'Special' Watergrasshill secure 'incredible' maiden Premier Intermediate county title
Pic: Drops Captain Watergrasshill Carrigaline Sean Defeating Desmond His Incredinle: To O'hare After Knees Eddie
Unlikely champions. An unbelievable success story.
To fully appreciate Watergrasshill’s win one needs to look at how very long they went without winning. And we don’t mean winning county titles, we mean winning games full stop.
Prior to this season, Watergrasshill hadn’t won a championship group game since August 28, 2020. Prior to this season, Watergrasshill’s sole championship victory in three years was a relegation play-off.
From three successive seasons without a single group win to county champions. What a turnaround and transformation. A maiden Premier Intermediate county title. A first county title of any kind in 20 years for the club. Senior status acquired.
“It is absolutely incredible,” begins delighted captain Séan Desmond.
“That group inside there in the dressing-room are special. I've no other words for them. We are a bunch of best friends that go out and enjoy playing with each other.
"When things get tough during games, we have had big fellas step up, and it has been an amazing year.”
Standing up on Sunday was Daire O’Leary. Immense at centre-back. Impossible not to see him getting League game-time with Cork next spring.
And possibly championship game-time along with it. Beside him in the half-back line, Michael O’Driscoll was a force.
Moving up the field and there was no greater attacking force than Adam Murphy. He won frees, converted frees, and clipped three from play.
Murphy, who hurled with Bandon last year, transferred back to Watergrasshill in 2024. He finished the campaign as their top-scorer with 1-39.
“Our luck wasn't really with us over the last few years and we were probably lacking that small bit,” Desmond continued.
“Adam Murphy coming back from Bandon, he is an absolute beast of a man for us to have in the club. You saw what Adam did for us throughout the year.
"He comes up with big moments, his scoring is off the wall. There is a massive relief for us when you have players like Adam that can get them over the bar and get goals, it makes it easier for everyone.”
Murphy, unlike his Premier Senior final exploits with Imokilly, was not among their goal-getters here. He did provide the assist for their first in the third minute, his sideline cut deftly flicked to the net by Padraig O’Leary.
Their second was the more important major, part of a fourth quarter burst that turned the tide and the result.
From the 45th to the 56th minute, Watergrasshill reeled off 1-5 without reply. From behind by the minimum to seven in front. A 0-15 to 1-11 scoreline reshaped to read 2-16 to 0-15.
That second goal was provided by Desmond. Collecting an Ian O’Callaghan delivery, he shook off the challenge of two Carrigaline defenders before shaking the net.
While admitting afterwards that “it wasn’t my best day at the office”, it has been some year at the office. Premier Senior and Premier Intermediate county medals within a month of each other.
Desmond was integral to the Imokilly cause. Three points in the county final, 2-12 overall. Their second highest scorer from play.
Imokilly lifted him and the six other Watergrasshill men part of Denis Ring’s panel.
“Eddie [Enright, manager] is unreal for that. The minute he came in, we had a discussion about playing for Imokilly, he was very obliging to us.
"To have seven lads from Watergrasshill with Imokilly and win a Premier senior, we'd never heard of that before in the club, not to mind having four or five of us on the pitch at the one time.”
To Carrigaline. In front by 0-12 to 1-8 at the break. Three quarters of an hour in, the double chase was still on course. They did not die easily after being hit for 1-5.
Brian Kelleher and Eanna Desmond conjured a four-in-a-row to pare the margin to a goal. David Griffin continued to rain in ball from centre-back. They almost found an equalising goal, their injury-time effort repelled by corner-back Dylan Roche.
Watergrasshill’s year. A year unlike those that came before. Celebrations first, then a provincial swing against Wolfe Tones of Clare this Saturday at Páirc Uí Rinn.
A Murphy (0-8, 0-4 frees, 0-1 ’65); S Desmond (1-1); B Lehane (0-3); P O’Leary (1-0); A Foley (0-1 free), M O’Driscoll, S O’Regan, C O’Leary (0-1 each).
B Kelleher (0-8, 0-6 frees); D Drake, D Griffin, E Desmond (0-3 each); R McCarthy, R O’Shea (0-1 each).
A Foley; S Field, D McCarthy, D Roche; M O’Driscoll, D O’Leary, K O’Neill; A Sprigggs, S O’Regan; C O’Leary, S Desmond, L Foley; B Lehane, A Murphy, P O’Leary.
A Cronin for Foley (44); I O’Callaghan for Field (45-47, temporary); I O’Callaghan for Spriggs (55); P Cronin for O’Leary (58).
R Foster; S Williamson, D King, D Stack; C Barry, D Griffin, C Vaughan; R Kelleher, E Desmond; R McCarthy, D Greene, R O’Shea; B Kelleher, C Kearney, D Drake.
K O’Reilly for Kearney (24); F O’Connell for Greene (53).
S Stokes.