Five finals loom with clubs in Munster action too

The jazz weekend is over, the senior titles are nestling with Glen Rovers and Nemo Rangers, but there is no let-up in championship action this weekend.

A total of 5 county finals are scheduled for SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh including 2 double-headers, both live on C103 and the Onic Player, and 3 Cork champions embark on their Munster championship campaigns.

McCarthy Insurance Group Senior A Football Final

Kanturk v Éire Óg on Sunday at 2pm

“It’s been a good campaign so far but we know Kanturk are a serious team and only our best will do,” Éire Óg manager Eoin Fehilly said ahead of Sunday’s final.

With only 10 minutes left in the semi-final they trailed Cill Na Martra and looked like exiting the championship. “All season the lads have shown remarkable resilience and that was evident in how we never gave up.”

For Kanturk it’s been a season to savour and it’s not over yet, nothing won but as a dual club, like Éire Óg, they have been battling on both fronts.

In hurling they reached the Premier semi-final with wins over Blackrock and Sars, with practically the same group of players.

Eoghan O’Connor is their manager and he is so proud of his players: “Incredible group really and we saw that in the semi-final win over Carbery Rangers (after extra-time); looked beaten and then managed that period so well, it comes from experience all over the field.”

With dual involvement Eoghan jokingly said after that game: “We have a few weeks off now and we won’t know what to do with ourselves.”

Éire Óg were relegated from the top tier a few years ago and the desire to get back there is huge, while Kanturk are hoping to become a dual Premier Senior club.

Colm O’Callaghan, Daniel Goulding, Chris Kelly, Darragh Clifford and Jack Murphy are big players for the Mid-Cork outfit.

As ever the Walshs particularly Tommy and Paul, Grantas Bucinskas, Brian O’Sullivan, James Fiztzpatrick and Lorcan McLoughlin will lead the Kanturk challenge.

The exertions of the season might affect Kanturk but the 2 week run in will have helped and a total concentration on one code might just be enough to get them over the line.

Co-Op Super Stores Senior A Hurling Final

Erin’s Own v Carrigtwohill on Sunday at 4pm

“Getting relegated last year was very disappointing but it gave us all the chance to reset and re-focus and our goal was to get back at the 1st attempt and here we are one hour to go but a real tough one,” Erin’s Own manager Brendan O’Riordan said.

There’s a new look to their team now with “a lot of under 21s in the panel but still a lot of experience which you need at this level.”

Eoghan has huge respect for neighbours Carrigtwohill. “Of course and achieved without one of their best players Sean Walsh and they seem to be getting better as the championship went on.”

Justin Oke has been instrumental in Carrig’s run despite his own injury issues and he is really looking forward to the final. “It’s been very exciting and now into the final is where everyone wants to be and hopefully we can get the job done.”

The semi-final win over a fancied Blarney side was very impressive. “It was probably our best all year against a good team, but we know now we need to back it up.”

Their respective semi-final wins were very impressive against top class opposition which makes this an intriguing encounter and it being a local derby only adds intrigue.

Maybe Erin’s Own greater experience at the top grade gives them a slight edge and they could emulate Glen Rovers might getting back there at the first attempt.

Co-Op Super Stores Intermediate A Hurling Final

Bandon v Aghada on Saturday at 5pm

Bandon narrowly lost to Aghabullogue in last year’s final and it is to their credit that they are back again facing an Aghada side that have improved immeasurably as the championship evolved.

It is a repeat of a group meeting in which Aghada won by a goal 2-24 to 1-24 which would suggest another tight contest is in the offing.

Both also got the better of East Cork opposition in their semi-finals - Sars and Midleton - comfortably it must be said.

Will Leahy, Charlie Terry, John Looney, Jamie O’Hanlon and a cameo appearance by Pearse O’Neill were important players in their win over Sars.

Michael Cahalane remains a vital play for Bandon with Jack Cullinane, Oisin Hennessy, Kevin Hannon and the experienced Mark Sugrue as effective as ever.

If it’s as tight as their last meeting, it should produce a lively hour with a lot at stake and the hurt of last season might just get Bandon over the line.

McCarthy Insurance Group Premier Intermediate Football Final

Kiskeam v Iveleary on Saturday at 7pm

A place in the Senior A championship for next season is on offer; they were both there in 2024 and 2025 - a nice incentive for two sides who have enjoyed good campaigns and impressive results en route.

Their semi-finals were tight affairs, with Kiskeam just getting the better of Fermoy, while in the all-Gaelthacht clash Iveleary just edged Naomh Abán.

Iveleary were runners-up last year to Aghabullogue. Their intent atone for that narrow defeat was clear in the league where they gained promotion to D1 for next year even if they did lose out to Carrigaline in the final.

Kiskeam were in D4 and made little progress but improved in the championship and with an extra-time semi-final win they will be buoyed by that result and once again will hope that Sean O’Sullivan, Sean Meehan, Jack Daly, Daniel Fitzgerald and Jack O’Connor can deliver when the need is greatest.

Chris Óg Jones, Cathal Vaughan, Ian Jones, Sam Pickering, Ciaran O’Riordan and Sean O’Leary have backboned Iveleary’s rise through the ranks in Cork football and will be determined to get another big win for them.

