Defining weekend in football championship
With the hurling permutations resolved after a dramatic weekend, focus now turns to the McCarthy Insurance Group County Football championships with a similar scenario about to unfold.
There are important games also in the Camogie and Ladies Football Senior Championship.
Premier Senior Football
This is almost done and dusted 2 of the 3 groups are sorted. St Finbarr’s, Carrigaline, Newcestown, Castlehaven and Nemo Rangers are all safely through to the knockout phase along with Duhallow of course.
The only game that will have a bearing on who joins them is in theory the meeting of Douglas on 2 points and Ballincollig on 1 point - they play in Ballygarvan.
Both sides were poor in their last outing. Douglas well beaten by Nemo Rangers and it took a brilliant last minute two pointer from Peter O’Neill to rescue a point for Ballincollig in their game with St Michaels so a lot at stake for both. It’s hard to call a winner, of course a draw will do Douglas and that could be the outcome.
The other game in this Group 3, is the meeting of St Michaels and Nemo Rangers in Shanbally, who even with a few injuries should make it 3 from 3.
Group 1
The all-West Cork clash of Castlehaven and Newcestown in Rossmore will decide top spot and the odds favour the champions securing that and with it a likely semi-final place.
Mallow and Valley Rovers meet in Blarney; it’s a battle to avoid the relegation play-off. Mallow were semi-finalists last year and have been unlucky in their 2 games only suffering narrow defeats and they should get over the line in this game.
Group 2
St Finbarr’s and Carrigaline meet in Páirc Uí Rinn and the ‘Barrs even without the injured Brian Hayes will be expected to win, but it’s been a good campaign for last year’s Senior A champions content in the knowledge that they have a QF to look forward to.
A big game in Ballinacarriga where Clonakilty fancied by many to be among the contenders face West Cork neighbours Carbery Rangers, a side Clon have only beaten once in 8 meetings since 2006, in what will be dogfight to avoid relegation. Local derbies, especially with what’s at stake here take on a life of their own, but Clon to just about shade it.
Castlehaven to get the semi-final spot, Douglas to snatch the last QF place and it looks like Valley Rovers and Carbery Rangers in the relegation play-off.
All game are on Sunday at 4pm.
Senior A
In contrast to the Premier grade, only 1 team, Bishopstown are guaranteed a place in the knockout phase and at least 9 others are in contention to join them.
In Group 1, all 4 teams are on 2 points so this is going to make for an intriguing Sunday afternoon with 2pm starts.
Kanturk meet Duhallow rivals Newmarket in Banteer and with their hurling ambitions over, they might just shade this one. Donoughmore is the venue for the meeting of Éire Óg and Kilshannig. The latter had a great win in hurling at the weekend and that momentum might give them the edge.
Group 2 is also delicately poised although Fermoy with 2 losses will find it hard to qualify particularly as they are facing Knocknagree last year’s runners-up and JF Daly will not want to exit at this stage. Buttevant is the venue and the Duhallow side to prevail.
Páirc Uí Rinn hosts the meeting of Cill Na Martra and Clyda who had a good win last time out but may find the Gaelthacht side a tougher nut to crack.
Group 3 has Bishopstown unbeaten as they head to Ballingeary who have 3 points and even if they lose, will almost certainly progress, as the final pairing is that of pointless Dohenys and O’Donovan Rossa on 1 point.
Bishopstown and Knocknagree for the last 4, Kanturk, Éire Óg, Cill Na Martra and Ballingeary for the quarter-finals, it looks like Dohenys and Fermoy in the relegation battle.
Premier Intermediate
Aghabullogue, Naomh Abán and Iveleary are all on 4 points in their respective groups and are almost certain to progress with a lot of clubs still controlling their own destiny, 6pm starts for all games on Saturday.
Group 1
It’s been a good few weeks for Aghada and with their hurlers getting a semi-final spot they will head to Ballincollig for a meeting with table toppers Aghabullougue well capable of getting a result.
Bantry are pointless as they face Nemo Rangers in Rosscarbery. Injuries might affect the city side but it’s always hard to back against them.
Group 2
Naomh Abán will look to make it 3 from 3 when they play Bandon in Kilmichael. The latter need the win, while Glanmire could get a QF spot if they overcome Rockchapel in Ballyclough but an injury that looks certain to rule Cathal McCarthy out won’t help Glanmire.
Group 3
Cill Na Martra hosts the Muskerry derby between Macroom and Iveleary and on form the Gaelthacht side should win but it is a local derby.
Castletownbere and Kiskeam meet in Newcestown where the winners will get the opportunity to play knockout football in a couple of weeks, with the Beara lads the likely winners.
