FIVE TALKING POINTS: Clonakilty, O’Donovan Rossa, Dohenys and Bantry impress

GROUP OF DEATH: We love our West Cork group of deaths in The Southern Star and the first round of matches didn’t disappoint. Castlehaven went into Group A of the Premier SFC as favourites but Carbery Rangers shocked them in Clonakilty to salvage a draw, 0-11 each. Clonakilty meanwhile dispatched Valley Rovers with ease (0-20 to 1-9). That means it’s Martin O’Brien’s team that tops the table after round one. The next round of games should be interesting. Castlehaven will be fancied coming up against Valley Rovers, but the popcorn will be out for the Clon and Ross match in Enniskeane on Sunday, August 20th. Fasten your seatbelts, this group will have a few more twists and turns yet.

SUPER SKIBB: Going into the county senior A football championship, you would be forgiven for having Knocknagree as pre-championship favourites. After all, they did reach the final last year and have three inter-county players in their armoury. O’Donovan Rossa had other plans for the script on Saturday though with an impressive 2-9 to 0-11 victory over the Duhallow men that will make many sit up and take notice of the Rossas. It leaves Gene O’Donovan’s side in a strong position to progress to the knockout stages. As the Skibb boss said afterwards, they were written off by some, but they silenced a lot of doubters with this big performance.

MANNIX MAGIC: Another West Cork derby played out in Rossmore on Saturday, this time in the Cork Senior A FC, as Dohenys narrowly beat Newcestown 0-9 to 0-8 in a ferocious battle. Aaron Mannix was the hero for Declan O’Dwyer’s charges with a 64th-minute 45 to win the game. Newcestown, having been relegated from the premier senior grade in 2022, will be disappointed to lose that late in the contest but for Dohenys, their impressive form from the league, where they gained promotion to Division 2, continued. The question is: can they keep that form going and rattle the SAFC?

BANTRY’S INTENT: David O’Donovan’s Bantry Blues would have been disappointed having lost the 2022 Premier IFC final to Kanturk but they put that disappointment behind them and beat a highly-rated Uibh Laoire side by 1-14 to 1-12 in Kealkill last weekend. Seanie O’Leary got the decisive goal for Blues and added two more points as well. Ruairi Deane played his part at full forward while Paddy Cronin and Kevin Casey both added 0-3 from play. With Naomh Abán and Macroom to come in the group, the West Cork side has what it takes to emerge from this stage. The aim for O’Donovan’s side will be to win the championship and gain promotion.

SAINTS’ ARRIVAL: This was new territory for St James of Ardfield as they competed in a Cork Premier JFC match. Not only did Alan O’Shea’s side compete, they won against Kinsale, 1-11 to 0-13, in their first match in the new premier junior football grade. Frank Hayes is one of the older guards that soldiered through the Carbery JAFC in recent seasons, and he hit 1-3, including 1-2 from play. Kevin O’Brien played in midfield too, and performed really well. Even player/mentor O’Shea got a runout. The West Cork junior champions proved that they deserve to be where they are and are off to an ideal start at county level.