CASTLEHAVEN’S immediate focus is their McCarthy Insurance Group Division 1 Football League final on Friday evening, but manager Seanie Cahalane agrees there is a knock-on benefit to their upcoming championship campaign.

The Haven face Knocknagree in the league final in Macroom (8pm), but with the county premier senior championship bursting into life in three weeks’ time, good form in the league can translate into the championship.

‘One hundred percent, one can translate into the other,’ Cahalane says.

‘Winning and grinding out results in the league gives lads a boost and it has also helped develop our squad depth, but we know too that we haven't played with a full squad all year, so it can be hard to gauge where the team is at.’

Cahalane will want Castlehaven to take their league form into the championship, especially in a group that will include Clonakilty, Ballincollig, as well as their league final opponents, Knocknagree.

When they meet in the championship on September 13th, the stakes will be higher, but this league final is an ideal test ahead of the bigger battles to come.

‘Knocknagree are a serious outfit,’ Cahalane says.

‘We have played them a good few times in challenge games in the past few years as well as in the league earlier in the year, so I think both teams know each other fairly well.

‘We know we have to be at our best to get the win in the league final and in the championship later in the summer.’

Castlehaven are moving along quite nicely, considering they are without their inter-county players – a situation the club is well used to. Considering that the Haven were battling for Division 1 survival last season, reaching the league final this year is a welcome turnaround.

‘The way last year's league went, we were eager to get going early and get some points on the board,’ the Haven boss explained.

‘We didn't set any targets of making a league final or anything, just took it game by game.

‘To be honest, I thought some performances were poor, but in all fairness to the lads, they stuck at it in certain games and never threw in the towel so we’re very pleased with that element and there are great learnings in it.’

Of Castlehaven’s nine league games, they only lost one en route to the final. There were wins over Nemo Rangers, St Finbarr’s, Douglas, as well as Knocknagree. They also drew four games.

It also gave young players like Danny O’Donovan and Donal O’Callaghan, fresh out of minor, an opportunity to play senior football, so there are positives to take into the championship.

Heading into the next few weeks with a league title would be an added boost.

‘It would be great to win when we are there. No team likes losing any game and especially finals. It will be a good competitive game and good preparation for the start of the championship,’ Cahalane added.