WHILE I wouldn’t describe any of the games I saw last weekend as stone cold classics, there was more than enough drama, incident and excitement to keep viewers well entertained. 

I was in attendance for three of the games over the weekend, and we will start with the first two of those, the premier senior semi-finals on Saturday evening. 

Being on Clubber duty meant I had two very different viewpoints for the games, high up on the top tier for Nemo Rangers v Carrigaline and pitch-side near the corner flag for Clonakilty v St Finbarr’s. No question, the crow’s nest position allows for a far clearer picture.

The opener on the night saw Nemo prevail, 1-15 to 0-16, after a very stern test against semi-final debutants Carrigaline. It was the experience and know-how from having been in the same situation so many times before that helped Nemo through on the night. 

The favourites started well enough with superb, curling two-pointers from Mark Cronin, and Ross Corkery adding to another from a Cronin free, giving them six points on the board after 11 minutes. Carrigaline did not wilt, though, and when their defence settled to the task against the Nemo forwards, they clawed their way back into the game playing against the breeze. 

Their comeback was led primarily by Eanna Desmond, who had five of their seven points in the first half to help Carrigaline to draw level with half-time approaching. Nemo kicked the last three points of the half to give them what would prove a very necessary three-point cushion. 

Carrigaline took the game to Nemo again on the restart, and with Brian O’Driscoll more involved, Jack McCarthy flying at midfield and Brian Coakley finding his range, they reeled in Nemo’s lead and edged ahead ten minutes into the second half. It was back and forth from then onwards before the diminutive Mark Cronin stood up tall for Nemo when they needed him most. 

Carrigaline's Jack McCarthy gets in his kick before Nemo Rangers' defenders can challenge. (Photo: George Hatchell)

Cronin levelled the game from play in the 53rd minute and, after McCarthy missed what would have been his fourth rampaging point of the evening, Nemo were awarded what I felt was a very dubious penalty. Kevin O’Donovan, who had a great battle with Carrigaline talisman O’Driscoll, broke into the penalty area and was tackled by Cian Barry. The contact was minimal, but high enough for referee John Ryan to deem it a foul. To be fair, Ryan had a much closer view than I did. 

It was a big call and a huge moment that was very tough on the underdogs. Cronin was unbothered and coolly sent Ryan Delaney the wrong way with the penalty. Nemo were now three points up with less than five minutes left, but the men in blue and yellow did not quit. Coakley landed another huge two-pointer and there was a point in it. O’Driscoll broke inside the cover but fatigue got the better of him and his fisted pass attempt for a point fell into the net. 

Moments later, substitute Callum Barrett hit the post from a tight angle and Nemo broke to land the insurance score and claim a place in the final for the fifth season in succession. Beaten by Newcestown in the first round and taken to the brink by Castlehaven and Carrigaline, the high kings of Cork football are still standing. They will not want to lose a fourth final in succession. 

To avoid that scenario, they will have to reverse their 2025 final defeat to city neighbours, St Finbarr’s, after they also overcame a less-than-outstanding performance to beat Clonakilty in the second semi-final, 2-12 to 0-16. This repeat of the 2021 county final was much anticipated but very much failed to live up to the billing in the opening stages, with both teams guilty of sluggish football. 

The main moments of quality in the opening stages came from the big names for the Barrs. Brian Hayes kicked two fine points and put Ian Maguire through to set up Ricky Barrett for a crucial early goal. Steven Sherlock, otherwise well marshalled by the sticky Dan Peet, hit a glorious outside-of-the-boot two-pointer from underneath the South stand. 

Clon were struggling to penetrate the Barrs’ defensive structure and were reduced to hopeful shots under pressure from distance, which didn’t trouble the goalposts. Their management didn’t stand on ceremony and made a double change after 23 minutes, with Darragh Gough and Dylan Harrington replacing Sean McEvoy and Sean White. White had his left hamstring heavily strapped which most likely influenced that particular decision. The first half suddenly sprang to life after the changes.

Gough made an immediate impact with a two-pointer and a point from a free before a high St Finbarr’s ball into the square was fumbled by Mark White and fell kindly for impressive youngster Thomas Egan to bundle home. The Barrs led by six and the Clon fightback appeared quelled until Ryan Mannix did superbly along the end-line to win a ball he had no right to. His darting run was ended illegally by the Barrs’ defence in the large square. Another penalty at the city end, but Gough could not replicate Cronin and the chance was missed. White did convert the resultant 45 and it was a five-point game at half-time. 

The second half followed a similar pattern with Clon enjoying the lion’s share of possession and territory, but again getting nothing easy from the Barrs’ backline. Clon would finish with 34 shots to 21 from the Barrs, but too many of them were low-percentage efforts from distance under pressure. Clon were always chasing the game also, which allowed the Barrs to counter-attack when they needed to, led by a pair of outstanding athletes in Ian Maguire and Brian Hayes. 

Clon began to find their range from beyond the arc with time almost up and Sean White, reintroduced, nearly goaled in stoppage time but was denied by a combination of Barrs goalkeeper Darragh Newman and the crossbar. It would prove just too little, too late for Clon. While far from their best again, tigerish defending and the quality of Maguire and Hayes was enough to secure another county final for the club. Heady days down Togher way between football, hurling and camogie. 

Carbery Rangers' Ciaran Santry battles his way past Kanturk's Brian O'Sulliban during the McCarthy Insurance Group SAFC semi-final at Macroom on Sunday. (Photo: Paddy Feen)

The third game I attended was, of course, Carbery Rangers versus Kanturk on a wet and dreary Sunday afternoon. My mood matched the weather going home after Ross contrived to lose a game that was in their hands to win both in normal time and extra-time. I don’t have space to go into too much detail, but you can’t pass up as many clear-cut chances at key moments as Ross did and expect to prevail. Congratulations to Kanturk for picking themselves off the floor when they looked out on their feet more than once. 

Kanturk will now face Éire Óg in the senior A final after they also won in extra time against Cill na Martra. If Carrigaline, Clon and Ross have regrets, then Cill na Martra will likely have more regrets than any, after giving away a seven-point lead when in complete control in the second half, and also kicking a scoreable free wide with the last kick of normal time. 

At premier intermediate, Uibh Laoire held on with 13 men against Naomh Abán, while Kiskeam will meet them in the final after another dramatic encounter that needed extra-time. At lower intermediate, Kilmurry and Buttevant both impressed in defeating Boherbue and Adrigole respectively, and that will make for an interesting final. Adrigole are getting far too used to falling short at the semi-four stage. As someone who lost more than my share of semi-finals, it’s a bitter pill to swallow. 

At premier junior, Canovee got their expected win against Inniscarra, while Cobh had a comfortable win over St Nicks. A point of note: the defeats for Clon, Ross and Adrigole mean there will be no Carbery or Beara representatives in the county finals in the top five grades this year. 

That means it will be up to the winners of the junior A West Cork to give Carbery a taste of Páirc Uí Chaoimh over the coming months. That prospect will fall to either St Mary’s or Barryroe after their semi-final wins over St James and Caheragh. St Mary’s are in the final of the hurling this weekend also, so they will be busy in Ballineen/Enniskeane in the coming weeks. We will look at that game, and all the other upcoming finals, next week.