SAFC: Duhallow rivals prepare to lock horns again

Of the 12 teams that formed the newly created Bon Secours Hospital Senior A Football Championship in 2020, just five of them have never left the second tier.

In what is now the McCarthy Insurance Group SAFC, the quintet that have remained are Béal Átha’n Ghaorthaidh, Clyda Rovers, Dohenys, Fermoy and O’Donovan Rossa – though the latter two must face off in this weekend’s relegation play-off.

That will leave a maximum of four ‘originals’ in the 2026 competition, but the number could be reduced further as Béal Átha’n Ghaorthaidh are in quarter-final action against Éire Óg. Incidentally, the Ovens side were in the 2020 SAFC but won promotion that year and stayed at premier senior until last year’s relegation.

The other quarter-final, in Kilbrin on Saturday evening, is a good illustration of how upwardly mobile clubs have ascended from premier intermediate and almost immediately challenged for honours at senior A.

In the 2020 campaign, Knocknagree shipped seven goals in a group match against Cill na Martra but still qualified in second place and kept clean sheets as they beat Nemo Rangers and divisional rivals Newmarket to make the final. That was in October but the decider would not be played for ten months, another all-Duhallow clash against a Kanturk team that had seen off Aghada and Cill na Martra in the knockout stages.

Knocknagree had been junior A as recently as 2017 while they were IFC winners in 2019 and in Páirc Uí Chaoimh on August 1, 2021, they added more silverware as they overcame their neighbours on a 0-12 to 0-9 scoreline.

In a close game where the sides were level on six occasions, Kanturk held a 0-6 to 0-5 half-time advantage but Matthew Dilworth tied the game again on the resumption. After Paul Walsh and Eoghan McSweeney exchanged scores, Knocknagree hit the front for the first time thanks to a great Fintan O’Connor pointed free, but Ian Walsh hit two in quick succession to leave Kanturk 0-9 to 0-8 in front at the water-break.

They were not to score again, however, as a black card hampered them and Knocknagree kicked for home. Two O’Connor frees restored the lead and a brilliant individual effort from Gearóid Looney gave them a two-point advantage before Danny Cooper made sure of the win.

Knocknagree went from that straight into a senior A campaign and reached the quarter-finals at the first attempt before making the final in 2022, losing out to St Michael’s, and again last year, when they fell to Carrigaline.

Kanturk picked themselves up to make another PIFC decider in the space of three months but once again they found themselves beaten by Duhallow opposition – Newmarket this time around – but they made it third time lucky in 2022, getting the better of Bantry Blues in the final.

Their time at senior A commenced with being drawn in the same group as Knocknagree and has resulted in penalty-shootout losses to the eventual winners – Newcestown in the 2023 quarter-final and Carrigaline in last year’s semi – and now they lock horns with their divisional rivals again, with a last-four spot up for grabs.

It should be an intriguing encounter.