WILL it be third time lucky?

For the third year in succession, Adrigole are in the McCarthy Insurance Group Intermediate A Football Championship semi-final, but their previous two campaigns ended in heartbreak.

In 2023, they suffered an extra-time loss to Mitchelstown (0-14 to 0-12). In 2024, Boherbue beat them 1-9 to 0-11, despite the Beara club being in control for large parts of that contest.

They now get a third shot at a semi-final this Saturday in a West Cork derby against Ilen Rovers in Bantry (4pm). They go into the game having won all three of their group matches.

Their toughest test to date was their 2-14 to 1-10 win over Ballinora, who are also in semi-final action this weekend. But things get serious from here on.

‘Ballinora were a quality side. Things went well for us that day in Castlehaven. The truth of it is there isn’t much between five or six teams in this competition. It’s a kick of a ball,’ Adrigole boss Tim O’Sullivan told The Southern Star.

‘Of course, the win gives us confidence, but the thing for us is we’re back here again. It’s the third year in a row. Mitchelstown beat us after extra-time two years ago and Boherbue was a game we felt we left after us last year. Can we make that step up to the final? That’s the big question really. We feel like this is our time to step up and push onto a county final.’

Adrigole's Charlie O'Sullivan on the front foot.

Having also beaten Glanworth and St Finbarr’s second team comfortably this year, Adrigole are in a good place. They are winning, playing with confidence, and have adapted well to the new rules.

‘We’re very happy with the way the year has gone so far. We got good wins against Glanworth and The Barr’s but we got a good test the last day against Ballinora. We were happy with that display from start to finish and I think the three wins were deserved,’ O’Sullivan agreed.

‘We’re under no illusions with the test we are up against. Ilen Rovers came through the toughest group in this competition. They drew with Kilmurry and beat who many would have seen as the favourites for this competition in Mitchelstown in the quarter-finals. We won’t be making up the numbers either, we’ll be going for this gung-ho.’

Jason Harrington and Seán O’Sullivan are both long-term absentees due to cruciate injuries, but major players have been stepping up with the rest of the panel fit and ready to go.

Ben O’Sullivan for instance, has hit 3-7 in the championship. Tom O’Connor (0-17), Cian O’Shea (0-7), and Charlie O’Sullivan (1-3) have also shown well.

‘Delighted to be back in a semi-final. We were here this time last year and it didn’t happen for us in Cill na Martra against Boherbue. We felt we left the game after us that day. We spoke an awful lot at the start of the year about getting back into that position and righting the wrongs. Training has gone really well. The lads are very focused and ready for a big battle on Saturday,’ O’Sullivan added.

Adrigole are the only Beara club left in this year’s football championship.

With other clubs falling by the wayside and the divisional side pulling out of the divisional section again this year, the club has brought hope to the area with some eye-catching displays.

‘We are representing ourselves and the whole Beara peninsula. There is a great buzz around the parish. Four or five years ago, we were fighting relegation battles at this time of year but over time, the team has grown. We’re adding a few every year, lads are coming up from minor. That has been so important. We have the biggest panel we have had for years. We have a great profile of players from 19 to 24 and then we have the experienced lads,’ the Adrigole manager said.