St Michael's v Knocknagree: Prepare for a classic Senior A Football final in Páirc Uí Chaoimh

SUNDAY: Bon Secours SAFC final: St Michael’s v Knocknagree, Páirc Uí Chaoimh, 2pm.

TWO teams who’ve already met this season and again last year in the group stages collide in what has the ingredients for a high-quality encounter.

St Michael’s won on both occasions, 2-12 to 2-9 in the opening Group C game and 1-10 to 0-8 in the concluding pool game last season, a result which ended Knocknagree’s season and was part of the city club’s journey to the final.

The pair experienced contrasting fortunes on their way to another showdown, the Mahon club enjoying a 100% record in progressing directly to the semi-final while the Duhallow club lost twice and only pocketed the runners-up spot on scoring difference. A couple of early Adam Hennessy goals helped St Michael’s lead 2-3 to 0-1 after the opening quarter, when backed by a strong wind, but a well-taken Fintan O’Connor goal made it 2-5 to 1-4 at the interval.

Knocknagree struggled to reel in their opponents on the resumption as St Michael’s kicked points at important stages and while substitute Michael McSweeney bagged a second goal it came too late to affect the outcome. 

Comfortable 1-17 to 0-11 and 2-19 to 2-8 wins over Fermoy and Bishopstown respectively confirmed St Michael’s status as the group’s leading side while the Town’s stunning 2-14 to 1-13 victory left Knocknagree on the brink ahead of the Fermoy test.

But, when the need was greatest, the Duhallow club delivered a 3-9 to 1-5 victory, goals coming from Denis O’Connor (2) and Michael Doyle, a result which edged out the other pair on scoring difference after they all finished on two points.

St Michael’s carried their exciting form into the semi-final against O’Donovan Rossa and their posting of an eye-catching 2-21 left no room for discussion about their merits in progressing to another final. Knocknagree were more than grateful just to be in the knock-out phase, but they made the most of their qualification, edging Ballingeary 1-15 to 0-15 in the quarter-finals, Doyle among the goals once more, before emerging from another tight contest in the semi-finals.

Fintan O’Connor’s 1-5 was central to their 1-17 to 1-15 victory over Clyda Rovers in a game that went to the wire with Cork forward Eoghan McSweeney earning a ‘super-sub’ tag with a couple of brilliant late points.

St Michael’s are fancied with the bookies and that is understandable given their performances, strength-in-depth and a wide range of scorers among their ranks. They had three changes from the Knocknagree tie for the semi-final, Luke Carroll at corner-back and Eoin Hickey and Robbie Cotter in attack while Luke O’Herlihy and Eoin O’Donovan scored 0-3 and 1-1 respectively when sprung from the bench. 

SPREAD

They are not reliant on any one individual in attack because they had 11 different scorers against Bishopstown, eight against Skibb and seven in the other two games. Cotter is their leading marksman with 1-16, eight frees, with Hennessy on 2-11 while wing-back Peter Cunningham, hurler Mark O’Keeffe and Eoin O’Donovan their other goal scorers. 

St Michael’s chalked up 7-69 to date while conceding 6-39. 

Knocknagree know what it takes to win a county, junior champions in 2017, two years later annexing the intermediate title and the premier intermediate in 2020. They were missing sturdy centre-back Daniel O’Mahony the first day while Mathew Dilworth and Michael McSweeney were summoned during the game though Eoghan McSweeney did start. 

For the semi-final, O’Mahony filled the number six role with Dilworth and Michael McSweeney contributing 0-3 and 0-2 respectively though it was Eoghan’s introduction which proved decisive. Niall O’Connor scored 0-3 and Denis R O’Connor 0-2. Injuries have dogged Knocknagree all season, particularly with big players impacted, but the availability of O’Mahony is a huge plus in a defence alongside Michael Mahony, Danny Cooper and Doyle. 

They, too, have potential in attack, notably, if Eoghan McSweeney is in the starting line-up with Fintan O’Connor hoping to add to his 2-20, 14 frees and one ‘mark’.

St Michael’s lost five PIFC finals between 2012 and 2019 and last year’s SAFC decider, so they’re long overdue success.

The half-back line of Tom Lenihan, Alan O’Callaghan and Peter Cunningham is very strong and could be the launching pad to the title.