REIGNING Carbery JAFC kingpins St James will begin the defence of their crown with a local derby against Clonakilty in April.
Twenty teams will take part in the junior A football championship this year, with Kilmacabea, champions in 2017 and 2018, probably starting as favourites, and they meet Bandon in Round 1.
The Carbery championships in 2020 have special significance as they are the end of a two-year cycle that will decide the championship status for all teams in 2021. A new system of championships will be inaugurated in 2021 and the accumulated results from the 2019 and 2020 championships and leagues will decide which championships teams will play in.
The Junior A football will begin on April 4th/5th April, with the Junior B football beginning on 11th/12th April. Round 2, losers’ group, will be on the first weekend of July. The junior A and B hurling championships will begin on the 2nd/3rd of May, with the Losers’ Group on July 18th/19th.
Bandon Co-Op Junior A Football: Round 1 – A. Clann na nGael v Dohenys; B. Castlehaven v Argideen Rangers; C. St Colum’s v Kilbrittain; D. Kilmacabea v Bandon; E. Clonakilty v St James; F. Ballinascarthy v Barryroe; G St Mary’s v Diarmuid Ó Mathúna; H. O’Donovan Rossa v Carbery Rangers; I. St. Oliver Plunkett’s v Muintir Bháire; J. Kilmeen v Tadhg MacCárthaigh. Round 2 (Losers’ Group) – A v B; C v D; E v F; G v H; I v J.
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There are five teams in the junior B football championship, an increase of one from 2019, with Ilen Rovers opting to grade down from A. Last season’s championship was run on a round-robin system but this season it will be on the backdoor system. Reigning champions Goleen have received a bye in the first round.
Round 1 – A. Newcestown v Randal Óg; B. Ilen Rovers v Bantry Blues. Round 2 – Goleen v Loser A. If Goleen lose that game, they will then play Loser B. If Goleen win their first game, they will progress to the semi-final.
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There are seven teams in the junior C football championship, which is straight knock-out, with no backdoor. Reigning champions Kilmacabea will face Tadhg MacCárthaigh in the only first round game.
Round 1 – Gabriel Rangers v Kilmacabea. Quarter-finals – A. Tadhg MacCárthaigh v O’Donovan Rossa; B. Winner of Gabriel Rangers/Kilmacabea v Kilmeen. Semi-finals – Winner A v Clonakilty and Winner B v St Colum’s.
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There are eight teams in the junior D football championship, which is straight knock-out. Reigning champions are Carbery Rangers.
Quarter-finals – A. St James v Ballinascarthy; B. Castlehaven v Carbery Rangers; C. Diarmuid Ó Mathúna v Barryroe; D. Clann na nGael v Ilen Rovers.
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There are 11 teams in the Carbery junior A hurling championship and with three teams due to be relegated this season, there should be no lack of competition in this grade. There are three preliminary games. Reigning champions Ballinascarthy have a bye to Round 1 where they will face Dohenys.
Beaten finalists Kilbree also got a bye to Round 1, where they face a tough outing against the loser of Clonakilty v Diarmuid Ó Mathúna. The Clon v Mathúna’s game will be one of the big attractions of the early rounds.
Preliminary Round – 1. Newcestown v St Mary’s; 2. St Oliver Plunkett’s v St James; 3. Clonakilty v Diarmuid Ó Mathúna. Round 1 – A. Ballinascarthy v Dohenys; B. Bandon v Loser 2; C. St Colum’s v Loser 1; D. Loser 3 v Kilbree. Round 2 (Losers’ Group) – A v B and C v D. Round 3 – Winner A/B v Winner C/D.
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This junior B hurling championship contains six teams with Bantry Blues as reigning champions. One of the six teams will be relegated to C for 2020, so there is a backdoor system in operation.
Round 1 – A. Kilbrittain v Gabriel Rangers; B. Bantry Blues v Barryroe; C. O’Donovan Rossa v Randal Óg. Round 2 (Losers’ Group) – B v C; Winner B/C v Loser A. Semi-finals – A v B; C v Winner Losers’ Group.
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Again there are six teams in this junior C hurling championship, which is straight knock-out. Reigning champions Ballinascarthy have a bye into the semi-final where they will play Bandon.
Quarter-finals – A. Kilbrittain v Kilbree; B. Bandon v Ballinascarthy. Semi-finals – A v B, Argideen Rangers v Diarmuid Ó Mathúna.
