St. Colmcille’s will face Mallow in the Under 14 Premier 1 Football Championship Final next Saturday 12th of September in Grenagh, with a place in the history of the club at stake.
To reach a county final at Under 14 Premier 1 level – the highest grade of underage football in Cork – is a remarkable achievement in itself.
This has been a season of remarkably tight games for this group. They drew with Éire Óg in the championship group stage and drew an incredible four times in seven league games. Their semi-final against Carrigaline was another tense affair, eventually requiring extra time before St. Colmcille’s prevailed after the game had finished level at the end of normal time.
There have been plenty of other tests along the way. Colmcille’s recorded an excellent championship victory over Ballincollig, while they lost narrowly to Nemo Rangers. When you are competing at the highest level of underage football in Cork, there are no easy games. The standard is exceptionally high, as demonstrated by Cork’s recent success at underage level, with the county currently the All-Ireland Minor Football champions.
Saturday will be no different.
Mallow have enjoyed an excellent campaign. They went undefeated in the league and have lost just once in the championship. They also defeated St. Colmcille’s when the sides met in the league earlier in the year and, quite justifiably, will go into Saturday’s final as favourites.
But St. Colmcille’s are a very strong team too – and they are in this final on merit.
The strength and depth of the panel has been evident throughout the year. Almost 30 players togged out for the semi-final victory over Carrigaline, while the success enjoyed by the club at this age group last year is another indication of the depth available. On a memorable Sunday in 2025, both St. Colmcille’s Under 13 teams won their respective championship finals on the same day.
Mallow are good. So are we.
The Colmcille’s lads will give everything they have on Saturday. They will do themselves, their families and the whole White’s Cross, Carraig Na Bhfear and surrounding area proud. We hope it will be enough to bring home the trophy.
Ending an Under 14 Anomaly
Victory on Saturday would also bring an end to a rather remarkable anomaly in the history of the reformed St. Colmcille’s.
Since the club was reformed in 2020, St. Colmcille’s have won football trophies at every underage age group from Under 12 through Under 19 – except Under 14.
| Age Group | Trophy | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Under 19 | A Football Championship | 2022 |
| Under 18 | A Football Championship | 2021 & 2024 |
| B Football Championship | 2020 | |
| ‘1’ Football League | 2023 | |
| Under 17 | A Football League | 2022 |
| ‘1’ Football Shield | 2023 | |
| Under 16 | ‘3’ Football Championship | 2023 |
| ‘3’ Football League | 2025 | |
| Under 15 | C Football Shield | 2022 |
| A Football Championship | 2021 | |
| Under 14 | — | — |
| Under 13 | ‘2’ Football League | 2022, 2024 & 2025 |
| ‘4’ Football League | 2025 | |
| Under 12 | B Football Championship | 2022 |
| ‘4’ Football Shield | 2025 |
Even at Under 19, Under 17 and Under 15 level, where there have been relatively few years in which competitions were actually played, St. Colmcille’s have managed to collect silverware.
At Under 14, however, the trophy has somehow continued to elude us.
We have fielded an Under 14 team every year since the club was reformed in 2020, but Saturday represents the first opportunity to put that particular anomaly to bed – and what an opportunity it is. To do so by winning the Under 14 Premier 1 Football Championship, the highest available grade in Cork, would make it all the more special.
1981 – The Last Under 14 Football Trophy
Of course, it is not the case that St. Colmcille’s have NEVER won an Under-14 football trophy.
For that, we have to go all the way back to 1981. It is probably safe to say that most of the parents of the current Under-14 panel won’t remember much about that year – some may not even have been born!
The competition was the East Cork Under-14 C Grade Football League, and 1981 was not, by any measure, a particularly successful year for St. Colmcille’s. The Under-16s lost every game they played, though fixtures were few. The minors managed two league victories but otherwise endured a difficult season. The Under-12s were a decent outfit, winning a good share of their league games before going on to claim a championship title in 1982.
Overall, there were no trophies for St. Colmcille’s in 1981.
Except, that is, for the Under-14 footballers.
They were easily the most consistent and committed group in the club that season. While their hurling campaign proved tough—losing all of their league games before bowing out in the first round of the championship—they were able to channel all their energies into the C Grade football. Coached by Kerry man and then-headmaster of Upper Glanmire National School, Pat McCarthy, the team was in safe hands. He was joined on the sideline by Seamus O’Reilly, Ger Brady, and the late Joe O’Callaghan (RIP), who was involved with every White’s Cross team at the time and for many years after.
The side was unusual for the era given the number of challenge matches they played—six in total, which was more than their four fixtures in either the league or championship.
They enjoyed an excellent championship run, making it all the way to the final after overcoming the likes of Glenbower, Cobh, and Youghal. In the decider, they met Bride Rovers at Erin’s Own’s grounds in Caherlag. After a fierce, ding-dong battle, the St. Colmcille’s lads were narrowly defeated. The Rathcormac outfit celebrated emphatically, making sure their opponents knew exactly who had come out on top.
A few weeks later, the two sides met again—this time in the League Final.
Colmcille’s had revenge on their minds. Stung by the championship defeat and the manner in which their rivals celebrated, they drove training standards to new heights. Looking back afterwards, many wondered whether training that diligently earlier in the year might have delivered a historic double—but we will park that thought for now!
Come the league final, there would be no opportunity for the Rathcormac lads to rub it in. St. Colmcille’s produced an outstanding performance, fairly putting Bride Rovers to the sword to claim the title. Scores from Thomas Coughlan, Michael Horgan, John Leo O’Callaghan, and Michael Coleman—who ventured up from centre-back to pop over a point even with a goal on—sealed an emphatic victory. Other standout performers on the day included Dermot O’Brien, Billy Kelleher, and Thomas Buckley.
There was no trip to McDonald’s after the final in 1981—or anywhere else, for that matter—but Kitty O’Sullivan from Kitty’s shop in Carraig made a great fuss of the lads, and there were plenty of treats to go around!
.
Forty-five years later, the wait continues.
Now, another group of St. Colmcille’s Under 14 footballers have the opportunity to write their own chapter in the club’s history.
Mallow stand in their way.
The challenge is enormous. The reward could be historic.
Best of luck to all the players and management on Saturday. Whatever happens, this group has already done themselves and St. Colmcille’s proud by reaching the Under 14 Premier 1 County Final.
Now let’s see if they can finish the job.
1981 Under 14 League-winning Panel
Michael Coleman (Ballinhahina – center-back) , Barry Nolan, Daniel Kelleher (Ballyphilip -wing-back), Connie Collins (Templemichael- sub), Jerry Ryan (Sarsfields Court – sub), James Kelleher (Ballyphilip – corner back), Johnny Murphy, Michael Horgan (Mid Field), Billy Kelleher (Ballyhphilip – full-forward), Thomas Buckley (Ballinahina – Mid-Field), Sean Reilly (wing-forward), Padraig Bracken (wing-forward), Dermot O’Brien (Sallybrook -wing back), Brian Murphy (wing back) Dermot Murphy, Thomas Coughlan (Templemichael- Center forward), John Leo O’Callaghan (Piercetown -Corner- forward), Stephen O’Donoghue (sub), John V. O’Callaghan (Sarsfields Court – Corner forward),
Note Positions are approxinmate.