There was disappointment for the Cork Masters football team at the weekend after they lost to Derry in the All-Ireland final.
The Rebels were chasing a first title in the Shield decider (secondary competition), in what is only their fourth season on the go, but came up against a far superior Derry side last Saturday afternoon as the Ulster side claimed a second successive crown. St Peregrine’s GAA grounds in Dublin was the venue for this final on what was a very hot day for football. The Oak Leafers handled the conditions better as they led from pillar to post, winning on a scoreline of 2-17 to 1-6.
Cork selector Seán Horgan from the Shamrocks club says while there is obvious disappointment, it has been another season of progress.
“We never got going at the weekend for some reason,” he said.
“Derry were in control. We needed a strong start and it just didn’t happen. Any threats that we had, they were ready for it, but I suppose that comes from being in the Masters a lot longer than us and also the fact they won this particular competition last year. This was Cork’s first All-Ireland final and while it’s disappointing and tough to take at the minute for the players who put in a huge effort all year, there’s definitely green shoots for next season and the years after. Sometimes you have to lose one before you win one. While we are down right now, we will take the positives.
“It has been a progressive year for us. We got to the semi-final last year when Derry defeated us, so we have taken another step forward this year. The biggest highlight for me in 2024, apart from getting to the final, was when we really put it up to Tyrone. It was a play-off match and while we lost by six points and it resulted in going into the Shield championship, it was probably the best performance that we put in over the last number of years.”
The Cork Masters football management team will let the dust settle before they plan for the next campaign as the team try and reach the next level, which would be to play in the top tier competition, the Dr Mick Loftus Cup.
“We need to add more depth to the squad,” Horgan says.
“The aim is to try and get more former county footballers that are just over the age of 40 to try and come on board. It can be difficult for the guys because lads would have put in huge commitment over the years. The Masters, while we do train, it’s a social and family occasion.
“We can’t just sit back, we need to improve. As a group, we will sit down in a few weeks’ time and assess everything from the players to the management structure for 2025. The goal is to play in the Dr Mick Loftus competition. The most important thing for us now is trying to get sponsors on board. We are self-financing it ourselves and all the sponsorship really helps.”