Ilen get vote to create history

AT only their second attempt in this grade, Ilen Rovers will create history by heading for senior ranks if they beat Carrigaline in the final of the permanent tsb Cork county IFC final at Páirc Uí Rinn tomorrow.

Carrigaline are in the same boat and would realise their greatest ambition if they manage to attain senior status for the first time in their long and proud history.

In their first appearance in the competition last season after defeating Kinsale to win the Junior title the previous year Ilen Rovers lost out to Newmarket in the quarter final.

But an unblemished record in this year's campaign, culminating in a superlative victory over Glanmire in the semi-final last weekend, puts them in as hot favourites tomorrow.

Team selector Dave Evans believes the favourites tag will put extra pressure on his side: "Remember this is only our second year in the intermediate grade and it is amazing really that since we came up we have been tipped to win all our games. This has put been an added burden and will be again this time.

"Let's put this final in proper prospective," said Evans. "Carrigaline defeated St. Vincent's, Valley Rovers and Newmarket to reach the final hurdle.

"We played them in the League earlier in the season and found them to be a very professional outfit, young, enthusiastic, very fast, very fit.

"They play very good combined football. The two Murphy brothers, Nicholas and Peter, are pillars of strength for them, while they have an ace free-taker in Cork minor Eoin O'Sullivan. But perhaps their greatest strength lies in defence, because up to now they have conceded very few scores.

"The bottom line is that no bad team reaches a county final. We know we will have our work cut out and much will depend on our more experienced players to steer us home."

Carrigaline contested their only final in 1996 when they lost to Clyda Rovers, while this is a ground-breaking experience for Illen Rovers, who started out as a junior 'B' club not so many years ago.

The west Cork club will be without the long-serving and influential Chris Collins, who damaged an Achilles tendon in last Sunday's semi-final, while Carrigaline will be missing the talented services of midfield player John Keohane, who dislocated his shoulder in training.

Should Ilen Rovers come up trumps tomorrow, the area of Skibbereen will have two teams in the senior football championship next year. However, if Carrigaline lift the cup they will become the only club from the Carrigdhoun division to fly the senior banner.

Ilen Rovers get the vote to succeed but that won't unduly worry Carrigaline.