All Ireland Champions

Character and staying power from their championship opener right through to their glorious All-Ireland final conclusion. Character and staying power is why the Hill was “rocking” on Sunday evening.

After 42 minutes of their county premier intermediate championship opener against Carrigaline last August, Watergrasshill trailed 1-14 to 0-7.

In their second championship outing, Watergrasshill saw a nine-point lead over Castlemartyr 10 minutes into the second-half whittled down to the minimum in injury-time.

In the county final against the aforementioned Carrigaline, they trailed for plenty of the third quarter.

In Sunday’s All-Ireland final, they saw a five-point first-half lead become a one-point deficit at the end of the third quarter.

In each of the above four games, Watergrasshill either clung on and powered through or they clawed back and powered through. Their defining trait from 2021-23 was an inability to squeeze through in tight games. Nine championship group outings and not one win. In 2024, and the second Sunday of 2025, they couldn’t stop shading contests where momentum had swung from them.

“Never letting the game get away is something we’ve done throughout the year,” said Watergrasshill captain Seán Desmond.

“We did it against Carrigaline at the start of the year. We were down ten points at half-time in the first game, things weren’t going right, and we just 

stuck with what the boys had been telling us to do.

After a series of close calls in Cork, as outlined above, Watergrasshill allowed nobody to get close to them when leaving behind the local scene. Well, until Sunday, at least. Their average winning margin across the Munster semi-final, final, and All-Ireland semi-final was 11 points.

“The monkey was off the back when we won the county, but when you get a chance to win a Munster and an All-Ireland, you have to just take it with both hands. That’s something that we really took on,” continued Desmond.

Shane Moloney, Ben Moran, and the rest of the Tynagh/Abbey-Duniry cast asked questions of the Hill they’d not been asked since the Cork championship. Level six times in the final quarter, it was Desmond’s 65th minute goal, after possession broke kindly in behind the cover for him, that decided the outcome.

“The risks, especially in games like this, they’re the ones that matter. I had it in my head to get on a breaking ball. I said at the start of the game that if I got on a lucky break, I was going straight for the jugular. Thankfully I did it and got it into the back of the net.

“I saw the keeper making a little move to one corner of the goal and I said, ‘Right, let’s get it into the bottom corner on the other side’. Time was fairly close then, we kind of knew we were nearly there, but we’re just delighted, absolutely thrilled to get over the line.”

“We’ve stuck with it throughout the year – they didn’t get us to an All-Ireland final for no reason either, it was by sticking to what they tell us. That goes down to commitment from the lads, listening to what they’re telling us to do, and it got us over the line.”

96fm Sports Award

Congrats to our man Adam Murphy who was awarded the Cork’s 96FM , Rochestown Park Hotel Sports Star award for November.
Adam picked up Premier Senior & Premier Intermediate county medals as well as a Munster Intermediate club title with an All-Ireland club final to go in January.
This is great recognition of a super player and a well deserved reward for the tremendous work he puts in!

Munster Club IHC Semi-Final

Munster Club IHC semi-final: Watergrasshill (Cork) 2-20 Wolfe Tones na Sionna (Clare) 2-13

Watergrasshill surfed the wave of last Sunday’s county success into a Munster IHC final with a seven-point victory over Wolfe Tones na Sionna.

The Cork champions were merited winners as they maintained a relentless performance level despite the six-day turnaround in a game that wasn’t without controversy.

The Clare double winners had a penalty overturned entering the final quarter which, if converted, would’ve narrowed the gap to one.

Aaron Cunningham was clattered to the ground from behind by Dylan Roche’s sliding tackle. Referee Alan Tierney signalled for the penalty but after lengthy consultation with linesman Johnny Murphy, that call was reversed due to Cunningham’s reaction after the foul. Tierney, then, brandished straight red cards to Roche and Cunningham.

The Hill’s superiority was such that they could afford 11 first-half wides to Wolfe Tones’ one, while conceding a goal after 10 seconds, and still led by five by the break.

Adam Murphy finished with 0-12 (9 frees), while Brendan Lehane and Seán Desmond bagged the goals.

Tones drew first blood when captain John Guilfoyle scooped the throw-in and fed Cunningham. The 2013 All-Ireland winner sped around his marker and lashed a low finish to the net.

Watergrasshill’s response was slowed by a series of wides, including a Pádraig O’Leary flick at goal that evaded the far post. Tones punished two of those misses with Evan O’Gorman and Cian O’Rourke points.

