Will we get another West Cork group of death in Cork Premier Senior Football Championship?

THERE is the possibility of another West Cork group of death in this season’s Cork Premier Senior Football Championship when the draw takes place at Páirc Uí Chaoimh this Thursday, April 29th at 7pm.

The draws for all nine county championships in football and hurling, from Intermediate A FC to Premier SFC, and from Lower Intermediate HC to Premier SHC will all take place this Thursday – and it will be streamed live by the Irish Examiner.

Last season, Castlehaven, Carbery Rangers, Newcestown and Ilen Rovers were all drawn in the same Premier SFC group, and all four are in different seeding groups ahead of this year’s draw, while Clonakilty are third seeds along with Carbery Rangers.

There are 12 teams in the Premier SFC which will see three groups of four drawn, similar to 2020. Each team gets three games each. Only the top group winner will qualify for the semi-finals, with the remaining two group winners, the three second-placed teams and the divisions/colleges winner qualifying for the three quarter-finals.

The divisions and colleges rounds will not be drawn until there is more certainty around entries.

Meanwhile, there will be plenty of local interest in the 12-team Senior A Football Championship too as O’Donovan Rossa are top seeds, Bandon are second seeds, and both Dohenys and Bantry Blues are fourth seeds, so we have the possibility of more local derbies here. Again, there will be three groups of four teams. Two teams will progress from each group to the play-off stages. This will result in six teams qualifying for the play-off stages, with the two top group winners qualifying for the semi-finals and the remaining group winner and the three second-placed teams qualifying for the quarter-finals.

Beara clubs Castletownbere (Premier IFC) and Adrigole (IAFC) will also discover their championship opposition while Gabriel Rangers are top seeds in the IAFC – the latter competition has 16 teams and they will be divided into four groups of four. The top two from each group will qualify for the quarter-finals, where group winners will play a group runner up from another group.

The seedings are as follows:

Premier SFC: top seeds, Castlehaven, Nemo Rangers, St Finbarr’s; second seeds, Newcestown, Ballincollig, Valley Rovers; third seeds, Carbery Rangers, Douglas, Clonakilty; fourth seeds, Carrigaline, Ilen Rovers, Mallow/Éire Óg.

SAFC: top seeds, Bishopstown, O’Donovan Rossa, Fermoy; second seeds, Mallow/Éire Óg, St Michael’s, Bandon; third seeds, Kiskeam, Clyda Rovers, Béal Áthan Ghaorthaidh; fourth seeds, Dohenys, Bantry Blues, Knocknagree/Kanturk.

Premier IFC: top seeds, St Nicholas, Cill na Martra, Newmarket; second seeds, Nemo Rangers, Knocknagree/Kanturk, Aghada; third seeds, Macroom, Castletownbere, St Vincent’s; fourth seeds, Naomh Abán, Na Piarsaigh, Mitchelstown/Rockchapel.

IAFC: top seeds, Gabriel Rangers, Mitchelstown/Rockchapel, Kilshannig, Millstreet; second seeds, Aghabullogue, Ballinora, Glanworth, Kinsale; third seeds, Dromtarriffe, Kildorrery, St Finbarr’s, Adrigole; fourth seeds, Glenville, Ballydesmond, Glanmire, junior A winners.