Muskerry GAA expecting another great season

Muskerry GAA chairman John Feeney is confident it will be another successful season in the Muskerry Junior A Football and Junior A Hurling championships.

Despite Iveleary, Kilmurry and Canovee all moving up to higher grades in recent years, the Mid-Cork JAFC has and always will catch the attention with the final always one of the biggest attendances at a divisional decider on Leeside. This year's championship is expected to be the most open in many years.

Ballinora are the team to beat in the Muskerry JAHC with the team in red and green going for a fourth successive divisional crown. Despite Ballinora being the hot favourites, there are a good few teams who have made progress in recent seasons, whether they can turnover Ballinora is the question.

Feeney, who has been involved with Muskerry in some capacity for nearly 40 years, is pleased with the championship structure that has been in place since the start of the 2020 campaign.

“There’s always great excitement around the place at championship time,” the Dripsey club man says.

“I think clubs are used to the championship arrangement at this stage. They know that they are playing football the last week in July and the hurling on the first week in August. That has been set in stone for a long time.

“The players have clarity as to regards when they are playing. They can book holidays or whatever they need to do and they can do that. It’s tough going for dual clubs but the fact of the matter is that the Cork County Board have built in two free weekends for players which is a help. I have heard very little criticism of the relatively new championship structure. There are a lot of games to be played in a short space of time but if you want a split season, that’s the only choice you have.” 

The Mid-Cork JAFC officially got underway last weekend and while Aghinagh will be tipped by many to win the Muskerry title this year for only the second time in their history, first being in 2021, it’s expected to be a very competitive championship.

“Aghinagh must fancy their chances in 2024,” Feeney said.

“Inniscarra have been around for the last few years and as a dual club have managed to get the balance right. They would be another team that you would be looking at having got to the final last year. Donoughmore won the Division 1 league and have been very impressive this season and in Mossie Barrett, they have one of the top coaches in Muskerry.

“I think one thing that could have a major effect on the junior A championships this season is the new minor rule where U18 players can play in their divisional championships but can’t play in the county championships. That means a team like Ballincollig or Éire Óg, who have a premier 1 minor football team, could have four or five minors play on their junior team who might have been challenging for their premier senior team had it not been for this rule.

“It could make an awful difference for the second teams and in a good way so I can see a big shift this year in favour of the second teams. There is no doubt that the junior A football championship is wide open, possibly for the first time in a good few years.” 

While the Mid-Cork JAFC will be an exciting one, the JAHC version has the potential to be the same but if Ballinora are tuned in, they will be strong favourites to lift their fourth title on the bounce in Muskerry. Getting out of the county is always the hardest. They have been unsuccessful so far.

“To be fair to Ballinora, they have a good, young team,” the Muskerry chairman says.

“I think from their own point of view, they would be much better off if they went up a grade at this stage while they have youth on their side. But it won’t be easy for them. The history of the county junior A hurling championship is littered with clubs that come from nowhere. 

"If you are hanging around for a few years, doubt comes into your mind. That’s the biggest worry that Ballinora will probably have.”