INDULGE me for a moment. What a weekend for the footballers of St Finbarr’s, Knocknagree, Buttevant and Kilmacabea, and all four wins were predicted on these pages last week.

Having been off the mark with more than my fair share this season, it was nice to get these calls spot on for a change, even if all four were favourites entering the weekend.

The Barrs might have been the most marginal of favourites entering into the main event of the weekend, however no club in the county is more aware of Nemo Rangers’ propensity to deliver on Cork’s biggest day than the Togher club. The presentation of the Nemo Rangers county-winning team of 2000, packed with household names, illustrated both the illustrious history of Cork’s most successful club and the standard all teams are measured against in Trabeg.

It has been said more than once, but this current Nemo crop is not of the same ilk as that bunch who dominated Cork in the early 2000s and would claim glory on St Patrick’s Day in 2003. The Nemo Rangers team of 2025 was looking to avoid an unwanted double – the first Nemo team to lose three finals in a row and the first Nemo team to lose to the Barrs in a final. At half-time in this premier senior contest, they looked well placed to do so.

The Barrs had started quickly with two points inside a minute from Ricky Barrett and a peach from a tight angle from Steven Sherlock. Very often this would spell trouble for their opponents, but Nemo is no ordinary county final opponent. They responded in kind as a high-quality first half ebbed back and forth. The Barrs had control of the skies, primarily through the outstanding Brian Hayes, but Nemo’s use of the possession they did win and composure in front of goal was superior.

The lively Kevin O’Donovan cut through for a cracking goal just after 20 minutes and Nemo had the lead for the first time, before another incisive move opened up an even better opportunity for Mark Cronin who surprisingly blazed over. That duo, as well as Bryan Hayes and Conor Horgan, were causing problems for the Barrs rearguard while the Barrs were wasteful with their possession at the other end.

Sherlock was off target with three efforts hit under pressure from tight Nemo defending, where Kieran Histon stuck like a leech to the championship top scorer after his fast start. He wasn’t the only guilty party and the Barrs had nine misses to Nemo’s three in the opening half, having played with a breeze behind them.

With Ian Maguire not as his usual best in the first half either, the Barrs looked in trouble given how much of their success in recent years has been built on the backs of those two men. A pair of two-pointers from Hayes in open play and Sherlock with a booming long-range free kept the Blues within touching distance at the break, trailing by two points, 1-9 to 0-10. Turning face into the breeze, the Barrs had it all to do.

The 2021 champions needed a fast start. Again it was Hayes who led the way. The hurler of the year nominee plucked a Micheál Aodh Martin kick-out and played a fist pass of all of 30 yards to Sherlock inside the Nemo full-back line. Sherlock found Ricky Barrett who floated a handpass to the back post where the marauding Hayes palmed to the net. That goal was part of a quick 1-2 straight after the break and the Barrs led 1-12 to 1-9.

A very enjoyable game was bubbling very nicely at this point before the quality started to drop off, even if the tension of a close contest kept the interest of the near 7000 attendees. The Barrs seemed to become consumed with tension as the prospect of finally besting their neighbours and rivals finally came into view. Hayes, an improved Maguire and excellent substitute Luke Hannigan continued their aerial dominance, but they would only add two more scores on the scoreboard, including the winner from the substitute Cillian Myers-Murray two minutes into injury-time.

In the 30 minutes between that winning score and Hayes’ goal, Nemo’s accuracy in front of the post failed them also. Mark Cronin struck the post with a two-point free, while Conor Horgan did likewise from just inside the arc from general play. Substitute and ten-time county champion Paul Kerrigan was wide with a 35-metre free from the deck. Goalkeeper Martin likewise from a 45. The otherwise impressive Colin Molloy was the wrong man in the right place when he kicked wide from a very presentable opportunity as the game entered the closing stages.

Myers-Murray was only on the pitch about two minutes when he finished another move started by a Hayes mark at midfield. The Barrs now had the slenderest of leads with time almost up and Nemo had possession looking for an equaliser or even a long-range winner.

What happened next was a microcosm of the second half in general. Patient and intelligent possession football from Nemo created a clear-cut shooting opportunity once more for Conor Horgan. His effort was well struck but curled too much and rebounded off the near post. The loose ball was secured by the Barrs’ defence, and the final whistle blew.

Delirium for St Finbarr’s as the Nemo curse was finally laid to rest. While it may have been a stuttering finish with a good dollop of good fortune that saw them home, few could argue that the Barrs weren’t deserving county champions after an unbeaten season that saw them beat both their biggest rivals along the way.

They will now look to regain the Munster title they won in 2021 and gain another shot at adding the club’s three All-Ireland football titles. Add in two hurling titles, and the pedigree in the Togher club is outstanding. A moment, too, to acknowledge the great Jimmy Barry-Murphy, who may well be the greatest Cork GAA figure of them all.

The curtain-raiser saw an impressive Knocknagree control proceedings for 45 minutes before a drop in intensity allowed Cill na Martra to claw their way back to within four points in the senior A decider. Similar to the Barrs, Knocknagree’s big men at midfield came up trumps when needed again as Micheal McSweeney claimed another restart and the Duhallow men got the scores they needed to quell the fightback.

In truth, it should not have got so close as John Fintan Daly’s men were a far more complete outfit on the day, mixing direct kick passing with more patient build up when needed. Daniel O’Mahony anchored the defence superbly, the McSweeneys controlled the middle sector and the O’Connors in the full-forward line caused all sorts of problems. Cill na Martra were far too reliant on a running game that more often than not ran into trouble. Knocknagree will trouble plenty of opponents at premier senior next year after a remarkable rise in the last decade or so.

Closer to home, Ian Jennings stole the headlines with nine points, including four efforts from beyond the arc when the game was in the melting pot, to secure another West Cork title for Kilmacabea, this time against St Mary’s. All thoughts over in Leap will now turn to finally securing that elusive county junior title, which they will feel is long overdue. The latest odyssey will commence against Carrig na BhFear this Saturday in Newcestown.

A huge day also on Sunday for Ilen Rovers as they look to start the climb back the ranks to the higher intermediate grade. Most of these games are very tight affairs and I don’t really know quite enough to make a confident prediction either way. But given my record in predicting their games so far, I’m going to make all over west along very happy by giving the nod to Ballinora. I need to keep my promise to a good Ilen Rovers man I met last Sunday, and I don’t want to be accused of jinxing them either!

The premier intermediate final that follows between double chasing Aghabullogue and Uibh Laoire is another intriguing affair and could be the game of the weekend. Aghabullogue are flying as a club but may have their hands full trying to contain Chris Óg Jones, Cathal Vaughan and co in this one. It’s great to have these games to brighten up the shorter evenings. Good luck again to all involved.