Finally, Knocknagoshel are ready to arise as nightmare year closes on dreamland

Knocknagoshel, in their first ever North Kerry Football Championship final, play reigning champions Listowel Emmet's on Sunday.

Knocknagoshel's Jack McElligott bursts past Kerry panellist Killian Trant in Knock's surprise North Kerry SFC win over St Senan's. Pic: John Stack

Up to five weeks ago, this hadn’t been the best of seasons for Knocknagoshel GAA club. Indeed, when you consider county league relegation, and a quarter-final exit from the county junior football championship, it was turning into the proverbial nightmare.

Then, on October 18, a first round extra-time victory over neighbours Brosna in the North Kerry championship began a most unexpected odyssey. Successive against-the-odds triumphs over Castleisland Desmonds and St Senan’s followed to galvanise an entire community.

Now, on Sunday (2pm), Knocknagoshel take on holders Listowel Emmets in the final of the famed district board competition. It is their first appearance in the North Kerry decider, an amazing turn of events to most observers, but not to those directly involved.

Jack O’Connell wore the Kerry senior jersey in 1989 and 1990, one of three players from the parish who came through at county level at the same time (Eamonn Walsh and Sean McElligott were the others). Now a selector for the club, he explains what has transpired.

“Looking from the outside in, you would be asking, how did Knocknagoshel get to a North Kerry championship final? We had a very poor year, because we had so many injuries. It’s only in the last two or three months that we got things together,” he said.

“It definitely did hurt (losing to Cordal), because we had our sights set on the junior championship, to be honest. It was probably our strongest team out this year but, unfortunately on the day, Knocknagoshel never turned up. We just did not perform.

“Having said that, Cordal did everything right, and didn’t put a foot wrong on the day. We were disappointed and, when the junior didn’t come to pass, the next thing was the North Kerry championship.” 

Like so many rural areas, Knocknagoshel have been ravaged by emigration. When you’re working off small numbers, and you add in injuries, it makes it very difficult to hold your head above water. Finishing 11th in Division 4 of the county league was a consequence.

“I think we will probably have 20 players for Sunday. It was so difficult all year. We barely put out a team, 15 players, 16 players, it really was a difficult year. We actually went down to Division 5, which is an awful blow to the club. It’s shocking really,” stressed O’Connell.

“The boys decided to make an effort and go for North Kerry. A lot of years they don’t, they stop training after the junior championship, and just go out and play. This year we said that we would have a cut at it, and see how we’d get on.

“We looked at every team, and we looked at their weaknesses and their strengths, and we tried to do everything in our power to upset them. It wasn’t a surprise to us that we beat Brosna or Desmonds, because we know both teams.

“I suppose we wouldn’t know St Senan’s that well. We haven’t played them that much in recent times. Like I say, it’s no great shock to us that we’re winning. That’s for sure. To the outsider looking in, they would say differently of course.” 

O’Connell, Walsh and McElligott all have sons on the team for Sunday in Brosna. Indeed, Shane O’Connell is player/trainer for Knocknagoshel, leading the renaissance in the side’s campaign, with the assistance of his father, Niall Walsh and Danny Walsh.

“It’s difficult nowadays to train a team, but to train a team and play is almost impossible in today’s world. He’s taken over the team for the last couple of months, and he’s got them gelled together and working together.

“It’s his gig really, he’s calling the shots. He determines the way we play and, so far, it’s going very well. We always had very good individual players, and the secret is to try and get them to all play together, and that’s probably what Shane is doing at the moment.” 

While reigning kingpins Emmets are looking to join Moyvane on the roll of honour by annexing an 18th crown, the underdogs are not without hope. As the 1891 banner proclaimed, maybe it’s time to ‘Arise Knocknagoshel and take your place among the North Kerry elite.’ 

“We’re getting it together, the team is moving well at the moment, and we’re definitely in there with a shout. We haven’t had much success with this team for a long time. It would be a massive lift to the whole parish. Something like this would be absolutely fantastic if we could pull it off.”