Ringmahon Rangers qualify for their first ever FAI Intermediate Cup final

Ringmahon Rangers – the club that produced Republic of Ireland internationals Caoimhin Kelleher and Alan Browne – have finally qualified for a FAI Intermediate Cup final, and they did so by defeating defending champions Rockmount 2-0 at Carrig Park in Fermoy on Friday evening.

Jack Cairns and Jamie O’Sullivan got the goals for the team, who will face Glebe North of Dublin in the final. The Leinster Senior League side were also in action on Friday, and they overcame Wayside Celtic.

The FAI Intermediate Cup is the biggest gap in Ringmahon Rangers' trophy cabinet, and it is a piece of silverware that seemed to drift further away each year after they lost three semi-finals in eight years.

The first game was in 2016, and Letterkenny Rovers got the better of the Ringers in a replay. Ringmahon got to that stage of the competition once again in 2020, and they lost to Killester Donneycarney FC. Last year it was Cockhill Celtic who ended their quest.

Rockmount stood in their way this season and the northside club went into the semi-finals looking at winning a three-peat of FAI Intermediate Cups- something last done in Cork soccer by Avondale United in the early 2010s.

The Mount went into the game with a hardened squad featuring a host of Irish Amateur internationals, a group that includes former Cork GAA goalkeeper Brendan O’Connell. Their team also had Cian Murphy, a player who once lined out with Galway United and Cobh Ramblers.

Ringmahon faced this group with a team featuring a host of League of Ireland veterans. Their starting goalkeeper is Eric Grimes, who has experience of playing for Leeds United, Cork City, and Derry City. Issa Kargbo and Cameron Harlson once lined out for Cobh Ramblers, and Anthony McAlavaey helped