Super Sunday to look forward to in September for west Cork football clubs

The draw for this year’s McCarthy Insurance Group Cork GAA Premier and Senior A football championships features a triple-header of West Cork derbies to conclude the opening group stages.

Sunday, September 14th may seem far off, but that weekend has already been marked on most football club’s calendars. 

That date marks the final round of the 2025 county football championship group matches.

The Carbery Division’s representatives will know what they need to do by the time those games come around. 

Regardless of form, results or standings, that date will be known as a ‘West Cork Super Sunday’ with three high-profile local derbies scheduled.

Castlehaven and Newcestown will face off in Group 1 of the McCarthy Insurance Group Premier Senior grade at Rossmore. 

The last time these West Cork rivals met was in 2022 at the same venue where Castlehaven emerged victorious with a 3-12 to 1-9 win. 

Brian Hurley scored 1-3 while Michael Hurley and Rory Maguire each contributed 1-1 to secure the Union Hall-Castletownshend club’s victory.

This game was significant as it propelled Castlehaven into the county semi-finals where they were ultimately defeated by St Finbarr’s. Newcestown’s loss led to a relegation play-off defeat to Éire Óg. 

However, the club’s fortunes quickly turned around as they went on to win both the senior A football and hurling titles the following year.

Mallow and Valley Rovers are the other clubs drawn in Group 1 of this year’s Premier SFC. 

Depending on the Haven and Newcestown’s results against those two other teams, the outcome of this West Cork derby should prove significant and likely determine what happens next for both clubs.

A star-studded Castlehaven is expected to reach the knockout stages but will be wary of a Newcestown side that more than held their own against Nemo Rangers, Ballincollig and Éire Óg last year.

Also on September 14th, Clonakilty and Carbery Rangers will meet for the third consecutive year in a Premier SFC Group 2 showdown. 

This match between the West Cork neighbours is expected to be as tight as their previous encounters.

In 2024, Rangers came from six points behind to earn a deserved 1-9 to 0-12 draw in Dunmanway. 

A year before, the two sides played out a dull 0-6 to 0-6 stalemate in Enniskeane. 

The latest instalment of Clon and Carbery Rangers' rivalry will take place at Ballinacarriga on the same afternoon that St Finbarr's and Carrigaline bring the curtain down on Group 2 at Páirc Uí Rinn.

Clonakilty’s upward curve under manager Martin O’Brien delivered a Division 2 county league title and heartbreaking penalty shootout loss to Nemo Rangers in the quarter-finals of last year’s Premier SFC. 

Seamus Hayes’ Rangers side needed a 1-11 to 2-6 relegation play-off victory over Éire Óg to retain their top-tier status.

It is a cliché, but form goes out the window whenever these rival’s clash. Two draws in as many years underlines that point. 

September’s encounter is likely to have serious ramifications however, considering both clubs will have been tested by perennial Premier SFC challengers, the Barr’s, and last year’s Senior AFC champions Carrigaline.

A grade below in the Senior AFC, O’Donovan Rossa and Dohenys will conclude their group phase at Drimoleague on September 14th. 

The West Cork clubs are no strangers to one another having met three times in the past four campaigns.

Dohenys won by six points in the group stages of the 2021 county championship before O’Donovan Rossa turned the tables in the following year’s quarter-finals. Last September’s group clash ended 2-16 to 1-10 in Dohenys’ favour at Rossmore.

That outcome saw Dohenys qualify for the knockout stages and reach the penultimate round only to be defeated by Knocknagree. O’Donovan Rossa’s second defeat in three outings meant they would not progress beyond the group stages.

In 2025, the Skibbereen and Dunmanway clubs will have to contend with Bishopstown and Béal Átha’n Ghaorthaidh in Group 3 of the Senior AFC. Kevin Davis is Rossa’s go-to forward as are Keith White and Mark Buckley for Dohenys.

The latter will start as favourites based on their recent Senior AFC record. 

Yet, a youthful, up-and-coming O’Donovan Rossa should test their opponents’ credentials in the third of three intriguing derbies on ‘West Cork Super Sunday’.