They led by four but the Hill were only getting going.

Anchored by Dáire O’Leary, they choked out the supply to Cunningham and Aron Shanagher, dominated the breaking balls, and created such a volume of chances, it didn’t seem to matter that half of them were missing the target amid a wickedly swirling wind.

Murphy’s free-taking kept them ticking over until Shane O’Regan opened their account from play. That sparked a 1-4 streak which flipped a three-point deficit into a 1-7 to 1-3 lead.

The goal came when Lehane swooped onto a breaking ball and rushed in to billow the net. Murphy slotted two frees, albeit missing two more in between, and Desmond raised another white flag.

Guilfoyle, having moved into the inside line, and Shanagher, after a trademark high catch, steadied Tones with a brace but the Hill strung together the next four with frees from Murphy (2), keeper Aiden Foley, and Liam Foley from play.

An O’Rourke free after a high hit on Shanagher narrowed the gap to five, 1-11 to 1-6, at half-time.

Wolfe Tones left the Hill waiting on the field as they regrouped in the changing room. They re-emerged with two substitutions and the first three points of the new half via O’Rourke, again straight from the throw-in, Shanagher, and an O’Rourke free.

Murphy interrupted their momentum with a superb brace but Tones kept coming with points from the more involved Shanagher and Dean Devanney.

Lehane had a chance to double his goal tally foiled by an Oisín O’Rourke save but blood-sub Ian O’Callaghan compensated with a point for 1-15 to 1-11.

Then came the crucial moments. First, Cunningham nipped in ahead of the keeper to roll a shot along the goalline but it never crossed.

Next, Cunningham claimed a high catch and won a penalty but his reaction saw it overturned. Both sides were reduced to 14 men for the final 14 minutes, while the Hill’s lead remained at four.

After a Shanagher free, the Cork champions nabbed the next 1-2 to make the game safe.

O’Regan and Lehane fired points before the 54th-minute clincher. Desmond latched onto a long ball and though his initial batted effort was saved by Oisín O’Rourke, he poked the sliotar over the line. At 2-17 to 1-12, it was all but over.

Darragh Lohan’s close-range free was saved on the line by the excellent Dáire O’Leary before the centre-back charged out to block down Gavin Carrig’s follow-up point attempt. Desmond sprinted down the sideline to top off a fantastic counter-attack point.

A Murphy monster score pushed the lead out to double figures before a consolation goal on the hour for Devanney from a Carrig pass.

Scorers for Watergrasshill: A Murphy (0-12, 9 frees); S Desmond (1-2); B Lehane (1-1); S O’Regan (0-2); A Foley (free), L Foley, I O’Callaghan (0-1 each).

Scorers for Wolfe Tones na Sionna: C O’Rourke (3 frees), A Shanagher (1 free) (0-5 each); D Devanney (1-1); A Cunningham (1-0); J Guilfoyle, E O’Gorman (0-1 each).

WATERGRASSHILL: A Foley; S Field, D McCarthy, D Roche; M O’Driscoll, D O’Leary, K O’Neill; S O’Regan, A Spriggs; C O’Leary, A Murphy, L Foley; B Lehane, S Desmond (capt), P O’Leary.

Subs: I O’Callaghan for Desmong (39-41, blood), O’Callaghan for Field (44), A Cronin for Spriggs (44), P Cronin for L Foley (51), C Healy for P O’Leary (51).

WOLFE TONES NA SIONNA: O O’Rourke; Daithí Lohan, R Hayes, L Murphy; D Frawley, Darragh Lohan, S Meaney; J Guilfoyle (capt), D Devanney; S Donnellan, E O’Gorman, C Riordan; C O’Rourke, A Cunningham, A Shanagher.

Subs: G Carrig for Guilfoyle (h-t), D O’Connell for Frawley (h-t), M Hayes for C O’Rourke (52), S Costelloe for O’Gorman (57), C Carrig for Meaney (60).

Cork Premier IHC Title

Cork Premier IHC final: Watergrasshill 2-16 Carrigaline 0-19

Unlikely champions. An unbelievable success story.

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 transformation. A maiden Premier Intermediate county title. A first county title of any kind in 20 years for the club.

The winners’ final quarter was devastating. 1-5 without reply. From trailing by the minimum to seven in front.

