WHEN the Mick McCarthy Cup was won in 2023, Barryroe’s junior A county championship campaign ended at the first hurdle.

Duhallow club Castlemagner were too strong in their quarter-final (2-10 to 1-11), but the Carbery champions will be out for revenge against the same opposition in Sunday’s McCarthy Insurance Group Cork JAFC quarter-final (check locally for venue, 2pm throw-in).

The Blues had a nine-day turnaround back then after their win over Kilmacabea. It’s even tighter this year: seven days.

With Muskerry champions Aghinagh awaiting in the semi-finals, Barryroe want to make an already memorable 2026 even better.

‘Three years ago when we won West Cork and met Castlemagner in the first round of the county, they turned us over, so that’s plenty of motivation for the lads now,’ Barryroe boss Norman Fleming explained.

‘We enjoyed last weekend, as you should do after winning the West Cork, but we knuckled down again on Tuesday night in training.’

Three years ago, Castlemagner were after their first Duhallow championship in 62 years.

Now, they are on a run of four divisional titles in a row so it’s a different challenge for Barryroe to face a team that wins championships on a regular basis.

Michael O'Driscoll of Bandon Co-op with David Whyte, chairman of the Carbery Board, presents the Mick McCarthy Cup to Barryroe captain Olan O'Donovan. (Photo: Paddy Feen)

However, they did lose their last two county quarter-finals against Inniscarra (2024) and Nemo Rangers’ thirds (2025), so may be more vulnerable than they were the last time they faced the Blues.

They beat Ballydesmond 1-10 to 1-9 in their final at the start of October. Ballydesmond were relegated from the premier junior county championship in 2025.

Danny Linehan, part of the Cork All-Ireland-winning minor team in 2019, is still going strong for them, while Cormac O’Sullivan and Evan Magner are other standouts.

Naturally, Barryroe celebrated their Carbery title earlier this week but quickly got back to business for their county clash.

‘That’s game six out of six games completed for us in Carbery. It’s game one out of, perhaps, three in the county series,’ midfielder Dermot Dineen said.

‘We enjoyed the West Cork win first anyway. We’re knuckling down now for the Castlemagner game.’

Defender James Moloney is also excited about this Sunday’s game.

‘Going into the county quarter-final this weekend, it’s a nice feeling,’ he added.

‘Can’t wait for it. We enjoyed the Carbery win and got back to it during the week. We are going to put the shoulder to the wheel again.’

‘Barryroe’s ability to maintain their intensity for the full 60 minutes was key to overcoming St Mary’s last weekend. That attitude will be key if they are to beat Castlemagner too. They have the talent, as illustrated by their West Cork-winning season.

‘We won a West Cork three years ago, and it took us ages to get back there. All we wanted was to win another ring and we got it,’ Michael Walsh said.

‘The game is 60 minutes long. Unless you play every single minute of those 60, you’re not going to win it. Credit to the lads who stuck their hands up to catch a kickout. Credit to the lads who threw their bodies on the line to stop the ball going over. No one gave up. Everybody worked and made sure that Barryroe came home with that cup last weekend. I’m just immensely proud of them.’