Cork GAA club draws: Groups made for the PIFC, IAFC and Premier JFC
Bantry Blues' will hope to make it third time lucky in 2024 after losing the last two PIFC finals. Picture: Eddie O'Hare
THE 2024 McCarthy Insurance Group Cork Premier JFC, Intermediate AFC and Premier IFC county championship draws threw up some cracking ties at Páirc Uí Chaoimh on Thursday evening.
Bantry Blues have reached the last two Premier IFC county finals only to come up short on both occasions.
Kanturk denied the Carbery club in 2022 and Cill na Martra earlier this year.
A West Cork derby against Bandon awaits the Blues in the group phase of next year’s championship.
Bantry will also face a Naomh Abán team they edged by a goal at the same stage of last year’s competition.
Nemo Rangers are the other club in Group 1 and will renew acquaintances with a Bantry team the Capwell club lost to in last year’s quarter-finals.
Ilen Rovers begin life as a Premier IFC club, having been relegated from senior A, against Iveleary in Group 1.
2023 Intermediate A champions Aghabullogue begin their PIFC odyssey against Aghada.
In the same grade, Castletownbere and Rockchapel have been drawn against one another for the second year running in Group 3.
A tight encounter went the Beara club’s way, 1-11 to 2-6, last August.
New Macroom manager and former Kerry senior All-Ireland football winner Aidan O’Mahony starts his new role against a Kilshannig team that reached the final four of last year’s championship.
There is much to look forward to in the 2024 Intermediate AFC including last season’s runners-up Mitchelstown taking on St Vincent’s, Glanworth and Ballinora in Group 2.
Glanworth and St Vincent’s also met in the group stage this past year where the Seandún side registered a 2-6 to 0-9 success.
Premier JFC champions St Finbarr’s overcame Kilmurry to claim the 2023 trophy and have been drawn in Group C.
There, fellow Seandún club Na Piarsaigh will be waiting alongside Boherbue.
Beara representatives Adrigole will be hoping to go one better than last season’s semi-final loss to Mitchelstown.
Dromtarriffe and Gabriel Rangers complete a competitive looking Group A where the Duhallow side fell to eventual county winners Aghabullogue in the last four.
Kilmurry start the 2024 Cork Premier JFC as one of the favourites to lift the trophy.
Runners-up to the Barrs in this year’s county final and then Listowel Emmett’s in the Munster Junior decider, Kilmurry will have to overcome a familiar foe in Group 1.
Their meeting with fellow parishioners and Muskerry rivals, Canovee, fresh off claiming the Cork JAFC title, will be one of the must-see matches of the 2024 campaign.
Cobh and St James complete Group 1’s line-up and both clubs will be eager to kick on. In particular Cobh who finished runners-up in their group this past season before edging Cullen in the county quarter-finals.
Eventual winners St Finbarr’s ended the Imokilly side’s run but Cobh will be one to watch this coming term.
Elsewhere in the Premier JFC, 2023 semi-finalisits Urhan will be hoping to build on a positive twelve months.
The Beara side have been drawn against a St Nick’s team they defeated in this year’s group stage as well as Millstreet and Buttevant.
The former lost out to Urhan at the quarter-final stages.
Glenville’s relegation from the Cork IAFC sees the Imokilly club starting their Premier JFC campaign against Cullen in Group 2.
Carrigdhoun’s Kinsale and Duhallow’s Ballydesmond complete the group and where the former will be hoping to avoid another relegation play-off.
Ilen Rovers, Uibh Laoire, Aghada, Aghabullogue
Bantry Blues, Nemo Rangers, Naomh Abán, Bandon
Castletownbere, Kilshannig, Rockchapel, Macroom
Dromtarriffe, Adrigole, Kildorrery, Gabriel Rangers
Mitchelstown, St Vincent’s, Glanworth, Ballinora
Na Piarsaigh, Boherbue, St Finbarr’s, Glanmire
Kilmurry, Cobh, Canovee, St James
Glenvile, Cullen, Kinsale, Ballydesmond
Urhan, Millstreet, Buttevant, St Nick’s.
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