Premier SFC permutations: Nobody guaranteed qualification but Clonakilty are closest

Up in the top tier for the first time, Knocknagree would no doubt have taken going into their last McCarthy Insurance Premier SFC group game with a chance of qualification.

However, if given the choice, it’s unlikely that the Duhallow side would have chosen Castlehaven as the team standing between them and a place in the knockout stages of the competition.

Páirc Uí Rinn on Sunday is the venue for a game that will have all the hallmarks of a knockout tie and there is likely to be plenty of drama across the six games, which have a throw-in time of 4pm.

The Haven’s draw with Clonakilty last time out in Group 3 leaves the West Cork pair on three points each, one ahead of Knocknagree, whose win over Ballincollig eliminated the mid-Cork side.

The winner of Sunday’s repeat of the league Division 1 final, which the Haven won, will progress – a draw will do for the Castletownshend/Union Hill outfit, obviously – and there is only a remote chance that both would advance with Clon missing out even if they lose to Ballincollig in Kilmurry.

For that to happen, Knocknagree and Ballincollig would both need to win, with Clon losing by a margin of at least five points more than the Haven.

In Group 1, Carrigaline know a win or a draw against Douglas in Shanbally will guarantee top spot, but a loss, combined with St Finbarr’s overcoming Mallow in Kilworth, would make for a three-way tie on four points.

Scoring difference would be used then, as it would if Carrigaline won to finish on six points while Mallow beat the Barrs to leave three teams on two.

It’s a similar state of affairs in Group 2, though the fact that second-placed Newcestown have a better scoring difference than leaders Valley Rovers means that a win for the Carbery side against St Michael’s in Riverstick would definitely send them through.

Valleys take on Nemo Rangers in Ballyanly and, with a scoring difference of three compared to two for the city side, a loss would leave Valleys behind Nemo on that front.

A win for the Innishannon side would leave them firmly in the mix for an automatic semi-final spot.