TALKING POINTS: The West is awake after brilliant weekend

KIERAN McCARTHY on the talking points from a memorable weekend for Carbery GAA clubs

THIRD TIME LUCKY – The fourth installment of Castlehaven and the Barrs’ semi-final blockbuster did not disappoint. These two are probably sick of looking at each in semi-finals after four in a row, but it’s the Castlehaven men smiling after their 1-16 to 2-11 triumph on Sunday. This showdown delivered; it had a bit of everything, as Haven turned the tables on the Barrs who had won in 2021 and ’22. The Hurley brothers, Brian and Michael, also delivered, sharing 0-12, as James McCarthy’s men set up a county final against Nemo Rangers on October 29th. It’s ten years since Haven last won the county senior title – who did they defeat in that final? Nemo. It’s the country boys versus the city slickers, again.

IT’S COMING HOME – What we do know for certain after last weekend is that the Kevin McTernan Cup (awarded to the winners of the Cork Senior A FC) will be coming back to the home of football after the final on Sunday, November 5th, but where it will spend its winter in West Cork – with Dohenys or Newcestown? Both teams enjoyed fantastic semi-final wins last weekend, Dohenys taking out Knocknagree, Newcestown ousting Newmarket, and it sets up a fascinating all West Cork county football final. When they met in the opening round of the group stages, Declan O’Dwyer’s Dohenys won by a single point, 0-9 to 0-8, and this will be as tight.

DOUBLE DREAMS – The mighty men of Newcestown show no signs of slowing down. One week after the hurlers qualified for their county senior A final, the footballers did likewise, so the club is on the brink of an incredible double. What a few weeks lie ahead – Cha Wilson’s hurlers meet either Bride Rovers or Blarney on Sunday, October 22nd and two weeks later, on November 5th, Tim Buckley’s footballers take on the Dohenys. With many dual players, Newcestown have played in ten out of the last 11 weekends, including the last six in a row; that makes their run to both county finals even more incredible. Newcestown GAA is a West Cork treasure.

BANTRY’S BOUNCEBACKABILITY – It was then Crystal Palace boss Iain Dowie who came up with the word ‘bouncebackability’ after his Eagles had soared from a relegation battle to Championship promotion in a six-month spell in 2014, and the phrase also fits Bantry Blues footballers, too. In October 2022 they lost the Cork PIFC final to Kanturk, and 12 months on they are back in the county decider, again, after beating both Kilshannig and the bookies last weekend. Underdogs in their semi-final, the Bantry boys dug deep to win 1-12 to 1-11 in Coachford. They’ll be underdogs again in the final against Cill na Martra, but this Bantry group won’t lie down.

BEARA’S BUBBLE BURST – It wasn’t to be for Beara’s trio of clubs in county semi-final action last weekend, as Castletownbere (PIFC), Adrigole (IAFC) and Urhan (PJFC) all came up short, but when the disappointment lifts, all three clubs will acknowledge this season has been one of progress. It was the first time since the championships were revamped that Castletownbere qualified from the group stage, Adrigole went one step further than last season when they lost in the quarter-finals and Urhan are now consistently featuring in county semi-finals. The target for all three must be to take the next step in 2024.

THE WEST’S AWAKE – What a weekend for West Cork GAA teams. Castlehaven (senior B) and O’Donovan Rossa (junior A) won Cork LGFA county finals, bringing silverware back west. Castlehaven, Dohenys, Newcestown and Bantry Blues all qualified for county football finals. Add in Newcestown will also be in action in the Cork senior A hurling final, and it’s going to be an exciting few weeks locally, from the build-ups to the county finals themselves. Soak it in.