‘I’VE heard teams shouting “put him onto his left”, and five minutes later it’s “put him onto his right!” – it makes no difference!’ laughs Ian Jennings, as he chats about the impact of Damien Gore with Kilmacabea.

‘A lot of good players have a weaker side, but Damien doesn’t – he’s as good off one side as the other.

‘He is so deceptively strong as well.’

The reigning Carbery JAFC champions are certainly not a one-man team, but there’s no disputing either that former Cork forward Gore is a class act.

In four championship games he has totted up 3-33, with 3-20 from play – an average of 0-8 per game: 1-3 v Kilmeen, 0-7 v Randal Óg, 0-8 v Argideen Rangers, 1-3 v Barryroe, and 1-12 v Kilbrittain. His consistent scoring output is good news for Kilmacabea as they put their title on the line against St Mary’s in Skibbereen on Sunday (3pm).

Captain Jennings has scored in every match too – including 0-6 in the semi-final classic against Kilbrittain – and is quick to acknowledge how Kilmacabea have benefited from Gore’s decision to step back from the county panel after last season.

‘It has made a huge difference having Damien the whole time, getting used to patterns of play with him up top,’ Jennings explains.

‘When you have someone coming in halfway during the season, it can be hard because you’re not used to playing with him – but we had him all through the league so we were quite settled after that.’

Kilmacabea’s Ian Jennings in action.

Kilmacabea’s first season in Division 7 of the county football league was a success, as they were promoted alongside Argideen Rangers. Mission accomplished – and it also meant Donie O’Donovan’s side were primed for the junior championship.

‘Putting that big push on during the league helped us heading into the championship,’ Jennings says.

‘We’ve had a few young players step up, like Keith Whelton – he has been one of our top performers all season. A good league laid the foundations for that.

‘Also, you have a fella like Mark McCarthy who has stepped up from minor – he has made a big difference in training. It’s important to keep pushing standards.’

Kilmacabea are a team with high standards and big ambitions. They have won four Carbery junior A football titles in eight seasons (2017 to ’24), so are chasing a fifth in nine years.

They have handled the tag of favourites well this campaign, topping their group after beating Kilmeen (3-17 to 1-10), Randal Óg (1-21 to 0-13) and Argideen Rangers (1-12 to 1-5). Next came a repeat of the 2023 final, as Kilmacabea got revenge against Barryroe, before the all-time classic last-four battle with Kilbrittain (1-25 to 3-16 after extra-time).

The Kilmacs are battle-hardened after that semi-final, having been on the brink of a shock exit – but Jennings points to St Mary’s terrific comeback against Tadhg MacCarthaigh in the other semi-final.

‘You could say that Mary’s were in a worse position than we were, so they can lean on all those experiences of going to the well and being pushed all the way,’ he says.

‘You never get anything easy off Mary’s. Ever. There are always only a few points in it. This will be a massive test – they are not going to Skibb to make up the numbers.’

Look at last season’s semi-final when Kilmacabea had only four points to spare against St Mary’s (1-13 to 1-9). Go back to 2022 and Mary’s beat Kilmacabea in a quarter-final (1-13 to 2-9), so Jennings knows the challenge that awaits.

‘This is such a competitive championship – you can get caught any day. There are so many good teams in Carbery – if you’re not at it, you’ll get found out. Look at Kilbrittain – nobody gave them a chance at the start of the year, and arguably they should have beaten us in the semi-final. They were excellent,’ Jennings notes, as Kilmacabea close in on back-to-back titles, but are experienced enough to know the next game is their biggest.