Premier JHC: Ballygarvan book knockout spot with a game to spare

Having failed to qualify from their group in last year’s Co-op SuperStores Cork Premier JHC, Ballygarvan are the first side to book their place in the knockout stages for 2024.

Pleasingly for the south-east side, they have secured their progression in a group that features the two sides who knocked them out last year, Barryroe and Kilbrittain.

After opening with a win over the 2023 junior A champions Nemo Rangers, Ballygarvan took on Kilbrittain in Minane Bridge on Saturday evening knowing that a win would guarantee them a quarter-final spot, as Kilbrittain had drawn their first match with Barryroe.

In a tight game, Niall O’Dowd’s goal was key as Ballygarvan triumphed by 1-19 to 0-19 – O’Dowd also contributed three points while Michael Cussen had 0-9 to his name. Cork U20 star Kevin Lyons, who missed the Nemo match, scored two points from centre-back while Mark Hickey accounted for 14 of Kilbrittain’s points.

Kilbrittain now face Nemo in the final match, needing to win to advance, while the city side are firmly in the hunt too after they beat Barryroe by 1-21 to 3-10 in Ballymaw on Sunday.

Barry Cripps got the Nemo goal while Shane Horgan was on song from frees. The Cronin brothers, Alan, Stephen and Mark, impressed for the Trabeg outfit, along with Alan and Kevin O’Donovan. Seán O’Riordan and Olan O’Donovan netted for last season’s semi-finalists Barryroe, who must beat Ballygarvan to have a chance of progressing while hoping Nemo do not beat Kilbrittain.

Russell Rovers are in a very strong position in Group 1, with their 3-16 to 2-10 win over Douglas in Carrigtwohill on Sunday giving them four points after two matches.

Dónal Óg Cusack’s side got their goals in the first half, with Josh Beausang raising two green flags while Brian Hartnett was also on target. Hartnett finished with 1-2, while Luke Duggan Murray landed five points and Ruairí Cummins was also among the scores.

The Shangarry/Churchtown side could still feasibly miss out on a knockout spot if they were to lose to Meelin in their last match and Milford overcame Douglas, but even then a large turnaround in scoring difference would be required as Rovers’ is currently +19, the best in the grade. It’s likely that a win over Meelin would deliver them straight through to the semi-finals.

While Meelin beat Douglas in their first game, they lost out on Saturday, going down by 4-19 to 1-14 to Milford in Freemount. Anthony Watson excelled for Milford, scoring four goals and a point, with Henry O’Gorman contributing ten points while Cillian O’Gorman marked his return from Australia with a pair of points.

Should Milford, who lost to Russell Rovers first time out, get the better of Douglas in their last match, it would take a lot for their four-point return not to make it out of the group.

It’s a similar situation in Group 3, where Glen Rovers lead the way, with their second team emulating the feat of the club’s senior A side in recording a pair of victories.

The Blackpool outfit took on Argideen Rangers – year ago against the Timoleague side in the last group game, the Glen lost narrowly but still progressed while their opponents missed out on scoring difference but things were more straight forward in Riverstick on Friday.

An 0-18 to 0-13 win, with Conor Dorris scoring eight points, Evan Murphy four and Lee Quilligan two, leaves the Glen on four points with Argideen yet to register. There is still a tiny chance that the Glen might not qualify – and, equally, Rangers could sneak second place – but the smart money is on the city side progressing.

John Michael O’Callaghan scored ten points for Argideen, who will need to beat St Catherine’s to have any hope of pulling off a recovery, or at least trying to avoid the relegation play-off.

Catherine’s, the beaten finalists last year, bounced back from their loss to the Glen by beating St Finbarr’s by 0-25 to 0-18 in Rostellan, a result which draws them level with the Togher side on two points.

Eleven of the Ballynoe side’s points came from Rory Galvin, with Matthew Mulcahy, Eoin Condon, James Hayes and William Leamy also on target. The Barrs face the Glen in their last match, still in with a chance of qualifying.