THERE IS so much on the line this weekend. Automatic qualification for the semi-final, passage through to the quarter-finals, championship survival and avoiding relegation play-offs are the hot topics of conversation all around the county pre-round three of the football championships.
A huge positive surrounding the group stages since the championships were reorganised in 2020 is everybody is still fighting for something. There are no dead rubbers.
At premier senior level, St Finbarr’s or Nemo Rangers, who both have 100 percent records, are the pick to take the automatic semi-final spot while Valley Rovers and Carrigaline are the only two teams that are not in a position to qualify for the quarter-finals. There are plenty of permutations and combinations for all the others. All six games take place on Sunday at 4pm, so the phones and calculators will be out from 5pm on.
Group A, christened ‘the group of death’ back when the draw was made, has lived up to its name. On Sunday, Clonakilty play Castlehaven in Bandon while Carbery Rangers play Valley Rovers in Timoleague. Carbery Rangers (on two points after two draws) could finish top or finish bottom, that’s how finely balanced it is. Valleys (on zero points) are playing for survival. If they lose again, they will almost definitely find themselves in the relegation play-off as they have the worst score difference of the three teams lying bottom on zero points after two rounds. Ross needs to win and there needs to be a winner from the other fixture.
Perennial contenders Castlehaven (second, on three points) have been spluttering to date. Brian Hurley, returning from injury, played one half last time out but the Maguires, Cathal and Rory, retired with hamstring strains. Martin O’Brien, the Clonakilty manager, will not have been happy with his side’s showing in their draw against Ross last time out. 2021 finalists Clon, on three points, top the group currently with a better scoring difference than the Haven. This derby will be tight and tough, and this group will get very complicated if it ends up in a draw, which is a possibility. In that case, Ross would have to beat Valleys by seven points and Castlehaven would be out of the championship on score difference. One West Cork big gun will fall on Sunday.
In Group B it’s all about the Éire Óg v Ballincollig clash. Nemo would be expected to brush aside Carrigaline and condemn them to a relegation play-off, but Nemo will need to put a big score on them to secure a semi-final spot. In that case, a draw will take Éire Óg to the quarters, but I expect a big showing from Ballincollig in this local derby at Coachford.
If I was the Duhallow manager, I would be going to the St Michael’s v Mallow game in Blarney. In the quarter-finals the divisions/colleges’ winners will face the second-placed group finisher with the lowest points or worst score difference if teams finish on the same number. Everybody is in with a shout here. It’s possible in this group that the second-placed team could finish on two points. If Michael’s beat Mallow and the Barrs beat Douglas there will be three teams on two points. The Barrs would only love to put local neighbours Douglas out of the championship.
My prediction? The Barrs will take the semi-final spot. The Haven and Ross to advance from Group A, Nemo and Ballincollig from Group B and Mallow to join the Barrs from Group C. That said, nothing is straightforward in sport.
At senior A level, Group C contains three of the four West Cork teams contesting this grade. Dohenys, after victories over Newcestown and Bishopstown, are already qualified and will be looking to secure a semi-final spot with a victory over relegation prospects Ilen Rovers in Drimoleague on Sunday at 2pm. Ilen were hammered by Bishopstown the first day out but saw a marked improvement in round two when they ran Newcestown to two points. Having been relegated to Division 4 of the league earlier this year, they need to stop the freefall. I expect a big backlash from the Baltimore/Church cross outfit. Also, I’m backing Newcestown to get the better of Bishopstown to secure the second qualification spot. In Group A, a draw or better will be enough for O’Donovan Rossa against Fermoy in Bandon provided table-toppers Kanturk do the business against Knocknagree.
For 2023, the Cork County Board continues to apply the head-to-head and then score difference rules from all group games as a tiebreaker, if two or more clubs finish level on points in this year’s championship. By Croke Park ruling, that will change for 2024 when it will be scoring difference from only the games involving the teams that are level. This rule is already in play in other counties but Cork’s championship regulations for 2023 were in place prior to that decision made at Congress earlier this year.
If Clon, Haven and Ross all finish on four points or Douglas, Mallow and St Michaels all finish on two points, there will be clubs wishing the new regulation was in and clubs thanking the gods for preserving the status quo for one more year. It’s going to be an epic Sunday of football.
