Imokilly football: U21 B and C action starts this weekend but no clubs are fielding at A level
IMOKILLY GAA: Michael O'Driscoll and Darragh O'Bric shadow Aghada's Diarmuid Byrne Aghada during the Mulcahy Steel East Cork U21 A FC final at Cobh. Picture: Denis O'Flynn
There is a sense of anticipation amongst all clubs across the county when the competitive domestic season comes close on the horizon.
In East Cork, preliminary round Mulcahy Steel U21 Football Championship fixtures in both B and C grade competitions will take place this weekend.
Glanmire have moved to the city division and last year's finalists Aghada and Glenville are involved in the second tier, where they are joined by a number of other strong contenders for honours. In keeping with the tight time frame, this is a knockout competition, so the field will be narrowed down quickly over the next three weekends.
The immediate games actually involve a Glenville and Aghada rematch scheduled for Rostellan on Sunday at 11.30am, with the winners due to travel to play Castlemartyr in the quarterfinal on the following weekend However, First up though is the St Colmans v Midleton game on Saturday at 2.30pm, which will be played in Cloyne or Shanagarry. Later this Sunday at 2pm Youghal host Glenbower Rovers in the first of the last eight encounters.
Meanwhile, the C garde championship has eight teams chasing the prize won by Glenbower Rovers last season. All four quarter-finals are listed for the coming weekend. Lisgoold travel to Cobh aon Saturday for the 2.30pm throw-in, with the other three fixtures all timed for 11.30am on Sunday. Castlelyons host Bride Rovers, Dungorney will welcome Fr O'Neill's and St Catherine's will entertain Midleton. A quick return to action awaits all four winners on Sunday week.
Interestingly with the decision of the County Committee to install knockout stages for the county junior football and hurling leagues, there is an earlier than usual start to top-flight local activity. Opening games in JFL 1 begin on February 16, with all teams scheduled for activity.
Division 1 of the hurling league begins a week later on Sunday 23, where again holders Carraig na bhFear will be trying to stave off the attentions of seven opponents and continue their dominance of that competition. The football league finals are listed for the weekend of May 23 -25, while the hurling decoders will take place a week later. Interestingly to ensure that Imokilly representatives are ready for county quarter finals, there is no free weekend for these top-flight teams during the round-robin games.
Divisions 2, 3 and 4 sides will see the first state of action on March 2, which will mean that the schedule falls into place with the county leagues.
Looking further ahead the dates for the championship will very much mirror previous seasons. The weekend of July 18-20 has been pencilled in for the start of junior football, whilst the hurling will begin on the August Bank Holiday weekend. Carriag na bhFear, St Ita's and Cobh will be the only first sides in the eight-team hurling competition.
Football will have its usual 12-team format, with Glenbower Rovers returning to the top tier. There will also be twelve teams in both the Junior B and C hurling championships. In football five teams are graded in the second tier, with ten contesting the C championship. Meantime, Premier Senior champions Imokilly will enter this year's competition via the Divisional/College seeded section.
Interestingly, Castlelyons are making a return to the football fields this year after an absence of two seasons. Liam Moroney has been appointed manager with Dareen Tobin as coach and Chris Cotter and Ronan McConville also named as selectors.
This comes on the back of Mick Spilliane taking up a management role with the club's Senior A hurlers. Sean Leneghan and Ciarán McGann have been appointed selectors with Eoin Dorgan in charge of strength and conditioning in the new-look backroom team.
It's a busy time for Castlelyons, as they recently completed their splendid new 300-seater stand as part of the ongoing transformation of their home base, which will continue with the addition of a new synthetic training pitch next year.
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