Ballinascarthy GAA

Ballinascarthy GAA is a Gaelic Athletic Association club based in the village of Ardfield Ireland. It is affiliated with Cork GAA and Carbery divisional board. The club participates in both Gaelic Football and Hurling competitions.

History

The Ballinascarthy club was formed in 1945. The current club caters for 20 teams of all age groups from under 6 years and upwards in both hurling and football.

The first taste of success and reward for dedication and enthusiasm of club members came in 1956 when the junior (2) Footballers captured the South West Championship. This was a significant achievement at the time considering that the competition was then contested by all the Junior 1 teams eliminated in the first round of the premier championship including first string sides from major clubs such as Bantry Blues and Skibbereen.

Hurling was revived in the club in 1961 and three years later in 1964 the club captured their first hurling silverware when defeating Clonakilty in the first round, then Newcestown and went on to play Barryroe in the final of the West Cork Junior B Hurling Championship in atrocious weather conditions in a game which marked the first significant hurling win at junior level for the club. The coveted trophy in West Cork junior football ‘The Little Norah’ was finally captured in 1978 after many close and heartbreaking defeats during those preceding years and in particular 1959, 1960, 1968 and 1969. Having accounted for Carbery Rangers in the final the team went on to win an epic county quarter final game with Kilmurry and narrowly lost out to eventual county champions Kildorrery in the semi-final which was played in Pairc Ui Choimh. In 1983 a second title was secured when Gabriel Rangers were defeated in the final. Again the team bowed out agonisingly at the semi-final stage to eventual county champions Donoughmore.