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their ranks, but there were two youngsters who nevertheless made significant contributions in getting the West Cork club over the line. The daughter of team manager James, 16-year-old Eabha O'Donovan had a day to remember as she recorded an outstanding personal tally of 2-5 for the eventual champions. Her second goal of the contest on 54 minutes was particularly important as it arrived on the back of Claremorris taking the lead for the very first time. They had also lost starting goalkeeper Christine Fitzgerald to injury in the 49th minute, but at just 17 years of age, replacement netminder Tara O'Regan rose to the occasion and made an excellent catch at a decisive moment in a tantalising final-quarter of action. Suffice to say, O'Mahony has only positive things to proclaim about this precocious duo. "Eabha has been playing the football of her life the last year. She got player of the match in the Munster final. Probably would have gotten player of the match in the county final if there was one. She's a serious talent and definitely one to watch out for in the next couple of years. "Tara is only in 5th year in school and she was called upon in the last 10 minutes. I can imagine the nerves that were put on her shoulders. A high ball went in, she stood up and fair play to her. "We rely on everyone from 1 to 30, not just the 15 on the day. I think everyone knows that. In the team, in the management and the supporters as well." Last December's victory was a poignant one for O'Donovan Rossa as it came at the end of a year that had seen them commemorating one of the greatest days in the history of the club. On March 28, 1993 - 11 days on from sharing the spoils with them at Croke Park - the Rossa men's side defeated Carlow's Eire Og on a scoreline of 1-7 to 0-8 to claim the All-Ireland Senior Club Football Championship title. There had been an anniversary dinner to celebrate this success in late October of last year at the West Cork Hotel and with a number of connections between both teams, they would have been thrilled to see the club's leading female outfit reaching their own promised land. O'Mahony has her own link to this team as her father James - who is also part of the management team for the O'Donovan Rossa ladies - was amongst that winning panel in 1993. Additionally, Michael McCarthy (not to be confused with the late Mick McCarthy, who was the captain of the '93 side) has two daughters on the panel in the shape of Emer and Aine McCarthy, while Joe O'Driscoll is the father of Aoife O'Driscoll - who appeared as a half-time substitute in the Christmas time affair at Parnell Park. "Everyone on the team wanted to win it today, but not only that, we wanted to do it for our family, our friends. Those men, they'd be around the club 30 years later driving us on and we wanted to give back to the club what they got 30 years ago." Despite taking place just a little over a week before Christmas Day, there was a healthy supporting contingent in attendance from both clubs for the All-Ireland Club JFC showpiece. When you consider how much of a trek it would have been to make it up to the capital for the game - Claremorris' home base is 217 kilometres away, while O'Donovan Rossa is an astonishing 350km - this shows the interest that there is in the club game and ladies football on the whole. The entire community of Skibbereen got behind this Rossa group throughout the year and O'Mahony (who works as a teacher at Kinsale Community School) was left feeling extremely grateful for their support in the wake of becoming an All-Ireland club champion. "I think there was four or five bus loads. Thank you to West Cork Connect and Damien Long, who organised that as well. He has been brilliant, sponsoring us throughout the whole year. We're absolutely thrilled with the support that comes and they've never not come to any of our games. I think we wouldn't have gotten the win without them as well today," O'Mahony added. "It's lovely to see so many supporters coming to ladies games as well. I think it has improved in the last number of years, hugely. Just keeping that going and even thank you to Ladies Gaelic Football for broadcasting it. It's brilliant to see that it's being shown live now as well." Images clockwise from left: 1. Laura O'Mahony of O'Donovan Rossa in action against Aoife Ryan of Gusserane during the currentaccount.ie All-Ireland Ladies Junior Club Championship semi-final match between O'Donovan Rossa of Cork and Gusserane of Wexford at O'Donovan Rossa GAA, Cork. 2. Laura O'Mahony of O'Donovan Rossa in action against Aoife Ryan of Gusserane. CLUB FOCUS www.ladiesgaelic.ie | SPRING 2024 | 49