Adam Murphy brought his team level on 45 minutes. 1-12 to 0-15. The same player then won and converted a free on 48 minutes to return his team in front for the first time since the 29th minute.

Half-back Michael O’Driscoll kept the momentum and scoreboard growing and moving. Brendan Lehane clipped his third to put Eddie Enright’s side three in front.

On 52 minutes, Sean Desmond tore onto an Ian O’Callaghan delivery. He shook off the challenge of two Carrigaline defenders and shook the net. A Murphy white flag in the ensuing play and the scoreboard had a completely different look about it from just seven minutes earlier. 2-16 to 0-15.

Carrigaline, to their credit, did not let their double dream die easily. Brian Kelleher and Eanna Desmond conjured a four-in-a-row of white flags. The deficit back to three. They almost had their equalising goal

Amid a crowded goalmouth in the third and final minute of injury-time, we could not see who directed the sliotar goalbound. It was Watergrasshill’s Dylan Roche who repelled the shot.

There were 15 seconds of first-half injury-time played when Carrigaline hit the front for the first time in proceedings. A Dylan McCarthy foul on the galloping Ronan Kelleher enabled Brian Kelleher convert his fourth free of the opening half.

The score represented a fourth consecutive Carrigaline minor, following as it did a David Griffin boomer from distance and two from play from the aforementioned Kelleher.

Watergrasshill went the last six minutes of the half without adding to their tally. Indeed, they managed only three scores from the 13th minute to half-time.

Their start, like their fourth quarter, had been so lively and purposeful. Brendan Lehane was first to threaten a green flag. The corner-forward saw his drive blocked. In the third minute, fellow Watergrasshill corner-forward Padraig O’Leary flicked an Adam Murphy sideline cut to the net.

There was still so much road to travel. They got there, eventually. Spectacularly.

Scorers for Watergrasshill: 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).

Scorers for Carrigaline: B Kelleher (0-8, 0-6 frees); D Drake, D Griffin, E Desmond (0-3 each); R McCarthy, R O’Shea (0-1 each).

WATERGRASSHILL: 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.

Subs: 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).

CARRIGALINE: 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.

Subs: K O’Reilly for Kearney (24); F O’Connell for Greene (53).

Lotto Jackpot €11,400

Good start to the year for our U13 boys in League 2

A good start to the year for the our U13 boys in League 2 on Saturday on a lovely sunny day. Always a tough game expected against Carrigtwohill and this was no different. Some great hurling on display from both sides and was great to come away with the win . Well done to the boys on their hard work and the great attitude shown through out the game .
Watergrasshill 3-7 v 2-6 Carrigtwohill

Club Shop open for Business

Our club shop is open again for business with some great items available:
Hurling helmets €40:
Small helmets available in pink, purple, red, black, white, yellow and pink.
Medium and large helmets available in black, red and yellow.
Club jerseys available in 7-8yrs, 9-10yrs and 10-11yrs – €32
Club shorts: 22″ to 28″ – €20, 30″ to 34″ shorts – €22
Contact Adrienne on 0877589139 with any enquiries.

U14s Win over Ballygiblin

Our under 14s had a great win over Ballygiblin on Friday evening in Mitchlestown. Fantastic performance from everybody with some great points from Darren Cahill and 4 goals from Pa Sullivan and with Ronan Lehane cleaning everything up in the back line the lads played a very mature game after coming back from behind at half time.
Thanks also to Johnny for reffing much appreciated.
And a special mention for Danny Murphy who put in a performance that was absolutely outstanding, with his motivation being his cousin on the other team not getting one up on him

Robbie O’ Leary – Sciath na Scol Chorcai

Wishing our own Robbie O’Leary and his Sciath na Scol Chorcaí team-mates all the very best this weekend when they line out for the Cork Primary Games team to face Waterford in Walsh Park on Sunday 21st of April.
A great honour for Robbie and his family.
Enjoy the day Robbie, everyone at the club are very proud of your achievement & we’ll all be supporting you

U-16 boys Rebel Óg Coiste Premier 2

Our U-16 boys got their Rebel Óg Coiste, Premier 2 campaign off to a winning start on Monday evening, with a hard fought win over Ballincollig. The narrowest of margins separated the teams at the final whistle but the lads acquitted themselves well making the step up to P2 for 2024.

Watergrasshill 0-14 V 2-7 Ballincollig