Picking the semi-finalists in this is not easy but we will take a punt on Naomh Abán and Iveleary with Nemo Rangers, Glanmire, Agahabulloge and Castletownbere going to the QFs.
Bantry Blues and Macroom could end up in the relegation play-off.
Intermediate A
All 3 groups are nicely balanced even though some clubs cannot progress but if they were to win it would upset the projections, all have 4pm starts on Saturday.
Group 1
Adrigole on 4 points and Ballinora on 3 points will decide top spot when they meet in Moneyvollahane (Castlehaven’s splendid ground), while Glanworth need a big win over pointless St Finbarr’s if they are to progress.
Group 2
Dromtarriffe are the only team without a point here as they have lost both their games and head to Catletownkenneigh where a win over St James on 3 points might not be enough.
A tasty North Cork derby between Kildorrery (3 pts) and Mitchlestown (2pts) will also shape the group; both were knocked out of the hurling so a lot to play for, a nod to Kildorrery this should attract a fine crowd to Doneraile.
Group 3
Kilmurry and Ilen Rovers lead the way here on 3 points, while Boherbue on 2 points need to beat Kilmurry to have a chance of progressing. Even then they would need St Vincent’s who have lost both games, to beat Ilen Rovers who after a few difficult seasons appear to be heading in the right direction again.
Kilmurry should get the better of Boherbue in Clondrohid while even though Vincents tested the Duhallow side in the last round, they are unlikely to beat Ilen, when they meet in Ahiohill.
Adrogole and Kilmurry for the semi-finals, with Ballinora, Gabriel Rangers, Kildorrery and Ilen Rovers to get the QF spots.
St Vincent’s and St Finbarr’s are set to meet in the relegation game.
Premier Junior
Let’s start with the group that is decided; in Group 3 unbeaten Inniscarra and Buttevant meet in Mourneabbey with the winners getting a semi-final spot. Buttevant might just shade this as the Muskerry lads were playing hurling last week.
The clash of Glenville and Millstreet in Páirc Uí Rinn might go the way of the Duhallow lads.
Group 1
In this finely balanced group, St Nick’s who had an impressive win over Canovee last time out head to Dunmanway for a meeting, the 3rd year in a row, with Urhan who had a great win over Ballydesmond in the last round.
It stands at 1 each between the teams but Nick’s to make it 2 out of 3.
Canovee will look to bounce back from that loss when they play Ballydesmond in Macroom and unless they contain Donnacha O’Connor they might struggle - they should get over the line though.
Group 2
It’s all to play for here; 4 teams with 2 points each all can qualify and all can be knocked out.
Kinsale and Cobh is a real tight one maybe a hesitant nod to Kinsale when they meet in Ovens, while Na Piarsaigh boosted by the hurlers making a QF could get the better of Cullen in Glantane.
St Nick’s and Buttevant to make the last four, with Kinsale, Inniscarra, Na Piarsaigh and Canovee going to the QFs. Glenville and Ballydesmond to face off in the relegation play-off.
All these games are on Friday night at 7.30pm and best of luck to all clubs across the 5 grades and as we did with the hurling, there’s extensive coverage on 96FM/C013 until it’s all resolved around 5.15pm on Sunday afternoon.
SE Systems Senior Camogie
The group stages were completed last weekend and now its Preliminary QF time with those 2 games in Castle Road. On Saturday at 5.30pm, Courcey Rovers will play Éire Óg and then on Sunday at 6pm, it’s the meeting of Blackrock and Carbery.
After this game the QF draw will take place, while there is one other very important game on Friday night, it’s the relegation play-off, an all-Muskerry affair featuring Aghabullogue and Inniscarra with the latter winning the toss for venue, so it’s a 6.30pm start in Ballyanley.
Cork Credit Unions Ladies Football Senior Championship
3 of the 4 semi-finalists are known ahead of the final group games this weekend with Mourneabbey and Éire Óg from Group 2 progressing, so their meeting in Mourneabbey will determine who tops the group.
Pointless Bride Rovers and Kinsale play in Rathcormac.
Champions Aghada are unbeaten and through to the last 4 and should beat pointless Castlehaven in Rostellan, while the meeting of St Vals on 4 points and Clonakilty on 3 points will decides who joins them.
Vals must win and win big as O’Donovan Rossa in their 1st year at senior have 7 points with their games completed, so it could well come down to scoring difference.
It’s a 12pm start on Sunday for all games.
Congratulations to two outstanding members of the Cork senior team Mellissa Duggan and Katie Quirke on their well deserved All-Star nominations.