JOHN HAYES: Contenders line up to knock Castlehaven off their perch in Cork premier senior football grade

WE’RE straight into football championship action this weekend – and it’s a packed weekend from county matches to divisional games, not to mention Sunday’s All-Ireland football final.

Let’s start here at home. On Friday evening, commentary duties will take me to Carrigaline for the opener between St Finbarr’s and Douglas. The Barrs are the outright favourites with the bookmakers to win the Andy Scannell Cup back and will be anxious to atone for their semi-final defeat to Castlehaven last year; they should get off the mark in this one with a little kept in hand also. It will be interesting to see if Brian Hayes will start or not after his exertions last Sunday, with Ethan Twomey also expected to feature. 

The other game in Group C sees Valley Rovers take on Mallow in Glenville, also on Friday evening. Valleys’ last championship game was both a personal and collective nightmare as we (Carbery Rangers) were well beaten, and my hamstring popped just minutes after coming on at half time. The Innishannon men were comfortable and deserving winners and if they can build on that, they can get off to a winning start in this one. Jacob O’Driscoll is a promising young defender and one to watch with a view to making an impact with Cork next year. Mallow will hope Mattie Taylor can recapture his early season form to give them hope, but I will back the Division 2 side to overcome their Division 3 opponents by a couple of points. 

Elsewhere on Friday evening, Nemo Rangers face Ballincollig in Ballinora in Group A. Nemo is expected to be in the semi-final mix with the Barrs, Castlehaven and, well, let’s call them A.N. Other at this stage. A point of interest here is that Luke Connolly had not returned to football action as of just a few short weeks ago, and word is that injuries have prompted him to bring his playing days to an end. Luke is a massive talent, and I wouldn’t rule him out just yet, as he is young enough to come back yet if the mind and body are willing. How Nemo fare out without their main marksman of the last decade will be a notable point of interest. Paul Kerrigan is still going strong and will shoulder extra responsibility now to help replace the scores that Luke would provide. Robbie Dalton and Conor Horgan will need to chip in also, while Barry O’Driscoll has his own injury issues to overcome if he wants to play a part. 

Ballincollig are in a similar place to us in Ross, as the old stagers from our county finals in 2014 and 2016 are being transitioned out; Paddy Kelly for example injured his ACL playing junior football last year and won’t be involved again. Others like Liam Jennings and Noel Galvin continue to soldier on for the cause, while some younger players like Harry Aherne and Sean Dore from last year’s Cork U20s are hoping to step up for their senior club side now. Getting permission from St Kilda for another of that crop in Liam O’Connell to play a part will be central to ‘The Village’ having a successful season and giving Nemo a real run for their money on Friday evening. Liam is a real talent when he gets his running game going and would be crucial if Ballincollig want to take the second qualifying spot in this group, assuming Nemo will take the top spot. 

Their rivals for that spot are their neighbours in Éire Óg and Newcestown. It’s a tough but exciting draw for the Ovens men in particular as they are bounded on either side by their direct rivals. First up for them is Newcestown in Cloughduv this Friday, and this may be the hardest game to predict of the night. Newcestown bounced straight back to the top flight last year at the expense of a fancied Dohenys team, and they are proven championship campaigners in both codes. Both teams finished mid-table in Division 1, and Luke Meade is another of the Cork hurlers who will have little rest after last Sunday. 

Éire Óg looked like a team ready to compete with the ‘big three’ at the top end just a few short seasons ago, particularly after the acquisition of former Kerry full back Mark Griffin. However, the injury forced early retirement of Ciarán Sheehan and the loss of John Cooper to emigration have hurt their cause, while Daniel Goulding has had his own problems with a back injury this season also. That’s a common theme for our 2010 group, we really are just getting too old for this football craic! (Watch Danny kick seven points now on Friday evening just to shut me up!). In reality, I expect Newcestown to make this a serious fight and come out the right side by just a point or two also. 

The premier senior action is rounded off on Saturday as firstly West Cork heavyweights Clonakilty and Castlehaven meet in beautiful Rosscarbery, before my brother’s charges (Carbery Rangers) head for Brinny to take on St Michael’s. The Haven and Clon met in Ross at the same stage two years ago in a very dour encounter and also in a better game last year in the final game of the group, with the Haven winning by two points on both occasions. Ourselves, Clon and the Haven have been in the same group for three years running now and perhaps the board could look at a mechanism to prevent that happening. 

While the new championship is a vast improvement, it would be no surprise if some fatigue was setting in for people from Clon and the Haven in particular. Castlehaved did what they had to to stay up in Division 1, while Clon pipped St Michael’s to win Division 2. Damien Cahalane will be another that could justifiably claim a few week’s rest but will be very busy between football and hurling for the next few weeks. With the Hurleys, Maguires and Mark Collins, they should have enough experience to see off a more youthful Clon team once more. The Whites, Thomas Clancy, Conor Daly and Darragh Gough will be expected to lead the Clon resistance. 

Lastly on Saturday evening in Brinny, Ross and St Michael’s will meet. This game will be targeted by both as an opportunity to get two early points and almost certainly remove the prospect of ending up in a relegation final. Seamus has a much younger Ross team on his hands now while the Blackrock men have a good mix of experience and youth with five players who were involved with the Cork U20s this year alone. The teams had a great rivalry at minor and U21 level in the recent seasons and will know each other well. I’m going to have no shame with my bias here and say I’m hoping Ross can edge what should be a very tight game. 

In the Senior A grade, Dohenys and O’Donovan Rossa will fly the Carbery flag, with Dohenys hoping to go one better than last year. They open with an attractive match up against Kanturk in Macroom, with some excellent players on both sides it should make for a good game. Fionn Herlihy could face directly against his Cork team-mate Tommy Walsh which would be well worth watching. Another potentially tight game but I’ll back our neighbours to just about get the job done. The Skibb boys take on Fermoy in Bandon and I’ll trust them to make it a double for the Carbery teams although my sources tell me both teams are expecting to be down several regular starters. 

Carrigaline may be the team to beat this year with Brian O’Driscoll on board and after beating Nemo in the Division 1 league final. They’ll be looking to make a statement against Beal Athá’n Ghaorthaidh in Kilmurry. Cill na Marta are another team to keep an eye on and I think they could account for Kiskeam in Clondrohid. I’ll tip Clyda Rovers to better Bishopstown and neighbours Newmarket and Knocknagree could go either way. Maybe Knocknagree by a nose. 

In the premier intermediate competition, Bantry will hope to finally get over the line after a heartbreaking defeat to Cill na Marta in a classic last season, with plenty of interest in this grade in the western half of the county via the fortunes of Castletownbere, Bandon and Ilen Rovers as well as Macroom, Naomh Abán and Uibh Laoire. Kilshannig and Bantry could make it an all-blue county final later this year. Gabriel Rangers represent Carbery at intermediate A level, with Mitchelstown a strong contender to again go one better this season. St James start the premier junior season against Canovee and will hope to fare better than their first season last year when they were pointless from three games. Kilmurry would be my NAP across all the grades after letting the title slip last year against the Barrs second team. Liam Wall is one to watch for John Cleary. 

And last, but by no means least, the West Cork Junior A championship begins this weekend also. Our second string take on the reigning champions Barryroe in Ardfield on Sunday evening. Having started at this level back in 2002, I might have to dig out the boots and see if I can play a part and hopefully not pull another muscle. We shall see on both counts. I’ll certainly have had my fill of football come around 9pm on Sunday evening, but for the players who, unlike me, have been training and playing all season, it’s great that the games are finally here. The external debates can wait another while, bring on the football.