SOMETIMES I wish I had no interest in sport as both Spurs and Carbery Rangers again combined to spoil a lovely Sunday afternoon in September. I’m not employed here to break down Arsenal’s smash-and-grab modern incarnation of Wimbledon FC (you’re not taking that defeat well – sports ed), so to everyone’s relief I’ll stick to the weekend’s Gaelic football in Cork.
Most of the results in the premier senior grade went along predicted lines, with the possible exception of a Shane Kingston-inspired Douglas seeing off Mallow with relative comfort, 0-14 to 0-9. The introduction of Kingston to the ranks gave Douglas a scoring threat that was hitherto missing for the city side. The win saw Douglas retain their place in Cork’s top tier for another season while condemning Carbery Rangers and Éire Óg to a play-off for the same prize. Mallow are through to a quarter-final meeting on scoring difference after St Finbarr’s 13-point win over Valley Rovers, 4-12 to 0-11.
That game represented a return to form for the Barrs and Steven Sherlock produced again for the Togher men with a tally of 2-5. Sherlock’s record for the Togher side is incredible and if he stays injury free for another decade, he will obliterate all scoring records in Cork club senior football. As brilliant as Sherlock is, the over-reliance on him for scores has been an Achilles heel for the Barrs in recent times, so the 2-7 contribution from his team-mates is equally noteworthy. They will need to replicate this in the knockout stages if they want to regain their crown from 2021.
The Barrs will take on Ballincollig in the quarter-finals after The Village claimed bragging rights over their neighbours in Ovens, winning 2-8 to 0-7. Goals from experienced pair Cian Dorgan and Sean Kiely were the difference in a low-scoring affair, and the return of St Kilda’s AFL man Liam O’Connell is a major boost heading into the business end of the season. They will need him and another gear or two to stop the Barrs from getting into another semi-final. The winners of this contest will have the task of taking on form team Castlehaven who are already through to the semi-final.
Elsewhere in this group, Nemo Rangers had two goals to spare against Newcestown, 2-11 to 0-11, and look to be bubbling along nicely as thoughts start to drift towards the big days in Páirc Uí Chaoimh. Nemo have a mostly well established team with Micheal Aodh Martin in goal, Kevin O’Donovan and the Cronin brothers in defence, a strong midfield of Alan O’Donovan and Barry Cripps, while Mark Cronin and the evergreen Paul Kerrigan providing the scores up front. Those guys have soldiered for Nemo for years and we know that they can do at this stage of the competition, but the addition of the likes of Ross Corkery and Brian Hayes might be crucial as they will need that little bit extra if they face Castlehaven or St Finbarr’s.
Before they can think of a potential final against either of the other two members of Cork football’s big three, they must account for Clonakilty in Bandon. Firstly, let’s hope we don’t have a repeat of last September’s total washout at the same venue, which should never have gone ahead. The weather is perfect for football at the moment so hopefully that holds up and allows the two teams the chance to show what they can do. Clon come into the game buoyed by a facile 2-18 to 1-6 victory over St Michael’s in a game they had to win in order to go through. Youngsters Darragh Gough and Conor Daly are providing the scores that Clon missed when Dara Ó Sé returned to Kerry and the experience of the Whites, Thomas Clancy and Maurice Shanley provides for a promising mix for the Brewery town. Nemo will be favourites to progress to a semi-final against Mallow or Muskerry, however don’t expect Clon to give them all their own way.
Clonakilty’s Thomas Clancy gets some close attention from Joe Golden (St. Michael’s) during the McCarthy Insurance Cork County Premier Senior Football Championship game in Charlie Hurley Park, Bandon. (Photo: Martin Walsh)
The final game of the weekend saw Castlehaven dominate Carbery Rangers in the first half to secure safe passage to a semi-final, winning 0-14 to 0-9. Ross set up with numbers behind the ball, however a combination of poor tackling and slick Haven football saw Rory Maguire and Jack Cahalane in particular do untold damage. When you pull numbers behind the ball, you have to defend hard and pressure the attacking shooters, but Ross failed to do so. Eleven first-half points against a 13-man defence tells its own story.
Ross improved in the second half after three half-time substitutions and a change of game-plan while Haven thoughts turned to bigger days ahead. Ross needed at least one goal to make the possibility of salvation anyway realistic, however three potential openings were spurned through poor execution and poor decision-making. Ross kept trying but Haven always had enough in hand to see themselves through without worries. Bigger tests await for the men in blue and white. There are some notable tactical trends developing with Castlehaven offensively and from opposition restarts in particular that we might discuss further in advance of their likely semi-final against St Finbarr’s. Knowing the Ballincollig players and management as I do, feel free to stick that one on the wall!
Defeat leaves Ross in the relegation final with Éire Óg and both teams are where they deserve to be. It’s been a tough season for my brother Seamus and his group; however they need to focus on one big performance on Sunday week in Bandon to ensure that the huge amounts of work done by the players and management are not in vain. Seamus was integral to the team that got Carbery Rangers up to senior 20 years ago and he’ll want to ensure the club stays there under his management. Éire Óg are no slouches, and the two clubs swapped wins in 2021 and 2022, expect this one to be tense and tight.
Across the other grades, Dohenys did prevail in the big West Cork battle in Rossmore, and now join an exciting looking last six in the senior A championship where they will face Cill na Martra. Carrigaline had two points to spare over Cill na Martra, yet did not get the reward of direct passage to the semi-final due to inferior scoring difference compared to Kanturk and Knocknagree. Instead, they will need to conquer Bishopstown in order to move into the last four. The relegation match-up in senior A is not yet decided as Beál Athán Ghaorthaidh and Kiskeam was postponed. In all probability the losers here will face Clyda Rovers in that game, unless the Gaeltacht men were to lose by the minimum while scoring five points or more, in which case Fermoy would be condemned to the showdown with Clyda.
West Cork fortunes elsewhere were mixed as a heavy defeat to Aghada sees Ilen Rovers needing to beat Macroom to avoid another relegation, with Bandon avoiding an all-Carbery showdown by virtue of better scoring difference than Macroom. Bantry have set up a tasty-looking quarter-final against Uibh Laoire while Castletownbere couldn’t find a late winner against Rockchapel to see them through in an exciting finale. Rockchapel will now face Naomh Abán while Kilshannig and Aghabullogue await in the semi-finals.
Gabrield Rangers are the sole Carbery representatives in the intermediate A championship after defeat to Adrigole sends them to a tough quarter-final against last year’s beaten finalists Mitchelstown, who have another returned AFL man back in their ranks in Mark Keane. Cathail O’Mahony looks to be hitting some form now also so the north Cork men will take some beating. Not beyond the Ballydehob boys though if they can repeat their early-season form. St James join Ross and Ilen Rovers in needing to prevail in a relegation play-off after defeat to Cobh in the premier junior grade.
All that to look forward to still, the playing fields of Cork are busier than they ever were as serious competitive games come thick and fast, and I haven’t even mentioned the West Cork junior championships yet where there were some great games like Randals versus Caheragh and St Mary’s versus Barryroe. Enjoy the GAA and the good weather while we have them, folks. Long may it continue.
