2026 Muskerry Championship guide: Draws made for football and hurling grades
The Donoughmore team celebrate their win in the Ross Oil Junior A football final replay at Macroom last year. Picture: Dan Linehan
The draws for the 2026 Muskerry GAA championships were conducted in front of a large attendance of delegates at Coachford recently.
Once again, it was announced that the competitions will run parallel with the Cork county championships with the first group stage matches in Junior A football scheduled for the last weekend in July, while the start date for the Junior A hurling is the following weekend.
Starting with the much anticipated Ross Oil JAFC, there are three groups of four with the top two in each group moving on to the knockout stages.
Donoughmore go into the new campaign as reigning champions after defeating Aghinagh in the Muskerry final after a replay last year. It was the club’s first time winning the competition since 2011.
Unfortunately for Donoughmore, they were unable to make it four county winners on the trot from Muskerry at this grade after falling at the last hurdle to Kilmacabea.
As things have transpired, Donoughmore and Aghinagh have been drawn together in Group 1.
Both teams will be fancied not just to qualify out of the group, but to go very deep into the Muskerry championship.
Second teams Ballinora and Kilmurry join Donoughmore and Aghinagh.
Group 2 is looking wide open at this present time with all of the four teams no doubt believing that they can make it into the business end of the championship.
Ballincollig’s second team are pitted against Grenagh, Dripsey and Clondrohid.
In Group 3, there are three second strings in the shape of Éire Óg, Béal Átha’n Ghaorthaidh and Naomh Abán with Kilmichael fancied to finish top of the group.
Moving to the MJK Oils JAHC and there has been a fair bit of predictability about the destination of this trophy in recent years.
Ballinora won their fifth successive divisional crown in 2025, but the county title remains elusive. They lost the county final last year to Kilshannig.
There is a change of management for the new season with Don O’Brien after moving on.
Francis Twohig is the new boss with Wesley O’Brien coaching the side.
With regards the format of this particular championship, there are eleven teams with Uibh Laoire promoted after winning Junior B last year.
There are two groups, one consisting of six teams and the other group made up of five teams with the top two qualifying for the business end.
In Group 1, the two heavyweights in the shape of Ballinora and Grenagh are together once again joining Uibh Laoire and Kilmichael with second teams Inniscarra and Aghabullogue making up the group.
Donoughmore have made steady progress in recent years and were very unlucky to lose the semi-final last season to Grenagh after an extra-time thriller. They would be considered one of the main contenders for the title this year.
They are in Group 2 with second teams Ballincollig, Éire Óg and Blarney while Dripsey will look to finish in the top two after fine margins went against them in 2025.
The draws for the Muskerry U21 championships also took place recently where there were some interesting pairings drawn.
Holders Ballincollig face Naomh Abán at the semi-final stage in the U21 A FC while Éire Óg meet Donoughmore.
In the U21 A HC, the Collig are also holders of this competition where they will take on Éire Óg at the last four juncture.
Blarney lock horns with Aghabullogue in the only quarter-final with the winners playing Inniscarra.
Group 1: Aghinagh, Donoughmore, Ballinora, Kilmurry.
Group 2: Ballincollig, Grenagh, Dripsey, Clondrohid.
Group 3: Éire Óg, Béal Átha’n Ghaorthaidh, Kilmichael, Naomh Abán.
Group 1: Inniscarra, Grenagh, Ballinora, Uibh Laoire, Kilmichael, Aghabullogue.
Group 2: Ballincollig, Donoughmore, Dripsey, Éire Óg, Blarney.
Semi-finals: Donoughmore v Éire Óg, Naomh Abán v Ballincollig.
Quarter-final: Blarney v Aghabullogue.
Semi-finals: Blarney/Aghabullogue v Inniscarra, Ballincollig v Éire Óg.
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