Guide to the 2022 Muskerry Junior A hurling and football championships

THE Muskerry Junior A Football and Hurling Championships get underway during July.

The Muskerry JAFC and JAHC championships for this campaign will be run off in a group-stage format.

Action in the Ross Oil Mid Cork JAFC is currently down to begin in the middle of July.

The opening contest in the 2022 JAFC will see Kilmurry face off against Clondrohid on July 15 in Macroom. The other game in group 1 takes place the following night, with Dripsey v Kilmichael fixed to be played in Rusheen.

Among the other games set to take place on the opening championship weekend will be the group 3 meeting of Grenagh and Donoughmore on July 16.

On July 17, a group 4 clash sees holders Aghinagh face off against Inniscarra, while Éire Óg will play Cill na Martra in group 2.

The JAFC group stage games will continue over the months of July and August. The Mid Cork Junior A Football quarter-finals are scheduled for August 19-21, the semi-finals for September 2-4, and the JAFC final for a date in September to be confirmed.

The 2022 MJK Oils Junior Hurling Championship is also set to get start in July.

The first game in the JAHC is on July 30 between Kilmichael and Aghabullogue.

There are further opening matchday games on July 31 with Éire Óg v Iveleary (group 3), Grenagh v Cloughduv (group 2), and Inniscarra v Donoughmore (group 1) all set to take place that evening.

Group-stage games in the JAHC will continue into August, while the quarter-finals are scheduled for September 16-18, with the semi-finals on September 23- 25 and the final provisionally between October 7 and 9.

Muskerry Championship competitions are set to be played right up until the end of October, including the competitions at Junior B and Junior C.

TOM CREEDON CUP

Meanwhile, the semi-finals of the Tom Creedon Cup took place last Saturday evening in the Castle Grounds in Macroom.

On top of securing the silverware on offer, the competition provides clubs with a good opportunity to sharpen up ahead of the upcoming Cork GAA club Championship campaign.

The first semi-final saw Macroom take on Boherbue. This contest saw Macroom come out on top 1-13 to 2-7 and it is sure to mean a lot that the club have reached the decider in this competition.

In the other semi-final, Cill na Martra took on Castletownbere in a match which was also played in the Castle Grounds in Macroom.

Cill na Martra emerged as the winners with a convincing performance and result, as the Gaeltacht club won 3-12 to the 0-6 of Castletownbere.

Tom Creedon is a name that is iconic in Macroom and Cork GAA.

His reading of the game and accurate kicking were strongly admired. He was also highly versatile as he could fill any position across the middle of the pitch.

The competition which honours his memory has been organised by the Macroom club with the support of Cork County Board for many years.

Creedon was a natural leader and he captained Macroom teams at all levels from underage to senior. He won numerous medals at underage, while at adult level he won Muskerry Cup medals in 1981 and 1982.

Creedon won an intermediate football league medal in 1981 and captained the Macroom team to win the intermediate county title in 1982.

He played his last championship game with Macroom against St Nick’s in May 1983, which Macroom won by five points.

Creedon’s inter-county career stretched over a 10-year period. He won an All-Ireland medal with the Cork minor football team in 1972, alongside his two clubmates Leo Goold and Tim O’Sullivan, while in 1974 he added a Munster U21 medal.

It would mean a lot to the Macroom club to claim this silverware in 2022 and also for the present crop of Macroom players, it would be a nice boost to their championship preparations.

However, Cill na Martra stand in their way and a compelling final contest should be in prospect.