SAFC final preview: Newcestown v Dohenys

TOMORROW: Bon Secours Hospital SAFC final, Newcestown v Dohenys, Páirc Uí Chaoimh, 5pm 

A West Cork derby with everything on the line.

A second meeting between these two near neighbours in this 2023 championship. During the summer, on a rare day when the sun was splitting the stones, Dohenys edged out Newcestown by a point in the first group encounter. Aaron Mannix introduced for the Dunmanway club after 40 minutes converted a 45 to win it four minutes into injury-time.

A lot has happened since that match on the last Saturday in July and both of these teams are now 60 minutes away from returning to the top tier of Cork football. Newcestown can make an immediate response after losing their status last year, while Dohenys lost their place at the end of 2019 due to the restructuring of the grades.

Newcestown are on for the double after they won the SAHC following an amazing replay win over Blarney two weeks ago, but the team from down the road in the shape of Dohenys would love nothing more than to spoil the party.

A lot of questions were asked of Newcestown after that late defeat to Dohenys, especially after they suffered relegation last season and they have answered them all so far with performances slowly improving. The quality of the first game involving tomorrow’s opposition was poor in what was a low scoring affair with Dohenys winning 0-9 to 0-8.

Newcestown bounced back from the defeat to Dohenys by squeezing past Ilen Rovers on a scoreline of 0-14 to 1-9, before beating Bishopstown in what was effectively a winner takes all. The manner of Newcestown’s performance that day in Cloughduv really was a statement as they won 1-19 to 2-10. Newcestown manager Tim Buckley called it “champagne football” when speaking to the press after the match and he wasn’t far wrong.

One of Newcestown’s best players, Colm O’Donovan, suffered a serious injury after 26 minutes in that one so they have done brilliantly without his services to reach the final. The team in red and gold then got the better of Kanturk in the quarter-final. It finished 1-7 to 2-4 after extra-time before the Carbery outfit won 4-2 on penalties with goalkeeper Christopher White – nicknamed ‘Blue’ – the hero saving a pair of penalties.

Despite trailing by three points with 20 minutes remaining, the West Cork men kicked seven of the last nine points to take care of Newmarket in the semi-final, which was five weeks ago. Since then Newcestown have played two cracking hurling games, which was the SAHC final, the draw and the replay win over Blarney two weeks ago. They have come this far now so I don’t think tiredness will be a factor, winning is a habit and Newcestown have that.

Cork senior footballer David Buckley has been in sublime form this season and he’s joint top scorer with Knocknagree's Anthony O'Connor in the championship with the forward having kicked 0-28 (0-17 f) in five outings so far. Tadhg Twomey, Richard O’Sullivan and Niall Kelly are all forwards who are never found wanting. Luke Meade anchors the defence while Gearoid O’Donovan forms a formidable midfield partnership with Conor Goggin.

Dohenys’ impressive run to the final isn’t that surprising given they reached the semi-final and quarter-final over the last two seasons and given it’s a very young team, the experience of those defeats would have benefited them. Since the opening championship group stage win over Newcestown it has been onwards and upwards for the Dunmanway based club. They saw off Bishopstown, 2-15 to 1-10, and Ilen Rovers, 3-13 to 1-15, which booked a direct passage to the semi-final.

The last four victory over Knocknagree was hugely impressive from Dohenys. A slick performance which certainly caught people's attention. They conceded 2-12 but scoring 1-19 would have been hugely satisfying for manager Declan O’Dwyer.

Stephen Daly is a solid goalkeeper with plenty of protection coming from Jerry Farrell and Seán Daly. Rhys Coakley is having a great season in midfield while the return of Eoin Lavers from injury in the semi-final is a big boost. The full-forward line has plenty of potency with Keith White, Fionn Herlihy and Mark Buckley working well with each other.

If Dohenys can replicate their semi-final performance they will be hard to stop, but I don't think Newcestown will be as open as Knocknagree were. It was a low scoring encounter when the teams met back in July, it could be something similar tomorrow. It wouldn't be a huge surprise if there is a second day out.