Flourishing Lisgoold have all the signs of a club on the up

Colm Garde saw game-time for the Cork minors this year. It was the seventh year out of the last eight that Lisgoold had at least one representative on the Cork minor panel. Not bad going for a club that was without its own juvenile section until the early 1990s.

“To have a Cork minor nearly every year is huge for such a small club,” says Liam O’Shea. “It is massive for the younger kids to be looking up at that.” 

O’Shea was the young talent to begin that sequence of almost annual Lisgoold involvement with the Cork minor hurlers. He was centre-forward on the team that fell to Galway in the 2017 All-Ireland minor decider.

Fast forward seven years and he is the Lisgoold captain on the eve of their Intermediate A county final appearance.

A 24-year-old captain sounds young because it is precisely that. O’Shea can’t say he was daunted by taking on the role so young. Neither was he daunted by taking over the role from a club stalwart.

John Cronin is a former Cork senior. He’s a four-time county senior championship winner with Imokilly. Started all four finals too.

“It is a privilege to take over the captaincy from Johnsie and it is something I'd like to do for the next few years.

“Even John’s brother, Ciarán, our goalkeeper, I'd say it is nearly his 20th season. He has been unreal for us. He is a great clubman. If you wanted to model yourself off anyone in Lisgoold, you'd be looking up to the two of those.” 

Back in 2008, John was a 16-year-old cog in Lisgoold’s all-conquering junior B team. The Junior B lads were the club’s flagship outfit at the time. They’ve come a distance in the interim.

Their first East Cork Junior A final appearance four years ago ended in success. That same Covid-delayed 2020 season eventually ended in county junior glory. Three and a half months later, they celebrated Lower Intermediate county glory.

Their attempt at a three-in-a-row of county titles came up short, after extra-time, at the semi-final stage of the 2022 Intermediate A championship.

Junior B, since the championship restructure of 2020, is now the seventh tier of Cork hurling. Early on Saturday evening, at Páirc Uí Chaoimh, Lisgoold will look to climb into the third tier of Cork hurling.

Cronin and his brother, Ciarán, are the survivors from the ceiling-smashing side of 16 years ago. Selector Mossie O’Connell was captain in 2008. Liam O’Shea’s own dad, Kevin, was corner-back.

“I do remember 2008 actually. Dad was on the team, so myself and my brother were allowed to watch the match from the subs bench.

“The club has made huge progress, really, when you look at it. Two county finals the last few years, so this will be our third against Erin's Own. I think there was a mindset change the year we won the junior.

“You can even see that huge progression down in the grounds in Lisgoold, we have an astroturf and floodlights. We have got a state-of-the-art gym there. We are constantly improving everything there. It is great for the club.

“We have a thriving underage structure. There are great players coming up.” 

O’Shea being handed the captaincy this season could be seen as emblematic of the growing role and influence of that younger cohort. It is a cohort that includes 2023 All-Ireland U20 winner Diarmuid Healy.

Old and new will attempt to get them over the line against Erin’s Own. Junior winners in 2022 and Premier Junior champions 12 months ago, the men from Glounthaune are attempting a third straight promotion.

“Erin's Own are a great side. They've a few lads that have played senior for the club. It is going to be a tough game, but we are all looking forward to it down in Lisgoold.” O’Shea continued.

“It is going to be a great occasion. We have a huge following down in Lisgoold. To get them all up to the Páirc the next day will be huge, really. Can't wait to get them up there.”