By Barry O’mahony EchoLive.ie
Aghabullogue have put last year鈥檚 disappointment firmly behind them with a strong start to their 2025 campaign.
While there were a lot of positives to take out of last season considering the Coachford-based club won the IAFC in 2023, they would have been frustrated by not winning a second county football title on the bounce.
They lost to Kilshannig in the McCarthy Insurance Group PIFC final after a replay. While Aghabullogue would agree they were second best on the second day out, they led by two points in added time in the drawn contest.
Aghabullogue are once again guided by Ray Keane. Now in his second year at the helm, the team got promoted out of Division 4 of the McCarthy Insurance Group Football League two weeks ago as they face Bandon on Sunday in Ballymaw at 7.30pm.
A league final with silverware on the line.
鈥淪etting out at the start of the season, we felt it was important to try and improve things a bit further from 2024 and it was our goal to get up out of Division 4,鈥 the Aghabullogue manager says.
鈥淗ow we got up, we didn鈥檛 really care and we have a final to look forward to now. I think it was the day we went down to Adrigole a couple of months ago and we were missing 11 players and we had lads that wouldn鈥檛 typically play a game or even travel and they all played their part in a big win. So the one thing about the league, it鈥檚 more of a reflection of a consistency in the group and that鈥檚 what we鈥檇 be happy with.
鈥淭he reality is, look, if you鈥檙e serious about trying to progress, you want to try and keep winning regardless and people might tell you that their team isn’t really interested in the league and I don鈥檛 believe that for a second.
鈥淵ou鈥檙e trying to develop players. We鈥檝e developed three or four lads there this year that I would think will give us something a bit extra heading into the championship. So yeah, we did target the league. I wouldn鈥檛 deny it because that would just be our nature to try and go out and win a game.鈥
Despite going so close to reaching the senior football ranks for the first time last year, Keane hasn鈥檛 had to bring up what happened at the end to the players in this campaign.
鈥淭he reality is I came in here last year and the aim was trying to keep the team up first and foremost and we just took it game by game.
鈥淚 suppose they鈥檙e a bit more used to us as a management and what we are trying to achieve and how we want to go about it. Then you throw in the new rules so that brings another kind of dimension to it and you鈥檙e trying to adjust even still.
鈥淲e鈥檙e happy that we鈥檝e developed a few players that have never played, call it adult football or maybe adult football on a consistent basis and look, hopefully we can keep the bodies fresh and injury-free heading into the championship.
鈥淵es, it鈥檚 back to square one now again, trying to get over the first game and then get out of the group and we鈥檒l take it as it comes. We were close last year, but we are at the bottom of the mountain now and have to go again.鈥
Bandon are the opposition this weekend in the league final for the team in green and white. Aghabullogue lost to the Lilywhites at home by a point in the league a month ago having been up nine points with 10 minutes to go.
鈥淚t鈥檚 brilliant to have a league final, another competitive game and another game to test maybe another one or two players in an encounter where there鈥檚 a trophy on the line and sure, what better place to see it.
鈥淲e will just be focusing on ourselves, something we have always done and always will do.鈥
In the McCarthy Insurance Group PIFC group stage this year, Aghabullogue will meet Bantry Blues, Nemo Rangers鈥 second team and Aghada.
鈥淲e might have all the players in the world and you mightn’t perform on the day so, you know, it鈥檚 grand to have a panel but they need to perform and that鈥檚 what we鈥檒l be aiming for. The next thing is to just try and get them geared up and ready for the league final then on to championship.
鈥淭he players are a very focused group. It鈥檚 a difficult championship group, but there鈥檚 no easy group nowadays. It will be a real challenge.鈥 Keane concluded.