Premier JFC final: Buttevant fully focused on St Nick's challenge

Buttevant know exactly what’s at stake this evening and they don’t want to leave the opportunity pass them by.

The Avondhu team take on St Nick’s in the McCarthy Insurance Group Premier JFC final at SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh (4.30pm).

The black and amber haven’t tasted the sweet success of an adult county football championship title since 1926, some 99 years ago.

Defender John O’Neill has been part of the panel for a decade or so. It has been disappointment after disappointment, but the last few years have shown green shoots.

“At the start of the year when we went back training, we knew what we exactly wanted to do,” the Buttevant man says.

“It was a long winter last year after Kilmurry beat us in the semi-final. We felt we were in a good place, but just got beaten on the day.

“We are in the final now and first and foremost, we want to perform. I think it was an Intermediate title the last time the club won a football championship at adult level in 1926. None of us had an idea about that match anyway! It finished up 0-2 to 0-0. They were different games back then.

“We have had our fair share of underage success. We have had players that played for Cork at underage level. It’s time for us now to try and turn all the titles we won at underage into adult success.

“There’s a massive buzz around the town now as the final gets closer. Reaching the final has everyone talking about the game and the banners and flags are up around the town.” 

Buttevant were installed as the favourites for the championship before even the league season got underway earlier this year. Joey Hanlon’s team have used the tag as a positive.

Finishing just outside the promotion spots in Division 4 of the league was impressive before three straight wins in the championship group stage gave them a direct passage into the last four.

Would Buttevant come undone by a Mid-Cork team for the second year on the trot at the semi-final hurdle? Not this time. A 10-point win over Canovee was a statement display.

“A big thing for us this year is that we have learnt how to control a game,” O’Neill said.

“Playing quality teams in the league definitely has helped us. We took pointers out of each outing. Going into the Canovee game, that was always going to be the acid test for us.

“But we knew how to handle some of their top players. The first half went well for us and we just pushed on and got confidence. Once you have confidence, everyone starts playing well and playing the way we want to play.” 

Back in 2019, St Nick’s were in the top-tier of the football championship while Buttevant were a Junior A team. Now, they are at the same level, though in 2026 they will be a grade apart.

Buttevant are the favourites coming into this one. It’s something that O’Neill and his teammates aren’t bothered by.

“St Nick’s are a massive club. You go through their team sheet and a lot of their players stand out. We aren’t going to be taking them for granted at all. There won’t be any favourites or underdogs when the ball is thrown-in.

“We just want to play our own game. We know what’s at stake and hopefully it will be enough to win the trophy.” O’Neill concluded.