DEFENDING Carbery U21A champions Newcestown face a tougher task this season, according to manager Micheál McSweeney.

They begin their campaign with a semi-final against Ibane Gaels this Friday night, August 7th, in Enniskeane (7.15pm).

The holders are without six of last year’s winning panel – 2025 captain Ciarán O’Donovan, goalkeeper Ronan McSweeney, James Burrows, Joe Kenneally, Niall Kelly and Eoin McSweeney are all overage this year.

In addition, defender Paul Kelly is ruled out of the championship with a hamstring injury.

‘We’re under a lot of pressure this year. We have ten minors starting and we don’t have many up to the age. We’ll give it a good go anyway, no matter what the circumstances are,’ the Newcestown manager told The Southern Star.

‘This will be a huge challenge because Ibane have Cork players coming up the whole time, like Luke Murphy and Conrad Murphy, who have inter-county experience.

‘But we always like the challenge. We’re always up against it one way or another, but we’ll embrace it and see how it goes.’

Despite those departures, Newcestown still have plenty of quality. Oisín O’Sullivan was their top scorer last season with 0-8 in their Carbery final victory over Bandon (1-19 to 3-9). Also available is Flor Kenneally, who contributed to 0-3 from play against the Lilywhites. Humphrey Canty, who played minor football for Cork, is another player to watch.

‘Oisín is after playing a few league games with the seniors. So has Flor and Humphrey. Olan Kelly and Oisín Callan are more good players. Hugh Flanagan and Sam Long played minor football last year for Cork too,’ McSweeney explained.

There was disappointment for the club’s U21 footballers, who fell to a 3-18 to 2-8 defeat to Castlehaven, but Newcestown’s U21 hurling championship gives them a chance to make amends.

‘Castlehaven were very strong but we were down Flor Kenneally and Paul Kelly. Flor played a couple of games with the seniors so they were up against it. For this game, we have Flor and Oisín Callan back. We have a good record in this competition anyway. If a bit of luck goes your way, you never know if you can get a result. We don’t fear anyone,’ McSweeney added.

‘We don’t train much as a group. There are 12 or 13 on the panel training with the minors and the rest are involved with the senior hurling team.

‘I enjoy the coaching aspect. I’ve been involved with the U21s in hurling for around nine or ten years. It’s a great role to have and I’m not going to give it up anytime soon.’

Whoever comes through will face a formidable Bandon side in the final.

‘Bandon are very strong, at this age group especially. They lost the premier 2 minor county final last year, and we were very lucky to beat them last year,’ McSweeney said.

‘It’s a competitive championship this year. There are three good teams competing and we’d hope to be battling for the trophy.’

Newcestown's ability to compete at the highest level in both football and hurling has long made them one of West Cork's model clubs. It’s a demanding balancing act, but one the whole club embraces.

‘Some people might see it as a challenge but we see it as doing things differently to other clubs,’ McSweeney said.

‘Most people play football and hurling every week when they are younger, especially with the players at smaller clubs. They might play U14 football on a Monday, U16 on a Wednesday, and U14 again on a Saturday or Sunday.

‘We do the same from U8s up to adults and it makes no difference. It’s no different to playing as one code, we play both codes all your lives so you find it a bit easier that way.’