Hardworking Cornafean have earned IFC final slot

Damien Donohoe

After years of knocking on the door, Cornafean have finally broken through – and manager Declan Beard insists they are not heading into this team’s first Intermediate Championship final simply to make up the numbers.

Cornafean face St Finbarr’s in the decider having negotiated what captain Fiona Morrow describes as one of the toughest intermediate groups she can remember.

Their campaign began with a difficult encounter against Cúchulainns before victory over Cavan Gaels put them on track. A one-point win over Bailieborough in their final group game then secured their passage to the knock-out stages.

“It was a very tough group,” Morrow said. “Probably one of the toughest groups that I’ve seen in intermediate so far. It was great to come out with two wins from three.”

For Beard, however, the difficulty of that opening phase was something they hoped would ultimately benefit Cornafean. “We were looking at it that if we could get out of this group, it would stand to us going into the quarter-finals,” he explained.

That theory was tested against Butlersbridge. Having regularly reached the quarter-final stage during their eight or nine years in the intermediate grade, Cornafean were determined to finally take the next step.

“We felt it was something we needed to do to progress as a club and as a group,” Beard said.

They did exactly that before overcoming Cavan Gaels in the semi-final to reach previously uncharted territory.

“I wouldn’t say there was pressure,” Morrow said of the semi-final. “It was more that the girls were thinking, ‘Oh my God, we’re in our first intermediate semi-final. The message from the boys was that we were there, so play our best football and try to come out with the win. We were all delighted to get through.”

For Beard, the final whistle brought “sheer elation” and also provided a welcome lift for the wider club.

“These girls have put the work in,” he said. “You have to go out and earn these things and earn these places. These girls have earned their place in the championship final.”

Now St Finbarr’s stand between Cornafean and the title, and Beard is under no illusions about the scale of the challenge. He highlighted the experience and quality of players including Caitlin Crowe, Laura Fitzpatrick and Kate McIntyre in a physically strong St Finbarr’s side.

But after finally smashing through their intermediate quarter-final barrier and then winning their first semi-final, Cornafean have no intention of allowing the journey to end one step short.

“We’ve been doing our homework on them and we’ll be ready,” Beard said. “We’re in this final to win it.”