PREVIEW: Novel West senior football final pairing sets up intriguing finale

2023 West Senior Football Final Preview 

By Francis Coughlan

The 78th Shane Hennessy Agri-Advisor West Senior Football Championship Final takes place this Saturday July 1st at 7pm in Pairc Ciocaim, Dundrum. Rockwell Rovers and Eire Og Annacarty Donohill meet for the first time ever in the decider. 

Since the turn of the millennium, Eire Og were the only team in 2012 to claim the title outside Arravale Rovers, Aherlow and Galtee Rovers.

Eire Og defeated defending champions Arravale in Lattin on that occasion where at the three quarter mark trailed, 1-7 to 1-4 but a strong final quarter go them over the line for a maiden title, 1-9 to 1-7 with Damien O’Brien kicking 1-3. Just a few weeks earlier, Arravale had edged out Eire Og in the County championship by the minimum.

These were good times for Eire Og who proved a handful for any opposition in both the County and West championship. Outside of that, the last success outside these big three was Kickhams who turned over Arravale in the 99 decider. 

Eire Og may not have set the football world on fire in recent years but the chance of silverware will certainly not be lost on them having only one title to their name and having been defeated in eight other finals, all against either Galtee, Aherlow or Arravale. This may certainly add to their motivation.

Rockwell Rovers will be playing their in the second decider in a row having made steady improvement since their promotion three years ago. It's been incremental in the West with a 2021 semi-final defeat to eventual West champions Aherlow. They reversed that result twelve months later and this year have already defeated last years champions Arravale Rovers.

Can they add to that incremental step in year three. Rockwell have certainly hit the ground running in Senior Football, picking up silverware along the way. They retained their Tom Cusack Cup title in 2022 but will have probably been disappointed not to qualify for a County quarter final. Just a few weeks back they claimed a first O’Donoghue Cup in over a decade when defeating Arravale Rovers with a late smash and grab.

Rockwell Rovers reached four consecutive finals between 1952 and 1955 but failed to win any. The 1954 title was Galtee Rovers sixth on the trot. In the Jubilee year of 1955, Rockwell Rovers eventually overcame their rivals Galtee Rovers only to be defeated by Arravale in the final.

They reached further finals in 62 and 79 but once again Galtee Rovers stood in their way. Their only taste of success came in 1980 when joined with Golden defeated Cashel King Cormacs in a final that wasn’t played till March 1st 1981. 

Rockwell will face a group of Moyle Rovers, JK Brackens and Ballyporeen in the County Championship so to get their hands on the O’Carroll Cup on Saturday evening will certainly add to their confidence.

Eire Og will have it no easier as the face, defending champions Clonmel Commercials, Kilsheelan Kilcash and Drom/Inch. Will Rockwell Rovers finally get their name on the O’Carroll Cup or will Eire Og prove the old dog for the hard road?