we’d hope to do well."