Jack McKay revisits his top five Cork club venue rankings
Bride Rovers' Eoin Roche clears the ball before a tackle from Watergrasshill's Adam Murphy during the Co-Op Superstore Senior A Hurling Hurling Championship game at Ballynoe this year. Picture: David Creedon
A couple of years ago, I put together a piece comprised of my top five club venues in Cork to cover games at.
At the time, I was fresh on the scene and with no driving licence, so my scope was limited as to which games I could cover and how far from home I could travel.
As a Midleton native, it meant that my rankings were heavily skewed towards clubs in east Cork. Due to both the geographical element, and my reliance on public transport.
Thank God those days are over.
The ranking I put together then, over two years ago, was – from first to fifth – Bandon, Carrigtwohill, Erin’s Own, Cobh and Aghada.
At the time of writing, I had covered GAA matches at only 27 different club venues, obviously not counting Ballinlough, Pairc Ui Rinn, Pairc Ui Chaoimh, MTU and the Mardyke. By the end of the calendar year, my venue count had stretched to 30, with Ballinhassig, Banteer/Lyre and Glenville added, thanks to post-primary and U21 games.
Now, with three years down and heading into my fourth year covering GAA for , the list of club venues checked off has reached 54.
My colleague, Denis Hurley, who is on a mission to cover a game in all 166 club venues in the county, clocked 95 in July this year. He’s likely added a few more in the months since.
I’m not here to completely grab his idea, because if I was, I’ll be a long, long time catching up.
Given it’s taken him 18 years to reach that milestone – and that he covered his first GAA game for when I was five – he’s got a bit of a head start.
Nonetheless, I can see the appeal. And, despite being a 15 minute drive from the venue, Dungourney was number 54 added to my list. Interesting that Newmarket, Castletownroche, Carbery Rangers, and even Ballydesmond – an hour and three-quarter drive – had been added prior to my neighbours.
So, to avoid repetition, I’ll pick out five different venues this time around.
Adventures to Newcestown have almost exclusively come in 2025 for their Division 1 Football League games, but it’s always a venue I enjoy. Maybe Newcestown’s brand of football adds to that feeling, but they’re a great bunch, the scoreboard is always helpful, and there’s always room for my camping chair near the Newcestown dugout.
I know – east Cork – but Ballynoe always serves up brilliant hurling championship meetings between teams in north-east Cork, and has definitely been one of my favourites over the last couple of years. Bride Rovers versus whoever, it never disappoints.
Fond memories here from playing, but a great one to cover matches at, too. The bank on the far side always adds something to the atmosphere, and when teams are using dugouts on the same side, it adds a bit of bite.
When east meets north in the PSHC this is often the spot, and for good reason. The stand and bank on the opposite side give you an atmosphere akin to knockout games, and with the current championship format, they are usually are de facto knockout contests. Brilliant venue.
Cue the east Cork bias allegations, but this is far and away my favourite venue at the moment. No matter the weather, temperature, or time of year – you can bank on the gale force winds whipping around Aghavine – and it always gives the games something I haven’t found anywhere else.
The inevitable ‘tale of two halves’ means games are always tense, and any gaps on paper between teams are usually wiped out by the wind factor. Aghavine serves up cracking contests, league or championship.
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