Cork GAA: Beara football clubs aim to get back on track
Castletownbere's Dave Fenton caught by Kilshannig's Darragh O'Sullivan as he blasts the back of the net. Picture: Anne Marie Cronin Photography
Adrigole, Castletownbere and Urhan face difficult challenges as the Beara Division looks to make its mark in this weekend’s latest round of McCarthy Insurance Group Football Championship encounters.
In sporting vernacular, ‘moving day’ is referred to as the penultimate day of a golf tournament where competitors attempt to move up the leader-board and challenge for titles.
This weekend’s second round of McCarthy Insurance Group football county championship ties comes under that heading. That’s because clubs who lost their opening group game require a positive result to kickstart their respective campaigns.
So, the Beara division’s representatives, Castletownbere (Premier IFC), Adrigole (Intermediate AFC) and Urhan (Premier JFC) are acutely aware of what’s required over the coming days.
Nothing less than a win will suffice for last year’s PIFC semi-finalists Castletownbere over Macroom after the Beara side lost heavily in their Group 3 opener.
Killshannig (another 2023 county semi-finalist) eased to a 14-point victory, 2-15 to 0-7, thanks to Darragh O’Sullivan and Eanna O’Hanlon’s goals and combined total of 2-9.
Ian Murphy has taken over the Castletownbere managerial responsibilities from Morgan O’Sullivan this year.
Murphy and his panel have been busily preparing for a Macroom team under the guidance of former Kerry All-Ireland winner Aidan O’Mahony.
The Muskerry club are still smarting from their five-point PIFC loss to Rockchapel and, naturally, will be as anxious as their opponents to avoid a second consecutive loss. Macroom know only too well what’s at stake as they only avoided relegation from the grade by virtue of a play-off win over Na Piarsaigh last September.
Having won all three of last year’s PIFC group matches, 2024 is proving more challenging for a Castletownbere team that deservedly gained promotion to Division 2 of the county league.
The latter will be eager to avoid entering their final group outing against Rockchapel with zero points on the board. A nervy Saturday evening in Aughaville awaits.
Things are looking brighter for another Beara club in the Intermediate AFC.
Ben O’Sullivan’s personal haul of 3-2 helped Adrigole overcome Dromtarriffe 3-10 to 0-16 in their IAFC Group 1 opener a fortnight ago.
Additional Jason Harrington, Diarmuid O’Sullivan, Neil O’Sullivan, Denis Collins and Charlie O’Sullivan scores handed their team an opportunity to reach the knockout stages provided Adrigole defeat Kildorrery in Coachford on Sunday afternoon.
Last year’s county semi-finalists have begun their championship in the best possible manner and the Beara side will be favourites to register a second consecutive win. Kildorrery are under pressure having lost to Gabriel Rangers.
A hungry and in-form Adrigole should have too much firepower.
Ciarán O’Sullivan’s injury-time winning score earned Urhan a narrow one-point Premier JFC Group 3 win over Millstreet two weeks ago.
The Beara side, semi-finalists in last season’s competition, head into Sunday afternoon’s meeting with St Nick’s at Enniskeane knowing another victory will seal a knockout berth.
Having already claimed a Division 5 county league trophy earlier this year, former Cork All-Ireland winner Ciarán O’Sullivan is overseeing a talented panel’s development and one that’s gained plenty of momentum.
This weekend’s opponents St Nick’s were on the receiving end of 4-18 to 1-6 loss at the hands of Buttevant.
Urhan will enter as favourites but can take nothing for granted ahead of a final Group 3 showdown with the side they defeated for the Division 5 county league, Buttevant, in early September.
So, it’s an important ‘moving weekend’ for Adrigole, Castletownbere and Urhan and one that will set the tone for their championship aspirations.
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