SAFC draws: Carbery Rangers drawn with rivals O'Donovan Rossa, Cill na Martra and Newmarket

The McCarthy Insurance Group SAFC has been a grade that certainly hasn’t disappointed over the last few years.

The second-tier of Cork football is regarded as one of the toughest championships to win on Leeside and the draws for 2026 at SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh on Tuesday night have thrown-up some intriguing ties.

Knocknagree finally broke through the glass ceiling this year after losing the 2022 and 2024 finals.

They would have been the favourites from the outset and there’s no doubt they deserved their success.

This grade though that came in before the 2020 campaign seems to be getting tougher and tougher every year.

Carbery Rangers’ two-decade stint in the top-tier came to an end this year after losing to Valley Rovers after a replay in the relegation play-off.

How they respond to demotion will be interesting. They have a young team and they know that they need to hit the ground running.

They haven’t won a championship group game since beating Éire Óg in August 2022.

Newcomers Aghabullogue will have momentum after winning the McCarthy Insurance Group PIFC title this year.

The Muskerry side will be playing senior football next year for the very first time.

They are in Group 1 with three experienced teams at this grade.

Kanturk, Dohenys and Béal Átha’n Ghaorthaidh join Aghabullogue in a tasty looking Group 1.

Dohenys, beaten finalists in 2023, haven’t reached those heights since. They failed to qualify out of their respective group last season.

In Group 2, Carbery Rangers will be looking to return to the top-tier at the first time of asking. They will have a difficult group though to navigate first if they want to make it into the business end.

Cill na Martra, beaten finalists this year, O’Donovan Rossa and Newmarket join Carbery Rangers in that group.

A tasty looking local derby to come up next year with the meeting of the Rosscarbery-based team locking horns with O'Donovan Rossa.

Finally from Group 3, this one looks wide open with all four teams believing they can get into the top two positions.

Bishopstown, Éire Óg, Clyda Rovers and Kilshannig make up that particular group.

Éire Óg reached the last four this year on their return to Senior A following relegation from the top-flight in 2024. They defeated Kilshannig in the group stage back in September and then got the better of Bishopstown at the quarter-final stage.

Dates, times and venues will be finalised in due course.

SENIOR A FOOTBALL:

Group 1: Béal Átha’n Ghaorthaidh, Kanturk, Dohenys, Aghabullogue.

Group 2: Cill na Martra, Carbery Rangers, O’Donovan Rossa, Newmarket.

Group 3: Bishopstown, Éire Óg, Clyda Rovers, Kilshannig.