2024 Muskerry Championships guide: Draws made for football and hurling grades

THE draws for the 2024 Muskerry GAA championships took place last week in Coachford.

The competitions will run parallel with the Cork county championships with the first group stage matches in junior A football scheduled for the last weekend in July, while the junior A hurling is down for the following weekend.

Starting with the Ross Oil JAFC, there will be new winners in 2024 following Canovee’s elevation after winning the divisional and county championships in 2023 in emphatic fashion.

Canovee were the favourites for not just the Mid-Cork title last year, but also the county crown, and they duly delivered. There would have been a lot of happy clubs in Muskerry when the Carrigadrohid based side moved up to the premier junior football grade. It really opens up the championship now, it’s very difficult to pick out a particular team to lift the Muskerry JAFC trophy this season.

Starting with Group 1, one of the teams that will be expected to go deep into the championship will be last year’s beaten finalists Inniscarra. A lot might depend on their hurling commitments, but they should be very competitive as they look to go one better. Scarra are pitted against second teams Béal Átha’n Ghaorthaidh and Ballinora. 2009 and ’10 champions Blarney make up the group.

Group 2 looks like a minefield, with four very evenly matched teams. Trying to predict who will finish in the top two positions is a tough one. Éire Óg’s second string reached the last four in 2023 as they will go up against first teams Kilmichael, Donoughmore and Clondrohid.

Group 3 is a mouthwatering one, as 2022 winners Aghinagh, now under the tutelage of former Cork minor and U20 football boss Bobbie O’Dwyer, take on Grenagh, Dripsey and Ballincollig’s reserves, who are managed this year by Paddy Kelly.

Moving onto the MJK Oils JAHC, there are three teams in the groups. Two teams will progress from each group, with the two top group winners qualifying for the semi-finals, and the remaining group winner and the three second placed teams qualifying for the quarter-finals.

Ballinora are going for a fourth consecutive Muskerry title, and it's no surprise that they are favourites to lift the silverware this year. At the time of writing, Ballinora are without a manager following the departure of Don O’Brien last month and his management team, including Tom Kingston and Peter Cody. O’Brien guided Ballinora to three Mid-Cork titles on the bounce. The holders are in Group 3 with Donoughmore and Blarney’s second team.

There will be a lot of attention on Group 1 when that gets underway with the closest of neighbours and fiercest of rivals Inniscarra (second team) and Dripsey drawn in the same group. The two clubs were under the same umbrella just 20 years ago. Dripsey lost in the final in the last campaign and will be hoping to go one better in 2024. Éire Óg's second string make up the group.

In Group 2, Grenagh will be one of the teams fancied to push Ballinora all the way for the divisional honours, and Grenagh will be strong favourites to finish top of their respective group. They were beaten in the 2022 decider and last year lost the semi-final after extra time to Ballinora. The team in blue and gold will take on Kilmichael and Ballincollig’s reserves.

The draws for the other grades in both codes at junior level were also made last week, and they are in full below.

MUSKERRY GAA CHAMPIONSHIP DRAWS:

Ross Oil Junior A Football:

Group 1: Inniscarra, Béal Átha’n Ghaorthaidh, Blarney, Ballinora.

Group 2: Éire Óg, Kilmichael, Donoughmore, Clondrohid.

Group 3: Aghinagh, Grenagh, Ballincollig, Dripsey.

Ballincollig Credit Union Junior B Football:

Round 1: Naomh Abán v Aghabullogue, Iveleary v Cill na Martra, Grenagh v Canovee, Kilmurry v Béal Átha’n Ghaorthaidh, Aghinagh v Ballincollig, Donoughmore v Inniscarra, Macroom v Éire Óg, Gleann na Laoi have received a bye.

Rochestown Park Hotel Junior C Football:

Round 1: Béal Átha’n Ghaorthaidh v Blarney, Clondrohid v Ballincollig, Dripsey v Naomh Abán, Canovee v Kilmichael, Inniscarra v Macroom.

MJK Oils Junior A Hurling:

Group 1: Dripsey, Éire Óg, Inniscarra.

Group 2: Grenagh, Kilmichael, Ballincollig.

Group 3: Ballinora, Blarney, Donoughmore.

Oriel House Hotel Junior B Hurling:

Round 1: Cloughduv v Gleann na Laoi, Aghabullogue v Iveleary, Inniscarra v Donoughmore, Blarney v Ballinora, Éire Óg v Grenagh, Ballincollig v Laochra Óg.