Carbery GAA looking forward to 2024 championships

Carbery GAA chairman Aidan O’Rourke says the divisional junior A championships should remain the way they are going forward.

They have been under the spotlight with the introduction of the new Premier JFC since last season undermining the various divisional competitions. Junior A level once was the third grade on Leeside, it's now the sixth grade. 

Speaking at the launch of the 2024 Carbery GAA championships at the Parkway Hotel in Dunmanway recently, the Newcestown club man was naturally steadfast in his support for the divisional championships to remain.

“Personally, I think the divisions have a bright future,” O’Rourke said.

“You take the size of Cork, if you're trying to run everything from a County Board point of view, it would make it very, very difficult to manage. If you look at it realistically, we in the Carbery Division have a very good organised setup to run our games at junior level. We have fantastic people looking after the fixtures, fantastic referees.

“We have excellent sponsors, we have RCM Tarmacadam sponsoring our junior A hurling championship, Bandon Co-Op for our junior A football championship, Clóna Milk for our U21 competitions and Carbery Cracker Cheese for our leagues. They are all valuable sponsors and when you have sponsors coming on board, they certainly see the worthiness of the championships.

“I have no doubt in my mind that divisional boards all over Cork have an awful lot to play and a big part to play in Cork GAA going forward. There has been a lot of talk in recent years about the divisional championships and what the future holds for them and should they go. In my eyes, they are here to stay. They play a huge role in people’s lives.” 

Last year’s Carbery JAFC and JAHC will live long in the memory bank especially for the clubs that lifted silverware. The crowds present at the respective finals were the biggest in many seasons. In the JAFC, Barryroe defeated a fancied Kilmacabea side in the final after extra time played in front of a near full house in Dunmanway while Clonakilty got the better of St James’ in the JAHC decider, watched on by a huge crowd in Newcestown.

The divisional championships are alive and kicking in West Cork with another great campaign in store as it gets underway on Friday, July 26.

“We are really looking forward to a brilliant championship,” O’Rourke says.

“We have a very evenly balanced championships with any team capable of going all the way. We are really looking forward to it. Barryroe won the Carbery junior A football championship last season for the first time ever and it was a great occasion that evening. The only thing from a board point of view is that we would like a little bit more success when clubs move into the county championship. It’s difficult in fairness and it was tough on Barryroe last season as it was new territory for them.

“Whoever the winners are in Carbery in the junior A football and junior A hurling championships this year, we all would love them to have a good stab at county honours. The standard is high in both codes in Carbery and I do think we aren’t too far away from a team doing well in the county. Anyone that came to our games last year felt the buzz was back again. The players gave us great entertainment last season and this year shouldn’t be any different.” 

Who will be the last ones standing in the Carbery JAFC and JAHC in 2024?

“There’s a lot of talk about Kilmacabea of course and Tadhg MacCarthaigh but Barryroe pulled out all the stops last year and they will be a force to be reckoned with again in this campaign.

“In the hurling, you could really pick out any team to be honest. You have strong second teams in the championship. You have St Mary’s who could be a surprise package. They will try and make up for last season. Clonakilty are the holders, but it’s very hard to call who will lift the trophy in 2024.” O’Rourke concluded.