BANDON CO-OP JAFC – The Bandon Co-op junior A and B football championships got off to a great start with some surprises thrown in and a definite indicator that the grading for the junior A championship is spot on at present.
Out of the eight junior A games played, three ended in draws, while only a point separated the teams in another game. Undoubtedly, the surprise of the round came with the defeat of the champions Barryroe by Carbery Rangers second string. With Rangers’ senior side using five subs the previous evening, their juniors were given little chance of matching Barryroe. However, the absence of Robbie Kiely and Ryan O’Donovan proved too much for the champions, who lost by a point. Argideen were expected to get over a depleted Tadhg MacCárthaigh but were held to a draw.
Also held to a surprising draw were league champions Ballinascarthy by a young St. Colum’s. Near neighbours Randal Óg and Kilmeen couldn’t be separated on the scoreboard either. Of the winning teams, now on two points, St Oliver Plunkett’s are surprisingly top of the pile with a scoring difference of plus seven, while close behind are Kilmacabea and St Mary’s on plus six. Mathúna’s are on plus five and Carbery Rangers on plus one.
Looking at the four different groups, Mathúna’s top Roinn 1 on two points, while Ballinascarthy and St Colum’s have one point each. Kilbrittain are on zero. In Roinn 2, Plunkett’s head the group on two points, with Kilmacabea second, also on two. Both Castlehaven and Newcestown are on zero. Roinn 3, amazingly, saw both games ending in draws so each team is on one point, with both Randal Óg and Kilmeen on top on scores for. Argideen and MacCárthaigh’s are only a single point behind on scores for. Roinn 4 sees St Mary’s on two points on top on scoring difference from Carbery Rangers, with Barryroe, third, and Clonakilty, fourth, both on zero points.
Of the two junior A games we took in last weekend, Kilmac v Castlehaven and Barryroe v Carbery Rangers, we were privileged to witness some fine football without the dreaded modern football being overdone. We also saw three great exhibitions of score-getting with Damien Gore of Kilmacabea, Mícheál Maguire of the Haven and Timmy Cullinane of Carbery Rangers all registering nine points each.
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JUNIOR B – Already, after only one round, county champions Goleen are looking like the team to beat in this championship, scoring a massive win in Roinn 2 over outgunned Muintir Bháire. In Roinn 1, Dohenys were delighted with a three-point win over Bantry Blues, while in Roinn 3, Bandon also proved big winners over O’Donovan Rossa. The winners of those three games, Dohenys, Goleen and Bandon will now play Clanna Gael, St James and Ilen Rovers, respectively, in round 2.
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JUNIOR HURLING – The first round of the RCM Tarmacadam junior A and B hurling will be held this weekend with eight games down for decision, five on Saturday and three on Sunday. Clonakilty are the reigning champions in junior A, while new champions will be crowned in junior B, with last season’s winner, Bantry Blues, having been promoted to junior A. In junior A on Saturday, all at 7.30pm, championship favourites Ballinascarthy will play Newcestown’s second string in Bandon and should win; defending champions Clonakilty will have their hands full against St Oliver Plunkett’s in Enniskeane; Kilbree may have too much power for Randal Óg in Ardfield; Dohenys and a promising young St Colum’s should have a good battle in Bantry and in junior B, there won’t be much between Gabriel Rangers and Barryroe’s second string. Then on Sunday in junior A, at 3.30pm, it’s the battle of the Saints in Ballinacarriga as St James and St Mary’s clash while in junior B at 3.30pm, O’Donovan Rossa against Ballinascarthy seconds should be very close in Castletownkenneigh. Finally, at 2.30pm in Clonakilty, Kilbrittain’s junior side will be fancied to beat Kilbree’s seconds in junior B.
