NOW we have reached the business end of the championship season, and whenever you look this weekend there’s genuine jeopardy to all the games – that includes my own club, Carbery Rangers.

Ross will start proceedings against Valley Rovers on Saturday in the replay of the drawn premier senior relegation contest. It will have been 14 days for both camps waiting for the second bite of the cherry. We can understand the desire to have replays for county finals, but it seems somewhat cruel to prolong the suffering for clubs in this position. Nonetheless, a second chance is preferable to actual relegation, and the prize is there for both teams still. Whatever happens, given the number of games involved, neither squad can claim their fate isn’t deserved if they can’t get the job done in Enniskeane on Saturday afternoon.

The other sides still training on the shortened October nights will be doing so with a far more positive mindset, as the prospect of a much-coveted place in a county final looms into view.

County finals are about as special as it gets in the GAA, perhaps only matched by your county in an All-Ireland final or the club finals in Croke Park. Twenty teams will be looking to book a place in Páirc Uí Chaoimh later this month, while eight teams still have designs on West Cork finals in Junior A and Junior B in Carbery.

Starting at the top, Sunday sees 23-time champions Nemo Rangers taking on a Newcestown team looking to make their first-ever top-tier football final. On paper, it looks a straightforward call, but that would be without knowing something about Newcestown as a club. It can seem a bit condescending to constantly reference spirit when it comes to GAA teams in general, because nothing can be achieved without quality to go with the effort. That said, there are certain teams that are renowned for giving nothing away easily – the men in red and amber definitely qualify.

The application will take them so far, and they will look mainly to David Buckley to provide the quality in front of goal. Buckley has been touted as a major prospect within Cork for a number of years now. While injuries and non-selection have meant that he hasn’t had the chance to show what he can do often enough in the red jersey, if he continues his form to this point, he can expect to get more opportunity to do so in next year’s national league.

Buckely is the star name in the Newcestown side, however he will be supported by a band of brothers, literally in the case of the likes of the Keanes, the Meades, the Kellys, the O’Donovans and the O’Sullivans. Those close bonds may give some context to the closeness of spirit I referred to earlier, but they will need spirit and skill in tandem to topple their illustrious opponents.

Cork hurler Luke Meade in action for Newcestown.

County semi-finals are second nature to the Trabeg club, and with county stars and several multi-county winners in their ranks, they will turn up with the expectation of advancing to another Cork football showpiece. Nemo walloped St Michael’s by 17 points in the final group game to take the direct route to the semi-finals, which can sometimes be something of a poisoned chalice in trying to manage the four-week break.  But Nemo have the experience of navigating this championship, and with young players like Colin Molloy and Bryan Hayes supplementing the vast experience, they get the nod to get the job done in the first game of the double header.

The second contest sees another of the pre-season favourites, ten-time winners St Finbarr’s, take on a Ballincollig team that claimed their single title in 2014, a game that bears few good memories for us in Rosscarbery. Again, the expectation here is that the city outfit will be too strong for their less-vaunted opponents. And while I think the Barrs will prevail, Ballincollig have a good record in semi-finals and held the lead against the Togher side until the final moments in last year’s quarter-final.

That said, if the Barrs can bring the momentum from the outstanding quarter-final performance against Castlehaven to headquarters on Sunday, it will take a huge effort to upset the odds. I expect Maguire, Sherlock, Hayes et al to have too much quality. Newcestown’s surprise win over Castlehaven in the group stage shook up the championship, but I expect we will have two familiar foes facing off when county final day rolls around.

An enticing double header awaits patrons at Páirc Uí Chaoimh on Saturday evening also, as firstly Cill na Martra take on Éire Óg before Beál Athá’n Ghaorthaidh clash with Knocknagree. A place in the senior A decider awaits the winners, as the four clubs look to make the step up to the top division.

Éire Óg are looking for an immediate return after last year’s relegation, and their clash with divisional rivals Cill na Martra has the makings of a great game. The Gaeltacht men have had four weeks to look forward to this game, while Éire Óg saw off a Bishopston resurgence in their quarter-final.

I am in the camp that a four-week break is more harmful than good, especially for a single code club like Cill na Martra. The westerners have a nicely balanced side with few star names in their ranks, with Dan Ó Duinnin probably the most recognisable face. They will be hoping this teamwork can cause problem for an Éire Óg team with a host of familiar names, from Chris Kelly in goal, former Kerry player Mark Griffin in defence, Cork’s midfield powerhouse Colm O’Callaghan and old stalwart Daniel Goulding, who rose from the bench to kick the winning two-pointer in the quarter-final. Goulding has had some issues with his back in recent years, so that will have meant the world to him and he’ll be hoping to play a big part on Saturday again.

This is another toss of a coin game, but Cill na Martra have been slightly more impressive overall in recent seasons, so if they can overcome the layoff and any big game nerves, they might just shade this.

In the second clash of the evening, I’m going to give the nod to last year’s beaten finalist Knocknagree to prevail. Again, familiar Cork players such as Pa Doyle, Daniel O’Mahony and Eoghan McSweeney are to the fore for John Fintan Daly’s team. While they will receive a stern test, they should get the opportunity to atone for letting a big chance slip last year against Carrigaline.

Elsewhere, I expect Uibh Laoire to be too good for Aghada in the first premier intermediate semi-final and they will qualify for a final against Aghabullogue who I fancy to get past Naomh Abán.

Another game that should bring a sizable crowd to Bantry is the clash of Adrigole and Ilen Rovers in an intermediate A semi-final. Ilen proved me wrong with their quarter-final victory over Mitchelstown, and I’m going to give them the chance to do so again by flagging success for Adrigole.

For the West Cork clubs bidding for junior A glory, the first semi-final throws in under lights in Dunmanway on Friday evening, as last year’s winners and the dominant force in recent years, Kilmacabea, face off with Kilbrittain. The latter has done well and are coming off the back of big results against neighbours Barryroe and Argideen Rangers, so they won’t lie down easily. The Kilmacs can do the needful though and remain favourites overall to retain their crown.

St Mary’s then face Caheragh on Saturday evening in Castlehaven, and the continued absence of Olan Corcoran may prove too much for the Ballineen/Enniskeane combination, even if his team-mates continue to raise their game in his absence. All that and the junior B and C championships are still running, these are great times to be a club football fan in Cork. Good luck to all involved.