1996 season

Argideen’s 1996 Season

1996 will hold special memories for many, but for players and supporters of Argideen Rangers it was a season that a major breakthrough was achieved by the club. The 1990’s saw Argideen win the West-Cork in 1993 beating Diarmuid O’Mathunas in the final at Rossmore. The following season the team again qualified for the final against great rivals Barryroe. In fact, both clubs had a chance to complete the double in 1994, as Barryroe and Argideen also qualified for the football final. Defeat was our lot in Bandon in the hurling but the roles were reversed at a rain soaked Kilbrittain when a first ever West-Cork Junior “A” football title was won. Argideen were back in a hurling final again in 1995 but experienced a heartbreaking defeat by Bandon at Barryroe. A lot rested on the 1996 season as Argideen had many doubters and critics especially after two hurling final defeats.

During the year a number of club players had representative success with Cork. Bill Harte won a Fitzgibbon Cup with UCC – not bad going for a “fresher”!  Rising young star Michael O’Callaghan won an All-Ireland Vocational Schools Hurling title with Cork when they defeated a fancied Galway team in the final. Club captain, Tony Crowley added a Munster Junior Hurling title to his collection when Cork beat Tipperary at Cashel in the final.

The team began their hurling season with an opening league 2-17 to 2-4 win over Kilbrittain. They followed that with a 1-9 to 0-7 victory over Clonakilty. They were quickly brought back to reality when Barryroe scored a late goal to snatch the league points at Timoleague with a 1-9 to 0-11 win. They got back on the horse again when accounting for Ballinascarthy with a 1-17 to 1-7 league win. Next up were Bandon who had inflicted a shattering defeat on Argideen the previous season in the championship final at Barryroe. Bandon were also on top in this league fixture at Bandon wining 2-12 to 2-10. So as one can see, league form was mixed as the team approached a first round championship game with Kilbrittain at Barryroe at the end of June.