Cork Premier JFC reports, wrap and knockout draws
Jack Kelleher in action for Canovee in 2023. They had a comfortable win over Ballydesmond. Picture: Larry Cummins
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Cullen v Canovee, Inniscarra v Cobh.
St Nick’s, Buttevant.
Ballydesmond v Millstreet.
Last year’s beaten finalists Canovee will have to navigate the quarter-final route despite a comfortable win over Ballydesmond in Macroom on Friday night.
Kieran Cronin’s team won 3-9 to 1-5 played in challenging weather conditions. The Muskerry men led 1-4 to 0-2 at half-time with Mark Healy netting the goal.
The forward ended up with 2-2 with Connor O’Neill also raising a green flag. 2010 All-Ireland winner Donncha O’Connor kicked 1-4 for Ballydesmond, but they head to the relegation play-off.
Canovee finished second in Group 1 behind St Nick’s, who have taken the direct route to the last four.
The city outfit were 2-11 to 0-7 winners over Urhan. Goals from Eoin Downey and Eoin O’Leary in the first half went a long way to Robert Brosnan’s outfit overcoming their stubborn opposition.
St Nick’s opponents will become clearer once the quarter-finals have been completed as repeat pairings will be avoided.
In Group 2, there were wins for Cobh and Cullen over Kinsale and Na Piarsaigh respectively with reports on both of those games attached to the start of this article.
Buttevant are the other side who are straight through to the semi-finals. They recovered from a slow start to defeat last year’s County JAFC winners Inniscarra in Mourneabbey, 3-12 to 3-10. Both sides were already qualified from Group 3.
Joey Hanlon’s side were shaky in defence in the opening 30 minutes, shipping three goals with Liam O’Connor, Seán Sheehan and Steve Dornan scoring for Scarra.
Buttevant, many people’s pick to win the championship outright, came back. They were just two points adrift at half-time.
David Hanlon was to the fore once again with 1-6. Mark Lenahan hit 2-2.
In the other game in the group, Millstreet and Glenville couldn’t be separated. A Ciarán O’Leary goal had looked like a pivotal score with Glenville looking like the likely winners for the majority.
Darragh Cashman thought he was going to be the hero for Millstreet with a two-pointer from a free, but there was time for Glenville to make sure there was a share of the spoils when O'Leary got a two-pointer to spark great celebrations from their camp.
It proved all so important for the men from Imokilly to keep them out of the dreaded relegation battle. It finished up 1-14 to 0-17.
Millstreet will have to pick themselves up for a tasty Duhallow derby with Ballydesmond in order to avoid dropping down to the Junior A grade for 2026.
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