NESTLED IN NORTH Cork, just off the Mallow-Cork road lies a close-knit rural ladies football team with a huge drive and hunger to succeed.<\/p>\n
\n Source: Ryan Byrne\/INPHO<\/p>\n
Mourneabbey is a club of many successes, but it\u2019s the All-Ireland heartbreak that often overshadows them. A small community wounded by many other heartbreaking events over the past few years but bonded through sport.<\/p>\n
The Clyda side have come out on the worst end of the past two All-Ireland senior finals, losing to Termon and Donaghmoyne respectively.<\/p>\n
This year, the side are hoping it\u2019s a case of third time\u2019s a charm. Having beaten rival club St Vals by a single point in the county final, it\u2019s onto the more serious end of business.<\/p>\n
With two consecutive provincial titles under their belt, Mourneabbey will be hoping to claim their third against Clare side The Banner on Saturday.<\/p>\n
The last time the teams met on the provincial stage was two years ago. Off the back of their first senior county final win, Mourneabbey lined out against the defending Munster champions as complete underdogs. This time, things are probably the opposite way around, with the Cork force as strong favourites.<\/p>\n
A win on Saturday would also mean one step closer to a much sought after All-Ireland senior title.<\/p>\n
\u201cLooking back on it, it would be third time\u2019s a charm but we can\u2019t look beyond the Banner. That is a cliche but it\u2019s so true,\u201d team manager Dominic Gallagher tells\u00a0The42<\/em>.<\/p>\n \u201cWe haven\u2019t looked beyond any game this year and we\u2019re going to continue with that. We decided very early on that we were just going to go game by game.\u201d<\/p>\n It\u2019s been an outstanding story for the small club from the Rebel county. Their rise to where they find themselves today began in 2005 when they were crowned All-Ireland junior champions.<\/p>\n Two years later came the next big step on the ladder, winning the intermediate All-Ireland club championship and making the highly anticipated leap to senior level.<\/p>\n The high standard of ladies football in Cork meant that it took a few years to bridge the gap and settle into the rhythm of senior football.<\/p>\n Then came the management team, which includes Dominic Gallagher and Shane Ronayne, the men that have helped them get where they are today.<\/p>\n 2014 brought the first of three consecutive county senior titles. That year, anything after that stage was a huge bonus. Little did they know they\u2019d find themselves crowned Munster champions, never mind in an All-Ireland final weeks later, but this time at the highest grade.<\/p>\n A heartbreaking defeat to Donegal side Termon meant that Mourneabbey\u2019s dream was over. Until it started again the following year.<\/p>\n \n Source: Ryan Byrne\/INPHO<\/p>\n Another county final win over St Vals and a provincial title victory at the hands of Waterford\u2019s Ballymacarbry meant that Mourneabbey were within touching distance of another All-Ireland final just 12 months on.<\/p>\n The semi-final saw them paired with Connacht champions and Galway side Kilkerrin\/Clonberne. They come out on the successful side of the tale by a single point.<\/p>\n And there they were again. Just 60 minutes away from getting their hands on the Dolores Tyrell Cup and banishing the memories and nightmares of the previous year.<\/p>\n Seven minutes on the clock. Eight points a piece. This could have been Mourneabbey\u2019s time.<\/p>\n But despite having just 13 players on the field, Donaghmoyne pushed on to win by three and to crush the dreams of the Cork side yet again.<\/p>\n \n Source: Ryan Byrne\/INPHO<\/p>\n This is the point where most teams would crumble. But Mourneabbey are a different class. They\u2019re on another level. And they\u2019re back for more.<\/p>\n \u201cThey\u2019re a seriously dedicated bunch of players. They work extremely hard, they\u2019re very focused in what they do as well as being extremely talented,\u201d Gallagher said.<\/p>\n \u201cBut not without the hard work of course, they put in the hours on the pitch \u2014 that\u2019s it in a nutshell really.\u201d<\/p>\n On motivating his troops year in year out, team coach Shane Ronayne says\u00a0that it\u2019s not as hard as it may appear.<\/p>\n \u201cThe girls are very good that way. They\u2019re very driven to succeed and\u00a0self-motivated.<\/p>\n \u201cWe had two very long campaigns, they were successful up to a point. We were very disappointed with the way things were in the last two All-Ireland finals.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u00a0suppose we gave them a good break there after Christmas, we didn\u2019t go back too early. We tried to change it up in training by doing different things and bringing a bit of fun in if we can.<\/p>\n Gallagher feels that a lot of it is down to the players themselves.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s very reliant on the individuals making their individual sacrifices that make up your team ones.<\/p>\n \u201cThey make big sacrifices there as well. They\u2019re a strong unit, they talk to each other, they motivate each other and they decided at the start of the year they wanted to go again. It\u2019s a credit to them.\u201d<\/p>\n \n Source: Ryan Byrne\/INPHO<\/p>\n You get the sense that one of the contributing factors of the club\u2019s success is how close the girls themselves are.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s a small club, they\u2019re in one parish. They\u2019ve all played with each other from a young age,\u201d Gallagher continues. \u201cThey socialise together, they are quite tight.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ve had a few younger players coming in this year to freshen it up a bit, they\u2019ve been welcomed in and they\u2019re prepared to put in the hard shift as well. As long as you\u2019re willing to do that, you\u2019re welcomed in.\u201d<\/p>\n\n
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