City U21 A and B football finals take centre stage this week

The PharmaCare City U21 A and B football championship deciders are down for decision this evening and tomorrow.

Similar to other divisional boards on Leeside, the City board were unable to complete their U21 football programme earlier in the year due to the poor weather at the time and the tight window to get it completed due to a deadline in place.

Ballinlough will be a heave of activity with two very exciting finals. This evening in the U21 A final, southside rivals Douglas and Nemo Rangers lock horns at 6.45pm.

At the same time tomorrow evening, reigning U21 B champions St Nick’s will look to retain their trophy when they meet Glanmire.

It’s the latter’s first season in the City division having been in Imokilly.

Looking ahead to the showpiece decider first and it might seem like a lifetime ago now, but the big story back in February when the semi-finals took place was the reigning champions got knocked out.

Bishopstown, who actually also would go on and win the county in 2024, lost to Douglas nearly seven months ago after extra time, 3-14 to 0-18.

The Town did land four two-pointers over the course of the game, but it was green flags that cost them in the end with Colm MacPháidín, Rob Hanley and Cormac Reddington with the crucial green flags for Douglas.

Eoin O’Flynn, Jack Cunningham and Harry Quilligan will be influential figures later on today as they were in the semi-final. Captain David Buckley will anchor the defence.

While Douglas had a bruising contest with Bishopstown, it was the same for Nemo Rangers in their semi-final game against St Michael’s.

They eventually won 0-19 to 0-15 with Cork U20 footballer Bryan Hayes to the fore, landing 0-9 (3 2pt, 0-3 f). Dara O’Sullivan was also integral in that success with 0-3 (0-1 f).

A week before, Nemo came through a classic after extra time with St Finbarr’s in the quarter-final, 1-17 to 0-16. Hayes kicked 1-6 (2 2pt, 0-2 f) that day.

They have a very balanced team with Donagh O’Leary a fine goalkeeper. He featured for his side’s Premier Senior team in the league this year when Micheál Aodh Martin was away with Cork.

Colin Molloy adds experience and physicality to a youthful Nemo U21 defence.

It should be a very close game and it wouldn’t be a surprise if it went all the way.

In the U21 B football final tomorrow evening, Glanmire will look to make history given it’s their maiden voyage in the City division.

They have played two championship games, a 5-10 to 3-2 quarter-final triumph over Mayfield before an 0-11 to 0-8 semi-final victory over Na Piarsaigh.

St Nick’s, the holders, who also contested the county final last year but lost to Kilmurry, have also played two championship games.

The 2-10 to 1-5 win over Whitechurch before hammering Passage West 6-9 to 0-6 in the last four.