IT’S not an easy group. Not even close.
Roinn 3 of the RCM Tarmacadam Carbery Junior A Hurling Championship is arguably the group of death , featuring the 2022 champions Ballinascarthy, 2023 champions Clonakilty, the junior B victors Kilbrittain’s seconds, and divisional league champions Kilbree.
All four sides can justifiably stake a claim to progress.
For Kilbree, recent experience at county junior A level could prove crucial. After lifting the Carbery league title, the Super Blues went on to beat Liscarroll-Churchtown Gaels (2-17 to 2-12) before losing out to a strong Dromtarriffe side (1-16 to 1-10) in the next round.
They’ve shown they can mix it with quality county opposition – now it’s time to prove they belong among the elite in Carbery too. First up? A showdown with Clonakilty this Saturday evening in Ahiohill (7.30pm).
‘We had a reasonable league, I think. We won six out of seven games in Carbery and used 30 players, which is great for a club of our size,’ Kilbree boss Timmy Byrne told The Southern Star.
‘The real bonus was representing Carbery in the county section. It gave us a couple of extra games – far more valuable than any challenge match.’
As for being placed in such a competitive group, Byrne isn’t shying away from the challenge. In fact, he’s embracing it.
‘It’s a tough group for sure – but that’s what championship is all about. You want to be playing the best teams. We’re very excited about the group. Whoever gets out of it will feel they’ve a serious chance of going far,’ he said.
‘We’re not looking too far beyond the weekend, but there’s a panel there capable of winning West Cork. Winning the league was a sign of that, even with other teams playing in higher divisions. The goal at the back of our minds is to compete in the latter stages.’
Kilbree did get the better of Clonakilty in the league earlier this year (3-15 to 0-14), but Byrne is the first to acknowledge the context around that result.
‘It’s hard to read too much into a league game. Both teams were short a few players, and Clonakilty were juggling county Division 1 football commitments at the time. They probably weren’t going full tilt,’ he admitted.
‘We’ll see what they’re really about on Saturday. Still, it helps knowing we’re capable of beating them. We’ll give it another good rattle.’
Those county league games have been a huge benefit to the Super Blues, not just for momentum, but in terms of development and confidence.
‘That win over Liscarroll in the county quarter-final up in Ballinlough was massive. It was a real battle. Then against Dromtarriffe, we were level at half-time, but they stepped it up and pulled away in the second half. Still, playing those sides, facing different systems and styles, that’s only helped bring us on.’
Now, Kilbree enter the championship brimming with belief, but fully aware of the scale of the task.
It’s the ‘group of death’ for a reason – and it’ll take something special to get out of it.
