County JAFC: Ballygarvan look to take another step towards atonement

The McCarthy Insurance Group County JAFC has entered a crucial stage of the season.

It’s widely accepted that this particular grade remains the toughest of them all to win considering you have to claim two championships to move up.

The teams that are still involved will remain hopeful that they can be the last ones standing and succeed Inniscarra as the county champions.

There’s one game taking place this weekend. Ballygarvan and Charleville lock horns at the quarter-final stage tomorrow. They meet in Glenville where throw-in is at 3pm.

Ballygarvan don’t need any reminding of what happened last year, but what transpired in the final against Inniscarra is no doubt a driving force for them this season. They led by three points in added time and would lose by a point.

They have been ticking along nicely without reaching top gear this year. Their star man and Cork senior footballer Seán Brady came on late in the Carrigdhoun final victory over Carrigaline’s second team as he returned after a long layoff due to injury.

Charleville defeated a fancied Liscarroll/Churchtown Gaels side in their divisional decider a couple of weeks back. Cork senior hurler Darragh Fitzgibbon was an influential player for his side.

The winners will play Kilmacabea in the last four next weekend. The other semi-final clash will also take place that weekend between Donoughmore and Nemo Rangers’ third team.

There’s one McCarthy Insurance Group County U21 A football championship encounter down for decision this weekend.

It should be an interesting one too as divisional side Beara face Douglas in the semi-final on Sunday in Macroom with a start time of 1pm.

It will be Beara’s first game in the competition this season. They reached the final last year after impressive victories over Bantry Blues and Valley Rovers.

It's hard to know how they will fare this weekend especially when they are coming up against an opposition who are favourites for the county and that is Douglas.

It helps that the city side played as recently as last weekend when they edged out Ballincollig by two points in the quarter-final. That match would have brought Douglas on in a big way. 

Ibane Gaels are waiting in the county final.