Watergrasshill head to Derry for ladies football Féile finals 

Watergrasshill U15 girls are heading north this weekend to represent Cork in the National Féile Division 1 Ladies Football competition, which takes place at Derry GAA’s Centre of Excellence at Owenbeg tomorrow.

It is a tremendous achievement for the squad of 25 players and coaches, who have battled through two demanding stages of competition to earn their place on the national stage.

Their journey began in the East Cork Féile, hosted by Inch Rovers in Killeagh.

Watergrasshill defeated Lisgoold and Youghal in the group stages before overcoming hosts Inch Rovers in the semi-final. They then faced Fermoy in a hard-fought final, where both sides showed great skill, strength and determination before the Hill girls came out on top to claim the East Cork title.

The Watergrasshill Ladies club competes in both camogie and ladies football, and this group had already reached the semi-final of the Division 1 Camogie Féile, narrowly losing out to Aghabullogue.

There was little time to dwell on that disappointment, however, as attention quickly turned to the County Division 1 football Féile in Ballincollig over the May Bank Holiday weekend.

On a sunny day of excellent football, teams from across Cork competed in two groups of four, with reaching the final requiring five games in just over five hours.

Watergrasshill were drawn alongside Ibane, Mourneabbey and Ballincollig, and the full squad played its part across the group games, keeping energy levels high for the semi-final against Éire Óg.

A strong performance there set up a county final against Mallow, who had beaten several fancied teams along the way.

The final proved to be a thriller, with both sides enjoying periods of dominance and producing football of a very high standard.

Watergrasshill led in the closing stages, but a late Mallow free left supporters holding their breath. With red jerseys packed across the goal line, a powerful strike was superbly tipped away to safety, sparking huge relief and celebration as the final whistle confirmed Watergrasshill as county champions.

It was a memorable day for the village, as the Watergrasshill boys’ Féile hurling team also won their competition.

A parade through the village for both teams marked a special moment for the community.

Since then, a major fundraising effort has helped cover the cost of travelling to Derry. With the old tradition of teams staying with local families no longer in place since Covid, hotel accommodation is now required, making community support more important than ever.

GENEROUS

Local businesses, friends and families have responded generously, driven by an outstanding group of parents.

Several of the girls have also represented Watergrasshill at Imokilly and Cork level over the past year, from U13 to U16, which is a great sign for the future of the club.

The team is managed by John Fenton, supported by selectors Cliona Cotter, Emer Fennell, Marie Kennedy, Claire O’Connell, Dave O’Brien, Emmett Fennell and Liam Tracey.