Ballygarvan's Paddy Ryan ready for another tilt at Carrigdhoun glory

Ballygarvan will push for a fourth Carrigdhoun JAFC title on the bounce this year. 

Paddy Ryan has been central to their rise in the division, their battles at county level, and the heartbreak that still lingers from the 2024 county final loss to Inniscarra. 

As the 2026 championship approaches next month, he says the group is eager, grounded, and fully aware that every team in the South East will be coming for them.

“Everyone’s looking forward to it now,” he says. 

“We’re getting through the league and looking ahead to championship. Excited for it.

“We were particularly happy last year winning the division. We’re looking to do it again. We’ve new coaches this year, so we’re hoping to give them a trophy and then move on to county. We want to get that county medal.” 

If the divisional run has been impressive, the county story has been more painful. Ballygarvan have produced strong displays but have fallen short at the final hurdle, none more dramatic than the 2024 defeat to Inniscarra. Ryan still remembers every second of it.

“We fell short in 2024 against Inniscarra. We were four points up with three minutes left, and they got a goal, a point, and then another point with the last kick of the game to win it. Fine margins cost us. Hopefully we’re learning from it and can get a county medal soon enough.

"I felt like we had all the hard work done — it was just closing it out where we fell short. But hopefully we can learn from it. It’s small margins, and the next step is getting past that.” 

This season brings change on the sideline, with long-serving coach Liam Sheehan stepping aside. Ryan speaks warmly about the impact Sheehan had on the group.

“We had Liam for the last five years and he was a fantastic coach," he said.

"He built it from the ground up. He’s put us in a fantastic position now for Mick Evans to drive it on and try to get us as many wins as we can.” 

The 2026 South East JAFC features seven teams split across two groups. Ballygarvan are in Group A with Courcey Rovers and Shamrocks, while Ballymartle, Carrigaline, Valley Rovers and Ballinhassig make up Group B. 

With only three teams in their group, Ryan says the challenge is familiar.

“The last two or three years we’ve had three-team groups as well. We’ve come through them, so hopefully we can do the same this season. It’s the first time in a few years we haven’t had Ballinhassig in our group, which is a local derby for us. 

"So we’ve got a bit of a break from them. Maybe we’ll see them in a semi-final or final if we get that far.” 

The tight calendar is another factor. With the league running into the summer, the turnaround into championship will be short.

“It doesn’t give you much time to prepare. But we’ve been preparing through the league anyway, but the end goal is championship. 

"If we don’t get to the league final, we just hope we’ve learned enough to prepare us for championship and hopefully for county again. It’s really one game at a time.”