Shanballymore GAA Club plays an important role in the local community and has done so since the 1880’s. Hurling and football have been passionately played by successive generations with varying degrees of success. To a large extent football has taken a back seat to the hurling – yet at all times it has had it’s devotees

            Records indicate that there was a senior football team in Shanballymore in 1894 but all traces of a team was lost up to the 1940’s when a team called Brian Boru’s was fielded.

            The club was reformed in 1958 and played with little success until 1980 when we won the divisional Junior B double – championship and league,. Two members of that winning side Connor Hannon and Tom Mannix won All Ireland medals with Cork Minors in 1981.

            In the early 80’s Shanballymore fielded a very strong Junior football outfit and were unlucky to lose to Kilshanning three years on the trot by very narrow margins.

            A merger with Doneraile took place in 1984. In 1985 they were back in B grade against and reached the finals in 1986,1087, and 1988 – only to loose in all three

            Perseverance and commitment paid off in 1989 when on Sunday September 10 on a 0-12 to 0-06 score line they overcame Kilworth to be crowned champions and upgraded to Junior A ranks for the early 1990’s.

            On the hurling scene Shanballymore has a chequered history beginning in 1902 when the senior hurlers contested the county final only to be defeated by Dungourney.

            In 1942 the junior North Cork and County titles were annexed to be followed by the Intermediate crown in 1943. The 48 and 59 County Intermediate finals were to see a reversal of fortunes as they went under to East Cork Sides, Midleton and Carrigtwohill. !951 Saw Shanballymore getting revenge on Midleton in another final victory.

            Shanballymore were back in Senior ranks in 1952 and continued there until 1956 – returning to Intermediate up to 1959.

            Thereafter the club went into decline and the next tast of success came with the Junior B (or novice as it then was) in 1965. In 1979 the U16 hurlers won divisional and county honours heralding a revival – to be followed in 1981 with the Minor crown – but losing the U21 finals to Ballyhea in 1983 and 1984.

            The Junior B hurling title was against recaptured at the expense of Ballyhooly.

Shanballymore contested the North Cork Junior A hurling final to Clyda Rovers in 1989. This was a great game and a game that got away from Shanballymore. Clyda Rovers emerged that day with a one point victory and went on and won the County Junior A Championship outright.

            Shanballymore had little success for the next 5 or 6 years before entering the glory years of 96 and 97 as they are known as locally. 1996 was the biggest year the club had in 52 years. We won the Divisional League, the Divisional Championship and the Autumn League. We didn’t loose one single competitive game in that year. Shanballymore were deprived from going on to contest the County championship in 1996 by and absolutely disgraceful decision that was made by the divisional board. As the divisional championship was running so late Avondhu were requested for a representative to the county championship. An unbelievable decision was made to put Fermoy forward who to that point had a mediocre league campaign and had only won a single round in the championship. Fermoy went out and were beaten in the first round of the County and came back and were beaten in their next championship match in the division by Clyda Rovers. Shanballymore beat Dromina in the Avondhu final in Ballyhea in November of this year and added League and Autumn League – What a year!!

            Also in 1996 two great club men were enhancing the reputations of the club. Connor Hannon Won Senior County medal with Avondhu and was named man of the Match in the final against Imokilly. Tom Mannix lined out at midfield with Clonakilty in the Senior Football decider against U.C.C.

            1997 Shanballymore went and put back to back North Corks together beating Kilworth in a gripping Divisional Hurling Final.

            Shanballymore were drawn to play Courcey Rovers in the first round of the County and Courcies proved just that bit too strong for a below par Shanballymore Side in that match. Courcies are now a very strong intermediate Club.

            Since those two great years of 1996 and 1997 Shanballymore have had very little showing. We have appeared in a number of Junior B football finals but have failed to Capture any.

            In 2004 it was decided to go Junior A in football as well as hurling. We have been knocked out of the Football losing to Kilworth and Glanworth in the Championship. In Hurling we have overcome Liscarroll in the first round and play Kildorrery in Round 3.