IAFC and Premier JFC: Urhan and St Nick's ready to renew acquaintance in make-or-break clash

It’s becoming something of an autumn ritual for the footballers of St Nick’s and Urhan in the McCarthy Insurance Group Premier JFC.

The competition was first contested in 2023 and the clubs found themselves in the same group as Duhallow pair Ballydesmond and Cullen. They went into the final match in Dunmanyway with Urhan on three points and Nick’s on two and a tight game could have gone either way – a 0-12 to 0-10 victory for the Beara side gave them top spot with Nick’s eliminated, but had the city side managed a late goal the placings would have been reversed.

Last year, they met in the second round of fixtures and Nick’s triumphed by 1-11 to 1-8 in Enniskeane to leave the sides level on two points each going into the last set of fixtures – while both lost, Urhan’s narrow defeat to group winners Buttevant helped them to finish second while Nick’s loss to Millstreet meant they did not progress.

The draw for 2025 brought the clubs together again, with last year’s beaten finalists Canovee and Ballydesmond for company. Ballydesmond were first up for Nick’s, who scored 4-9 and conceded 0-21, before overcoming Canovee by 2-16 to 0-15.

Urhan had lost their opener against Canovee by 2-21 to 2-11 but responded by beating Ballydesmond by 1-18 to 2-12. It leaves things finely poised: Nick’s on three points, Urhan and Canovee on two each and Ballydesmond on one.

Dunmanway is the venue again for Friday night’s clash between Nick’s and Urhan – there is a chance both could go through if Urhan were to narrowly win and Ballydesmond beat Canovee in Macroom, but equally the mid-Cork side know that victory for them would guarantee progression.

Group 2 is even more finely poised – all four sides have two points each, so the meetins of Na Piarsaigh and Cullen in Glantane and Kinsale and Cobh in Oven essentially act as knockout ties.

There is no such uncertainty in Group 3, where Buttevant and Inniscarra have both beaten Glenville and Millstreet and so the clash of the top two in Mourneabbey will serve to send the winners straight through to a semi-final while the losers will be in the quarter-finals.

The losers of the Glenville-Millstreet clash in Páirc Uí Rinn will be in the relegation play-off.

In the intermediate A grade, Adrigole are the only team guaranteed to qualify regardless of what happens in Saturday’s games, though they are still not assured of topping Group 1.

The Beara outfit take on Ballinora at the home of Castlehaven in Moneyvollahane and a win for the Muskerry team would give them first place.

Even if Adrigole win, Glanworth would need to overcome St Finbarr’s in Glenville while also managing to effect a 23-point turnaround in scoring difference.

The Barrs cannot qualify but will need a result to avoid the relegation play-off and the same can be said of Dromtariffe in Group 2 and St Vincent’s in Group 3.

In Group 2, Dromtariffe are up against Gabriel Rangers in Castletownkenneigh – the Ballydehob side have three points, as do Kildorrery, who take on neighbours Mitchelstown (two points) in Doneraile.

Group 3 is similarly set, with three teams in the mix for two spots. Last year’s premier junior champions Kilmurry are on three points and they face Boherbue, who have two, in Clondrohid.

Ilen Rovers, who came down from intermediate A last year, are also on three points and they will know that victory over the already-eliminated St Vincent’s will be enough to advance to the knockout stages.