Carraig na bhFear brace for fourth east Cork JAHC final in six years

Last season, Carraig na bhFear contested both the East Cork Junior A Hurling and Football Championship finals, but came out with mixed results.

They fell short against Lisgoold in the football decider but overcame St Ita’s in a thrilling hurling final, and now they’re back in the latter again, after defeating Ita’s in the semi-final.

It means that the three-time East Cork JAHC champions could potentially win back-to-back titles, for the first time in the club’s history.

But for captain Paul Sheehan, that’s all out the window. The focus is one match, one title.

“We take every game as it comes,” he begins. “It’s a new year, a new challenge. We focus on every game as it’s arising.

“We wouldn’t be thinking back on last year, we wouldn’t be thinking about the back-to-back, we’re just focussing on this game that’s coming and will drive on from there.” Their focus is on Killeagh – a side who haven’t lifted the East Cork JAHC since 1995.

Competing in their first JAHC final since 2008, an occasion where they were beaten by Carraig na bhFear – Killeagh may not have the same recent experience as their opponents in the Jamesy Kelleher Cup decider, but they’ve got something that Carrig don’t.

They’ve been training with their Senior A squad for the year and have had both Cork U20s Barry and Ben Walsh added to the squad, giving them every chance of lifting the title.

EVENLY POISED

“I wouldn’t think we’re favourites going in,” Paul admits. “I think it will be a very even battle. Anytime we’ve played them through the years there’s only been a point or two in it.

It’s going to be another tough battle, there will be nothing easy in the east Cork final.

“They [Ben and Barry] are brilliant hurlers, they’ll have to be minded of course. But we’ll have a plan in place and we’ll deal with that on Sunday, and hopefully we’ll succeed.” 

Even with the added threat Killeagh pose in 2024, Carraig na bhFear already beat them once in the opening group stage fixture, and after that, they kept winning.

“We started off against Killeagh, on the August bank holiday and we’d a tough battle against them.

“We continued on there to play Bride Rovers in Glenville. It was another very tough battle, then we played Carrigtwohill in the final group game and once we won that we knew we were qualified for the semi-final.

“We’d a five week wait then for the semi-final against St Ita’s, as always they brought the fight. It was a hard slog for the 60 minutes, but we got over the line, Thank God. We’re just looking forward now to the final.” 

Castlemartyr, who mark their centenary year, will be hosting the final – as they did for the inaugural East Cork JAHC final in 1924.