Cork football championship looks open: Valley Rovers and Carrigaline are the only teams with two wins

Every club has a plan at the beginning of their club championship campaign, but more often that not that plan comes a-cropper when they experience the punch in the jaw of defeat.

That Mike Tyson quote reference seems relevant as after two rounds of the Cork Premier Senior Football Championship 66% of the 12 clubs have experienced the moral crushing chill of defeat already.

Only Valley Rovers and Carrigaline can boast 100% records after two fixtures, although Clonakilty and Castlehaven also remain undefeated following their entertaining draw in Rosscarbery, which means that the rest of the eight sides are scrambling to stay alive in their respective groups.

It is safe to say that many would have been predicting those two clubs to be the ones who would have perfect starts after two rounds.

Newcestown enjoyed a brilliant opening round win over Nemo Rangers but they have come crashing down to earth since, with a hurling defeat to Bride Rovers being followed by a reversal with the big ball as they lost to local rivals Valley Rovers on Saturday in Coachford.

The Innishannon side were four down with 15 minutes remaining but got the last five points to prevail, with superb two-pointers from Jacob O’Driscoll and Fiachra Lynch levelling matters before Eoin Guinane landed the winner. It was a brilliant win for Valleys, though Newcestown will be asking themselves questions as to how they failed to register a single score in the final quarter of the game, which ultimately was their undoing.

Seamus O’Sullivan slotted seven points for Newcestown in the win over Nemo but he missed this weekend’s defeat due to injury. He was certainly missed.

The result was a huge shock and it means Newcestown no longer have qualification in their own hands. They will need to beat St Michael’s obviously in their last game, but they will have half an eye on the outcome of the Valley Rovers and Nemo game too.

Valley Rovers will know a win or a draw guarantees a quarter-final spot but Nemo will start as favourites in that one. Having lost their opening game Nemo will probably be happy with the potential scenario of three teams finishing on four points as this would mean the head-to-head factor is removed and that their early reversal to Newcestown is effectively off the table.

They got their campaign back on track with a 1-21 to 2-10 victory over city rivals St. Michael’s on Sunday but they will be well aware that huge improvements are required if they are going to have any chance of adding to their 23 titles.

JOB DONE

Reigning champions St Finbarr’s finally got a win on the board, in either code, when they saw off Douglas by eleven points at Páirc Uí Rinn on Friday evening. All their big guns stepped up this time out and they were far better than when losing to Carrigaline on opening night and they will be confident of getting the result they require against Mallow in Round 3.

Carrigaline were not as impressive as Round 1 when beating Mallow by 0-16 to 0-14 at Páirc Uí Rinn, but nonetheless they just would have been delighted to get two further points on the table, which practically guarantees a place in the last eight.

The West Cork stalemate in Rosscarbery between Clonakilty and Castlehaven means that both sides are favourites to emerge out of the group of death that is Group 3.

Ballincollig shipped a heavy beating at the hands of Knocknagree which not only knocks them out of the championship, but it has them glancing towards the trapdoor. 

They certainly will not fancy the prospect of facing an in-form Clon side the next time out, with them needing a result to move them away from a potential relegation play-off.

Knocknagree lost a thriller of a league final in early July to Castlehaven by a single late Brian Hurley score and they will fancy another crack at them in Round 3 knowing that a victory would see them qualify for the quarter-final at the 2024 champions expense, which would be a wonderful achievement for a club in their first ever year at this grade.

In the Senior A grade, a special word goes to Carbery Rangers, who ended four long years without a group stage victory by beating West Cork rivals O’Donovan Rossa in Union Hall.

Cork U20 Dylan O’Neill stood out with his 1-6 from play and especially so given the gap between the teams was nine by the final whistle. 

Dylan Hourihane Senior and Dylan Hourihane Junior combined for 2-6 for the Skibb side but they did not have enough firepower. They certainly could have done with a few more Dylan Hourihane’s!