Job done for Newcestown as they gear up for Clonakilty test

Since the introduction of the group-stage format in the Cork county championships in 2020, the premier senior football grade has tended to follow a pattern.

Apart from 2021 – when Nemo Rangers failed to make the knockout stages, having started their campaign just a week after winning the 2020 final – the semi-finals have featured the big three of Nemo, Castlehaven, St Finbarr’s and one other.

Last year, Newcestown were the club making up the quartet – and they almost defeated Nemo, losing after extra time.

Coming into 2026, the challenge was to show that knockout qualification wasn’t a flash in the pan: one made all the more difficult by the fact that they had the Trabeg side in their group again.

A win against them provided some solace after last year, but then a defeat against Valley Rovers meant that there was some level of jeopardy heading in to Sunday’s last match, against St Michael’s in Riverstick.

However, such was the scoring-difference situation, Newcestown knew that any win would do and they achieved that, triumphing by 0-16 to 0-10.

When they led by 0-12 to 0-3 soon after half-time, top spot in the group looked likely but Nemo’s strong finish against Valleys meant they took first place. However, it could be argued that there was little difference: for Newcestown, the next opponents are Clonakilty while Nemo face Castlehaven.

“I suppose we came down to win,” said Newcestown manager Jim O’Sullivan, “our destiny was in our own hands.

“We did very well in the first half, but in the second half, we didn't do that, we only played in fits and starts.

“We had a lot of wides, in fairness, then St Michael’s came at us and we gave up a couple of goal chances.

“It was dangerous and they stayed in the game, but we kicked on again towards the end, got a couple of points to settle us down.”

Reaching the knockout stages for a second straight year is an endorsement for what Newcestown are doing, not least because of how the fine the margins can be.

“I suppose all 12 teams that are in this grade, they have a right to be there,” O’Sullivan said.

“Anyone could get through and every game is tough. We were just happy enough to get over here today with a win, what we came down for.

“It mightn’t have been vintage football, we might have been disappointed with the display in the second half, as opposed to the first half, but we got through it.”

Helping them was the boost from the bench, with O’Sullivan and his management benefiting from strength in depth.

“Yeah, it was great because everyone can't play well in every game,” he said.

“You're looking for just a small injection from different players and I think we got that off the bench. We got a couple of points off the bench, so we were happy with that.

“Look, as a management team, and the same as every other team, you can only pick 15 and there’s fellas going to be disappointed.

“There’s fellas going to be disappointed that we've taken them off too, but that’s the nature of the game.

“The players deserve it – they’ve been training all year and they deserve to come off the bench as well.”

Next up, a west Cork derby in Dunmanway. O’Sullivan is aware of the size of the task but is looking forward to it.

“I suppose Clon are probably one of the favourites for the county,” he said.

“They're sprinkled all over the field with inter-county quality, so it's going to be a tough ask, but we’ll go about it and do our best.

“We'll enjoy tonight and we'll look at Clon then from here on in.”