Kilbrittain 0-18 Randal Óg 1-14

Saturday July 25th Bandon Co-op Junior A Football Championship, in Timoleague. Click here for more match photos >> THE MIGHTY MIGHTY COMEBACK There was a schoolyard chant years ago. "Everywhere we go, people always ask us, who we are and where do we come from... and we'd tell them we're from Kilbrittain, mighty, mighty Kilbrittain and if they don't hear us, we shout a little louder... Everywhere we go...." On Saturday night, Kilbrittain started their 2026 football championship campaign with a brave warring against Randal Óg which was nothing short of inspiring. While Randal's started the game the better, leading by halftime 1-11 to 0-04, it was Kilbrittain who, to be fair, owned the second half, winning each high ball and battle for possession on the ground, keeping the ball in Randal's territory for almost the entire thirty minutes.

Bandon Co-Op Junior A Football Championship July 25th 2026, 1st Round. Kilbrittain vs. Randal Óg. Back Row L-R: Josh O'Donovan (C), Tomás Sheehan, Mark O'Shea, Gavin O'Shea, Ivan Burke. Gavin Kenny, Aaron Fehilly, Luke Griffin, Loughlin O'Donnell, Mikolaj Kalitka, Darragh Considine, John Ryan, Mark Hickey, Cathal O'Callaghan, Aaron McCarthy and Seán Sexton. Front Row L-R: Eoghán Byrne, Conor Hogan, Colm Sheehan, Owen McCarthy, Éoin O'Neill, Ronan Crowley, Fionn Ustianwoski, Adam Griffin, Séamus O'Sullivan, Darragh Crowley and James O'Mahony.

Randal Og's first score laid down a marker, a 2 pointer kicked expertly by keen corner forward Jack Hennigan, less than a minute in. Kilbrittain did well to put pressure back on the green and gold for the following few minutes. Luke Griffin, Gavin O'Sé and the Sheehan brothers, among others, all doing well to cycle possession while driving into the Randals back line. Then Kilbrittain's Adam Griffin converted a point of his own from a diagonal ball lobbed across the field by his elder brother, Luke.

All eyes on the ball barely a minute into Saturdays 1st round clash between Kilbrittain an Randal Óg. Another three points followed including a 2 pointer for Randal's, courtesy of Seán Daly and Hennigan again. 0-05 to 0-01. While Randal's were cruising, Kilbrittain were having their moments under the ball. One such spell of possession saw corner back Éoin O'Neill drive up the field to bring the ball to Adam Griffin. He popped the ball diagonally back into the corner to his brother Luke who drew a point-blank save off the Randal's goalkeeper to round out the first quarter.

Kilbrittain's Éoin O'Neill races through the halfback line in the first half. Kilbrittain's second point came off the back of some hard work by Fionn Ustianowski and Tomás Sheehan before being finished cleanly, off the left foot of wing-forward, Ronan Crowley, who was doing well in the half forward line. Hogan quickly followed, chasing a ball into the square narrowly missing the uprights. A foul on Tomás Sheehan saw Kilbrittain win a short free which was quickly taken moments later by the elder Griffin to Conor Hogan, who feigned a pass inside to Adam Griffin and instead picked out Crowley again, making a run through the centre, to send another point over the bar.

Wing forward Ronan Crowley holds possession for Kilbrittain. With twenty minutes gone Randal's Seán Daly replied down the other end, before a brilliant two-pointer from a free, we didn't catch from whom, saw them stretch the lead. Then, within a minute, Séadhna Crowley pointed another over, making it 0-10 to 0-03 to Randal's, with twenty-three minutes gone. When Luke Griffin found Mark Hickey for a lovely point with five minutes to go to half time, Randal's were eager to stomp out any further Kilbrittain advances. Their centre back Ian Crowley drove through Kilbrittain territory to deliver to Patrick Collins who pulled a fine save off Owen McCarthy in goal for Kilbrittain.

Kilbrittain Tomás Sheehan is challenged by Randal Óg Cathal Duggan for possession.

The end of the half would continue in Randal's favour, however; the goal would come along with two further points, which saw them steam roll into half time, 1-11 to 0-04.

HALFTIME Randal Óg 1-11 Kilbrittain 0-04 Kilbrittain had a wonderful football campaign in 2025 and have been steadily competing over the last few years . They brought Kilmacabea to the brink in last year's semi-final after a show-stopping performance in the first half, and continued pressure all the way through the end of normal-time after Kilmacabea fought back in the second half. Kilmacabea were then forced into extra time, where they only just managed to turn over the scoreboard in their favour. In one sense, many would have put Kilbrittain in as the underdog before that fight. Kilmacabea, on the other hand, would've been favourites, and after being down seven points at half time, naturally — given Kilmacabea's capabilities — they were always going to come out and want to show who's boss, clawing back at the lead. Kilmacabea went on to win the West Cork Championship. Well, if any team possesses the ability, in a given match to win a first half and be up over the favourites by seven points, and that team also has the ability, in another match, to be down by ten points at half time and come back to achieve fourteen points and win by two, there is a capacity in that team to do great things yet. We have a team that has the potential to be ahead of a favourite side by seven points at least but also a team that can succeed in any comeback that is needed, no matter how behind they may be, ten points or more — a scary thought for any other team that may face them. You could say they have the potential to be a formidable side indeed. Surely that's a team worth backing.

