Bridging the gap: How Imokilly plan to reshape East Cork football

Imokilly joint-manager John O’Connor says the division is ready to take a more structured, long-term approach to developing young footballers.

The plan is a new off-season programme aimed at keeping 17–21-year-olds engaged, improving, and ultimately pushing towards the senior panel.

After being unable to field a team in the McCarthy Insurance Group Premier SFC in both 2024 and 2025, Imokilly’s return to action this season — even without qualifying from their unseeded section — offered enough encouragement to convince O’Connor and his management team that a deeper development pathway is now essential.

O’Connor said the idea came from months of conversations with clubs and players who were eager to see a clearer route into the senior setup.

“We put the word out to the clubs and the players about the senior team, and a lot of them came back saying they wanted to be involved,” he said. 

“We had great buy-in this year with over 40 players involved towards the end. The interest was there, and that’s what pushed us to look at something more structured. We need to keep the momentum and buzz around Imokilly football going. 

“We had six lads involved with the Cork minor footballers this year. We want to give young lads a route to playing senior football for their division.” 

The new plan will see Imokilly run a weekly training session from the end of October right through to the start of pre-season, specifically for players in the 17–21 age bracket.

“What we want is to keep them involved over the winter,” he says. 

“Give them the chance to train at a good standard, stay sharp, and be ready for the following year. It’s about making sure they don’t feel too far away from it. The Imokilly football management will be overseeing it. 

"It’s important to note that this won’t be a distraction for the young players. We will be having it when it suits them. Club and school will come first.” 

O'Connor pointed to similar development-style initiatives run elsewhere that have produced strong results.

“Other divisions have done something like this and it worked,” he states. 

“It keeps lads together, keeps them interested, and gives them a proper chance to push on. 

"We saw it ourselves this year — even one good year can bring fellas on. We want to build on what we did this year and make it sustainable.” 

Imokilly’s challenge in recent seasons has been depth. While the division has no shortage of talented players, O’Connor said the difficulty has been getting enough of them available at the same time, particularly during the height of club commitments.

“Every year there are difficulties. When it comes to the big games, you’re always missing a few. That’s just the nature of divisional football. 

"But if we can bring in younger lads now, at least you’re building a base. In two or three years, they’re stepping up and driving it on. 

“We understand that we are starting at a low base given where Imokilly were in the last couple of years. 

“If you organise it properly, you can get momentum very quickly. A weekly session, good coaching, and a clear pathway — that’s what lads want. It’s about giving them a reason to stay involved.”