Castlehaven enjoying league campaign but it's all about being primed for championship opener
Jamie Walsh in action for Castlehaven against Cill na Martra. Picture: Larry Cummins
After winning the Cork Premier Senior Football Championship in 2023 and 2024, Castlehaven manager Seanie Cahalane is hoping his side will be primed to secure glory once more over the coming months.
As their championship preparations heat up, Haven got a very useful workout against Cill na Martra on Saturday evening, which ended in a 0-17 to 1-14 draw. A point by Jack Cahalane and a Cathal Maguire two-pointer secured a draw in the closing stages.
Former Cork ace Mark Collins played a very influential role for Castlehaven in the clash in the Muskerry Gaeltacht.
Collins showed his experience and quality throughout the contest, scoring 1-4 that included an impressively taken penalty kick.
Speaking to , Cahalane described that Collins is an integral leader for this Castlehaven side both on and off the pitch.
"You seen it there today, he was outstanding there and especially in the second half. He is a serious player.”
On the compelling drawn contest against Cill na Martra, Cahalane added:
“We probably were lucky to get the two-pointer and the point in the end to take a draw game. But overall we are happy enough. We are down a few bodies at the moment with injuries and stuff.
“So we will take it and we will move on. We always get a good battle off Cill na Martra. They are a great opposition and they are a great club.
“They always give a good battle and we knew that coming in on Saturday. We knew we would have nothing easy against them. That is the way it turned out.”
Cahalane also outlined among the main overall objectives for Castlehaven across the league campaign is building a strong panel for the club championship.
“With a lot of our inter-county lads away, we will be just trying to develop players. Hopefully we can develop a couple of more players that we can use in the championship later in the year.
“There are lads getting opportunities. So a lot of them have put up their hands. We are down a few bodies at the moment and fellas are stepping up. So that is great to see."
Next up in league action for Castlehaven is a home game against familiar foes in St Finbarr’s. The pair have produced some of the most classic games in Cork GAA club championship history, in what has been a captivating rivalry in recent years.
“The Barrs will be a tough game next time around, they always are. So we will take that when it comes.
“Barrs have a good few lads involved in inter-county panels as well. So they will be down a few and we will be down a few. But it is always a good competitive game against the Barrs. So no doubt we will get similar in a couple of weeks time.
In championship, Castlehaven find themselves in arguably the most exciting group alongside West Cork rivals Clonakilty, Ballincollig and impressive newcomers Knocknagree.
As far as Seanie Cahalane is concerned, all of the Castlehaven focus is on being primed and ready for the opening championship clash against Ballincollig on July 26.
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