Buttevant, Ilen Rovers and Kilmurry headline IAFC start
Ilen Rovers lost the final to Ballinora last year. Picture: Chani Anderson
Battle lines are drawn this weekend as the McCarthy Insurance Group IAFC gets underway, and the opening round of group fixtures should give an early measure of who is genuinely equipped to push on.
The grade looks particularly competitive this year, with several sides arriving with ambition and recent form behind them.
Buttevant, fresh from ending 99 years of hurt with last season’s breakthrough county title in the Premier JFC, enter the campaign with confidence and momentum.
They begin their Group 1 journey later today with a local derby against Glanworth in Kildorrery, a fixture that should immediately test their sharpness.
Group 1 itself looks tight, with four sides who will all feel capable of taking points off one another.
Ilen Rovers, traditionally strong starters, will again look to impose their physicality early. They reached last year’s final before losing out to Ballinora, and that disappointment will surely fuel their efforts this time around.
Kilmurry, meanwhile, reached the last four in 2025. Their championship nous ensures they are never far from the conversation, and like Ilen Rovers, they also fell to Ballinora last season.
Ilen meet Kilmurry on Sunday in Ballinacarriga.
Group 2 is already up and running after Gabriel Rangers and Mitchelstown met last evening, with the Town winning by eight points.
It leaves St Finbarr’s second team and Dromtarriffe with an opportunity. They meet tomorrow in Clondrohid, both eager to gain ground.
Group 3 features Bandon, whose attacking flair makes them one of the more entertaining sides in the grade.
Relegated from Premier Intermediate last year, they will be keen to set the tone early when they face Adrigole tomorrow in Skibbereen.
Adrigole, long considered the nearly men of recent seasons, are determined to shed that tag.
Boherbue and Kildorrery face off tomorrow in Buttevant in what both will view as a winnable fixture.
Buttevant v Glanworth, Kildorrery, 7.15pm.
Bandon v Adrigole, Skibbereen; Boherbue v Kildorrery, Buttevant, both 4pm; St Finbarr’s v Dromtarriffe, Clondrohid, 7pm.
Ilen Rovers v Kilmurry, Ballinacarriga, 7.15pm.
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