STATE OF PLAY: 'Haven, Skibb and Bantry opponents decided for county semi-finals

MATTHEW HURLEY with the latest updates and match info on the Cork football championship semi-finals from the Premier SFC down to the Intermediate A FC.

PSFC: The last four of Cork football’s top club competition has been set. After beating Mallow, Castlehaven will now face St Finbarrs in the semi-final in Páirc Uí Chaoimh on Sunday October 2^nd at 4pm. The two sides met each other at this exact stage in 2020 and 2021. Both those matchups resulted in penalty kicks so don’t be surprised if fireworks go off in this one. In the first of the double header on the 2^nd, Nemo Rangers take on Ballincollig at 2pm. This is the Muskerry team’s first appearance in a semi-final since 2016 but they will have to produce a big performance to get over Nemo. The champions of this championship will represent Cork in the Munster SFC, playing the Tipperary champions in the quarter-final. Newcestown are relegated from the top grade after losing against Éire Óg. The West Cork team will now play senior A football in 2023.

SAFC: O’Donovan Rossa’s reward for getting over the Dohenys hurdle last Sunday is a semi-final encounter with favourites St Michaels in Cork GAA HQ on Saturday 1^st October at 5pm. Michaels were last year’s beaten finalists so Skibb will have a massive job on their hands to beat them. On the other side of the draw, Clyda Rovers meet Knocknagree in the second of a double header at 7pm. The Duhallow side beat Béal Áthan Ghaorthaidh 1-14 to 0-14 last Saturday to progress through. The winner of this championship will play Cork premier senior football for 2023. Another West Cork relegation occurred in the form of Bandon who were demolished by Rockchapel. The Lilywhites will play premier intermediate football next year.

PIFC: Bantry Blues, automatic qualifiers for the semi-finals, will play Iveleary in Dunmanway on Saturday October 1^st at 4pm. The Muskerry side beat Rockchapel last weekend but will now face a Bantry side who won all their group games. Another team to win all their group games is Kanturk, who now play Cill na Martra in Mallow on Saturday 1^st at 4pm. The winners of this championship will not only gain promotion to the senior A grade for 2023 but also represent Cork in the Munster IFC, playing the Clare champions in a quarter-final. St Vincent’s will not be playing in this grade next year after losing against Naomh Abán. Intermediate A awaits for the Seandún side.

IAFC: The two semi-final matchups here are both on Saturday 1^st. The first of those will be between arguably the two favourites, Mitchelstown and Kilshannig in Fermoy at 3pm. Kilshannig are the only team out of the last four to lose a game (against Adrigole) but would still be a threat in this competition. The other semi-final will be surprise packets Boherbue facing Aghabullogue in Millstreet at 4pm. Boherbue were only recently promoted from junior A last year so it would be an amazing achievement to win the IAFC at the first attempt. They’re facing an Aghabullogue side however who have won every match so far. The winners of this competition will gain promotion to premier intermediate for 2023.

In this week's Southern Star we'll have in-depth reports, reaction and analysis from all the games that mattered.