SAFC preview: Knocknagree fancied as group stages begin
Michael Mahoney of Knocknagree in action against Carrigaline last year. Picture: Larry Cummins
The very competitive McCarthy Insurance Group SAFC gets going this weekend.
Knocknagree are the pre-championship favourites to win it outright, but there are plenty of other teams that will feel they have something to say about that.
Harry O’Reilly’s Éire Óg start life in the second grade with a very difficult test against Kanturk this evening in Macroom (7.30pm).
The Ovens-based club have pressed the reset button following relegation from the Premier SFC last year with O’Reilly back this season for a third stint at the helm. They are playing an attacking brand of football helped by the new rules.
They survived in Division 1 and will be looking to take belief from some of their league performances. Daniel Goulding continues to deliver for his club with Brian Hurley and Jack Murphy looking to take the scoring burden off the 2010 All-Ireland winner. Cork footballer Colm O’Callaghan will be looking to continue his excellent recent form.
Kanturk are also under a new boss in Eoghain O’Connor. They suffered relegation from the Division 2 league, but they know that they are a championship team. History has shown that.
They have lost to the eventual winners in the last two seasons on penalties in Newcestown and Carrigaline in the quarter-final and semi-final respectively.
Tommy and Paul Walsh bring inter-county experience for Kanturk. Grantas Bucinskas will spearhead the attack.
Last year’s PIFC winners Kilshannig will be looking to keep their upward trajectory going starting with Newmarket tomorrow in Kilbrin from 7.30pm.
They were only a Junior A club in 2019, but have made great strides since. The O’Hanlon brothers, Killian and Éanna, will be key to their side’s chances of qualifying out of the group.
Newmarket have had a tough few years, but with a new management led by David O’Donovan, they will be looking to rise again.
They will know that they won’t be expected to finish in the top two of the group, and that won’t bother them in the slightest. They will relish that challenge and have the players to cause problems for teams. Whether they have enough quality though is another thing.
Cork footballer Hugh O’Connor will lead the attack along with Conor O’Keeffe. The very tall Josh O’Keeffe is a fine netminder with Aidan Browne anchoring the defence.
Knocknagree start the championship as the favourites to reach the top grade for the first time. They have been knocking on the door having lost the 2022 and ’24 finals. Sunday’s clash with Cill na Martra in Clondrohid at 7.30pm will give us a good indication as to where both teams are at.
Cork players Patrick Doyle, Daniel O’Mahony and Eoghan McSweeney make a big difference to Knocknagree, but the team achieved Division 2 promotion this year pretty much without them.
Keelan Buckley, Gearóid Looney, Killian Cronin, Michael McSweeney, Denis R O’Connor and Anthony O’Connor are all important figures for John Fintan Daly’s side.
Cill na Martra are a side who are well capable of going all the way in this campaign. Dano Dineen, Jason McCarthy and Ciarán Dineen did the bulk of the scoring during this year’s Division 1 league campaign as they finished mid-table.
Clyda Rovers and Fermoy head into their Avondhu derby in Charleville tomorrow (7.30pm) on the back of contrasting league campaigns.
Clyda Rovers won promotion from Division 3 while Fermoy suffered Division 2 relegation after losing all nine games.
Conor Corbett’s quality should see the Mourneabbey men get off to a winning start.
Bishopstown have made progress over the last two years or so under Mark Driscoll and now former Cork boss Brian Cuthbert.
They pushed the eventual winners Carrigaline all the way last year in the quarter-final, eventually losing by two points. The Town are a match for any team in this grade on their day. Taking on Dohenys tomorrow in Enniskeane (7.30pm) will be a proper test for the city team.
Dohenys are one of the best footballing sides at this grade and are another team who aren’t too far away from making the breakthrough. After losing the 2023 final, the West Cork side fell at the semi-final hurdle last year.
Fionn Herlihy, Mark Buckley and Keith White are all dangerous forwards.
Bantry is the venue on Sunday at 7.30pm for the battle between Béal Átha’n Ghaorthaidh and O’Donovan Rossa.
Liam Shorten is in his first season in charge of Béal Átha’n Ghaorthaidh. Seán Moynihan, Donagh Shorten and Seán Lucey can help their side get off to a winning start.
O’Donovan Rossa haven’t built on reaching the last four in 2022, failure to finish in the top two of their group would have rankled with them over the last two campaigns.
New boss Gene Hourihane will be looking to get the best out of Kevin Davis, Dave Shannon and Thomas Hegarty to fire O'Donovan Rossa to success.
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