A nod to the men from An Gaelthacht to shade it.

McCarthy Insurance Group Intermediate A Football Final

Kilmurry v Buttevant on Friday at 7.30pm

These are two exceptionally good teams who have enjoyed success in recent years; Buttevant won the Premier Junior title last year, Kilmurry the previous year and a Munster title as well, so a lively game is in prospect.

It is also a 2nd meeting this year and rare that teams from the same group make the final. In that game, Kilmurry came from behind to win by 1 point and that sent them direct to the semi-final where they overcame Boherbue comfortably.

Both have some very good players with Owen Keane, William Ronan, Liam Wall and Lawrence Asling anchoring the Kilmurry challenge and Mark Linehan, Billy O’Riordan, David O’Hanlon and Aaron Horgan in similar roles for the North Cork side.

Close one but a slight fancy for Kilmurry.

AIB Munster Club Senior Hurling championship QF

Glen Rovers v Inagh-Kilnamona (Clare) on Sunday in Páirc Uí Rinn at 1.15pm

A 1st venture into Munster as Cork champions since 2016 - they were there in 2019 when they lost to Imokilly in the final. Glen Rovers will have the advantage of playing at a very familiar venue.

For Inagh-Kilnamona this is their 1st taste of Munster championship having only won their 1st Clare title a short few weeks ago, but they too will relish this.

They had a good win over Kilmayley in the final 2-18 to 1-14 withnAidan McCarthy impressing scoring 1-5 a total that was matched by Fred Hegarty, while David Fitzgerald bagged 0-5 - a trio that can trouble any defence.

In their defence they can call on Keith White, Conor Rynne and Kevin Hehir and in midfield Mark Callanan and Sean Rynne are quality players.

Glen enjoyed their county final win and celebrated as you should but were back training in dreadful conditions last Thursday night.

There is a sense that with a home semi-final also for the winners on Sunday this represents an ideal opportunity to extend their season and at the same time improve Cork’s poor record of recent years. Sars win two years ago being the exception.

Apart from a brief period before half-time Glen were impressive in the win over the ‘Barr’s.

Cathal Hickey, Liam Coughlan, Eoin Varian and Adam Lynch were solid in defence, Conor McCarthy and Rhys Dunne excellent in midfield, while Dean Brosnan, Eoin O’Leary and Simon Kennefick grabbed vital scores.

Add in Rob and Eoin Downey, Patrick Horgan and Michael Mullins and there is a nice balance in the team.

The Clare champions will have had an extra week to prepare but that will be countered by Glen enjoying home advantage, that and a more balanced starting 15 will see them progress to a semi-final meeting with Thurles Sarsfields in two week’s time.

Munster Intermediate QF

Ballincollig v St Mary’s in Clonmel on Sunday at 1.15pm

There’s a strong Cork connection with St Mary’s as they are coached by Kilbrittain’s Jamie Wall and they will be well prepared for this clash.

Ballincollig with Senior A Hurling in 2027 to look forward to will relish the challenge of winning a Munster title and possibly heading to Croke Park in January given that Cork’s record in this championship is particularly good.

In the Tipperary final, St Mary’s got the better of Killenaule to return to the top tier after a 4 year absence and Seamus Kennedy, Aaron Cagney, Peter McGarry, Thomas Charles and Harry Lawlor all played well in the final that was by all accounts a pretty tame affair.

Ballincollig always looked like winners in the Cork final even if they did labour at times, but the introduction of Brian Keating sparked them into life and in the end, they were comfortable.

James Dwyer, Steve and Adam Willis, Danny Miskella, David O’Leary, Fenton Denny and Theo Morgan have displayed consistency when required and even away from home on a pitch that is certainly more used to football then hurling. Expect Ballincollig to maintain Cork’s good run in this championship.

Munster Junior QF

Kilshannig v Ardmore on Saturday in Glantane at 1.30pm

With just an 8 day turnaround this might prove to be a tough ask for the newly crowned Cork champions but given that their opposition haven’t played competitively since August. Ardmore were beaten in the SF of their county championship but as the 3 other teams were 2nd teams, they will compete in Munster.

Seamus and Declan Prendergast are key players for them despite their age.

Kilshannig with home advantage will see this as an ideal opportunity to extend their winning run and in Eanna O’Hanlon, Paddy Walsh, Kieran Twomey, Jack Twomey, Bill Curtin, Colin Ruby and Com O’Shea they should and probably will win.

AIB Munster club camogie

Having survived a tough test from the Clare champions last week, Cork and Munster champions St Finbarr’s are on the road this Sunday for a semi-final meeting with Thurles Sarsfield’s in The Ragg at 1.30pm.

The Tipperary champions had a narrow two point win over Clonoulty-Rossmore in the county final to retain their title.

Caoimhe Stakleum she bagged 1-9 of their total of 2-11, and Laura Loughnane got the vital goals while Karen Kennedy and Lucy Purcell also played well.

‘Barr’s though having had an easy win the County Final will have been glad of the tough tests and will be determined to go one better than last year when they lost the All-Ireland final after a replay.

Orlaith Cahalane is in top form as is Sorcha McCartan, while at the back if Meabh Cahalane can curtail Stakelum, they will be well on their way to victory.