Kilbrittain goalkeeper Owen McCarthy kicks it long. Back to the game at hand, the second half in Timoleague, of this first round championship clash, was truly was won by Kilbrittain. Steadily, with a quiet determination, Kilbrittain took their chances and were rewarded for their bravery, but it all started with winning the ball in the first place. Mark O'Shea had a phenomenal game around midfield, winning possession from the high ball. Keeping his play clean, in his battle for the ball, he didn't give away much in terms of frees and, if anything, won a few for Kilbrittain. Calm under pressure, he led by example. Once won in the air, the battle for ground possession was fierce, and everyone chipped in, led by lion-hearted Captain on the day Colm Sheehan, who is vice captain in lieu of injured Josh O'Donovan.

Kilbrittain's Mark O'Shea goes up for the ball against Randal Óg's Conor O'Neill. It was Conor Hogan who was the main scorer over the opening few minutes of the second half: the first, a free, before two gutsy points when he backed himself in tight spaces. O'Shea fed him the first ball, then Crowley and Griffin the elder, brought the ball to him for the next point. Then the elder himself really came into his own. Doing well throughout the match, chasing down ball and securing possession for Kilbrittain, Luke Griffin was about to lead from the forward line, orchestrating play as center-forward.

Kilbrittain's Fionn Ustianowski keeps the ball in Randal territory.

Thanks to Hogan's three early points, Kilbrittain were now only trailling by seven, 1-11 to 0-07. The team's quiet ferocity to overturn and win the ball, play by play, saw Randal's starved of possession. In one lucky break, Randal's managed a point — which many thought was wide — about eight minutes into the half. Struggling to win ball though, they were forced into errors. Two fouls in quick succession on the smart Darragh Crowley, fresh on the field, saw Hogan convert two more frees, narrowing the gap, 1-12 to 0-10.

Kilbrittain centre forward Luke Griffin lets fly as Barry O'Dirscoll of Randal Óg moves in to challenge.

At the fifty-minute mark, there were five points in it to level. While the time ticked down, a focused Kilbrittain pressed on the gas steadily, motoring away up through their gears with wave after wave of attack on the Randal's backline. The boys from Ballinacarriga needed the reinforcements of every man it could keep on its side of the halfway line, by rule. And while Kilbrittain were breaking the Randal's backs with the constant forward pressure in these last ten minutes, it was from the big and fast injections of power from Kilbrittain's formidable Luke Griffin, that Randals would ultimately suffer. The elder struck his first 2-pointer on the fifty-first minute, 1-12 to 0-12. Now things were getting interesting. The bank of supporters were really getting behind both sides, and the atmosphere was palpable on the pitch. Randals perked up and took advantage of a rare free against the Kilbrittain side to give themselves some respite, 1-13 to 0-12.

Mark O'Shea played an important roll winning ball cleanly for Kilbrittain.

Back to four points between the teams, Kilbrittain were unfazed. When O'Shea won a free outside the arc, Griffin stepped up to the mark for the opportunity of a two pointer. He was excellent. 1-13 to 0-14. Two points now between the sides. Then Hogan won a free inside the arc. Griffin stepped up again for the opportunity this time of a one pointer. 1-13 to 0-15. Now, one point between the sides. Then when Luke Griffin took command from play a moment later, in the center forward line and belted the ball high over the bar from outside the arc for his third two pointer of the day, the cheer that went up from the bank will live long in memory. 1-13 ... 0-17. Kilbrittain had cleared Randals by a point. There was two minutes left on the clock and all was in the balance.

Luke Griffin quietly commands at centre forward.

Randals gathered some courage and made a break through the Kilbrittain backline, kicking high for a point. Questioned by some, it was upheld. 1-14 to 0-17. All was level. The game was on the brink, and you could hear a pin drop when, ahead of the kickout, the referee turned to the players and faced the bank, to call out clearly, "45 seconds left."

What shows heart? What is inspirational? Going for it when you've everything to lose. Kilbrittain went for it. Owen McCarthy's long kick-out reached the half forward line it bounced in space and while it was collected by a Randals backman, he was harried by Ronan Crowley and Tomas Sheehan who dispossessed him. Sheehan punted the ball to the right-hand corner where Griffin collected it and raced toward goal. Attacked by a barrage of Randals' own brave backs, he fisted the ball from 20 meters out at a tight angle to the line and through the uprights. 0-18 to 1-14. The team, the sideline and the bank of supporters were beside themselves, and when the ref blew his whistle seconds later, you'd swear they'd won an All Ireland...

Indeed, many of those players now have that medal in their back pocket, and that experience will surely stand to them in the footballing code. It shows them that all things are possible, every time, bar none in football and hurling. Whether you're behind by much or neck and neck to the end, this breed of Kilbrittain men are ones who stand up to be counted, and they're in it for the long haul. Perhaps there'll be some losses, but no matter what happens in other matches this year, when it really counts, when they need to win, they'll know they have it in them no matter the odds against them and we'll know it too. Fair fucks.

Scorers: L.Griffin (0- 3F (Including 1 x 2 pointer) (0-06 Including 2 x 2 pointers)C.Hogan (0-03F) (0-02), R.Crowley (0-02), A.Griffin (0-01), R.Crowley (0-02), M.O'Shea (0-01) Team: Owen McCarthy, Éoin O'Neill, Eoghán Byrne, Darragh Considine, Loughlin O'Donnell, Tomás Sheehan, Gavin O'Shea, Colm Sheehan(C), Mark O'Shea, Ronan Crowley, Luke Griffin, Adam Griffin, Conor Hogan, Mark Hickey (Sub: Gavin Kenny 57'), Fionn Ustianowski (Sub: Darragh Crowley 38')