WITH the superb Olympic Games behind us, we return to matters more local to provide our sporting entertainment. Thankfully, there is a feast of football in Cork this weekend, with 24 games to be decided from premier senior to premier junior, and junior divisional action also progressing with 11 games down for decision in Carbery alone.
Firstly, the inter-divisional fixtures that took place last weekend. This year is 20 years since we claimed the Andy Scannell Cup with a Carbery team laden with inter-county players and backboned by six players from Ross who were riding a crest of a wave as we went from junior to senior within two years. The late, great John Corcoran managed to finally blend the talent available in West Cork into a winning formula, mostly with relaxing sessions in the Inchydoney seawater pool and uncomplicated football. Unfortunately, our 2024 counterparts will not repeat the feat after losing out by a point to a Chris Óg Jones-inspired Muskerry. Damien Gore, Dan MacEoin and half-time substitute Olan Corcoran provided the bulk of the scoring for Carbery.
Muskerry will now face Duhallow for a place in the championship proper after the North Cork outfit dispatched UCC with a ten point win. The game was most notable for my old Cork team-mate Donncha O’Connor donning the goalkeeper gloves as he bids to postpone retirement for another few seasons. I had gotten wind of his new role following a challenge match earlier this year but Donncha insisted he was just filling in because they were stuck. Let’s just say I wasn’t shocked that the switch has proven to be more than a one night gig. Duhallow are generally the most cohesive and well prepared of the divisional teams, however Muskerry have a talented side and will make the favourites earn their expected place in the quarter-finals.
Looking forward, football starts on Friday evening with three premier senior games. Castlehaven should account comfortably for a St Michael’s team that edged a poor quality encounter with Ross in the first round. Clonakilty is the venue for that encounter with a 7.15pm throw-in, while in Ballincollig at the same time Nemo Rangers will be expected to have something to spare against Éire Óg. Best of luck to Carbery Rangers man Liam O’Shea as he referees his first premier senior championship clash.
It is less straightforward to pick a favourite as Douglas face Valley Rovers in Carrigaline on the same evening, Douglas being bottom of the group after falling to the Barrs on day one, with Valleys and Mallow finishing level. There won’t be much between the sides and Douglas will need to improve their finishing substantially from that game if they are to prevail.
On Saturday, the other member of the ‘big three’, St Finbarr’s, will take on Mallow in Grenagh and will be looking for improvement after a mediocre performance against Douglas first time out. Improvement is a must though, as they let Douglas stay with them for far too long in Carrigaline, and a repeat of that performance could see them vulnerable. Brian Hayes and Ethan Twomey will return to the reckoning for the blues and again they will be expected to prevail with a few points to spare and maintain their unbeaten record since the club championship group stages began. Quite a record, that one.
The Barrs are still favourites with the bookies as things stand, however many observers would put Castlehaven down as the team to beat after last year’s successful season and a strong performance against Clonakilty in their opener. The onus now is on the boys from Togher and Trabeg to show they can match the westerners when the championship hits the semi-final stages.
Another tight game is expected in Ovens on Saturday as Ballincollig and Newcestown go head to head. Newcestown have the cushion of two points from their opening win against Éire Óg and another win here will see them through to the quarter-finals, assuming that Nemo do the needful against the Ovens men. Ballincollig are at something of a low ebb right now after relegation from the league, and defeat here would bring the prospect of a similar scenario in the senior A championship right into view. There are some good young players in Ballincollig, and I believe they will be okay in the long term, however the hardened experience in the Newcestown team may just edge this one to ramp up the pressure on Podsie O’Mahony’s charges.
The last premier senior game of the weekend takes place at 4pm on Sunday afternoon in Dunmanway, when Carbery Rangers team take on Clonakilty. Last year’s 0-6 apiece draw was not one for the football purists, and the likelihood is that this game will be something similar, with both teams under pressure to secure their first points of the season. The pressure is slightly more acute for us in Ross having lost to St Michael’s, knowing that Castlehaven awaits in the final game. Clon will fancy their chances of getting a first championship win over Ross since 2006 which was our first year in the top grade in Cork. I am going to refrain from making a prediction due to my completely obvious bias in this game, but I expect this one to go the wire again. Let’s hope the game is an improvement on last year.
Elsewhere over the weekend, there are some attractive and interesting games to look forward to across all the grades. Dohenys will need to see off Fermoy after their opening defeat to Kanturk in order to keep their hopes of progression in their own hands. I expect they will have enough to get the job done here and set up a potential winner-take-all clash with their neighbours in Skibbereen, who will likely find Kanturk too tough a nut to crack on Sunday in Kilmichael.
Possibly the game of the weekend will take place in Ballyvourney, as Gaeltacht rivals Cill na Martra and Beal Athán Ghaorthaidh go head to head. Expect no quarter to be taken or given in this one, however Cill na Martra have strong momentum after a decent campaign in Division 1 and an opening win against Kiskeam, who have a big test on their hands again in the-form Division 1 champions and championship favourites Carrigaline. I expect Newmarket to beat Bishopstown and Knocknagree to see off Clyda in the other games in the very competitive senior A grade.
In premier intermediate, Uibh Laoire can continue their surge through the Cork football ranks at the expense of Aghada, while Ilen Rovers will look to bounce back from a crushing opening defeat to the Muskerry men when they take on Aghabullogue. I watched Aghabullogue win the intermediate A final last year and they are a speedy and skilful side capable of scoring goals, which is clearly an Achilles heel for Rovers given they shipped five to Uibh Laoire. Honours then to the men from Mid Cork in the battle at Ballinacarriga. Macroom versus Castletownbere in Aughaville has the makings of a spicy encounter also, and I fancy the Beara men to get the better of Aidan O’Mahony’s team in this one. Kilshanning should beat Rockchapel, however for West Cork football followers the clash of Bandon and Bantry in Dunmanway as part of Sunday’s double-header looks the most appealing. Bantry have gone very close to winning this title two years in succession and are the likely winners in this one.
Gabriel Rangers are the sole Carbery representative in the intermediate A grade and will face Dromtariffe in Macroom, and they will hope to back up their opening day win against the Duhallow club. Their neighbours to the west in Adrigole face Kildorrery looking to do the same thing and likely secure passage to the knockout stages. St James are up against Kilmurry in the premier junior grade, and the Mid Cork men left the title behind them against St Finbarr’s second team last year and will likely prove too strong for the boys from Ardfield.
All that without even mentioning the junior action here in Carbery, which we will delve into in more detail as the season progresses. After so many years of being deprived of regular club action, we really are spoiled with games now. Long may it last.
