Ode to Ian Maguire, double trouble, reliable Knocknagree, Muskerry bragging right

Cork football talking points. The final pairings have been decided in Cork's five grades with some old reliables, growing strongholds and derby duels in the offing

COLOSSUS: St Finbarr's totem Ian Maguire in control against Clonakilty earlier in the summer. The Cork midfielder continues to have a disproportionate influence on games, even at 31. Pic:  Jim Coughlan.

The latest ode to Ian Maguire.

St Finbarr’s spoiled and stole six of Ballincollig’s 15 second-half restarts in Sunday’s Cork Premier SFC semi-final. Ian Maguire was responsible for winning three of the six. A totem of disruption.

The 31-year-old Barrs midfielder breaking Jack Gibbons’ 42nd minute restart to Conor Dennehy ended with a Steven Sherlock converted free and a five-point Barrs lead.

Maguire should have had four second-half Ballincollig restarts to his name given he was just about to collect the breaking ball from Gibbons’ 46th minute punt when referee James Regan impeded his path and prevented him claiming possession. That the play ended in a David O’Leary goal would have been a significantly bigger talking point had Ballincollig triumphed.

Anyway, back to eulogising the Barrs No.8. Ballincollig won the two Darragh Newman restarts following the aforementioned green flag. Seán Kiely and Dara Dorgan pointed to bring parity. 1-8 apiece. A five-point gap erased. Game restarted.

That the Barrs didn’t lose three restarts on the bounce was because Newman aimed for his most dependable target. Maguire broke possession to Billy Hennessy and, in the process, broke Ballincollig momentum. They wouldn’t score for another 13 minutes, by which juncture their latest semi-final exit was long written.

And not that it mattered by this point, but who was it but himself who rose and palmed possession to teammate Enda Dennehy from the kickout following the end of Ballincollig’s scoring wait.

Away from the aerial contests, Maguire was fouled for a first-half converted free and assisted a second-half 1-2.

Steven Sherlock heads for the final with 6-36 (2-25 from the dead-ball) and yet it is Maguire shading him as their most consistent performer this campaign.

“When I was growing up, I was watching Ian and Sherlock in the county finals of 2017 and '18. All you wanted to do was be out there with them on county final Sunday,” said Brian Hayes, whose versatility completes the Barrs podium of leading figures. Their bid to avoid a fifth consecutive county final defeat to southside rivals Nemo will hinge significantly on the contributions of this triumvirate.

“The new stream of Ethan Twomey, Ciarán Doolan, and William Buckley, they are coming through after watching us winning in 2021,” Hayes continued.

“To have leaders like that all over the pitch; Jamie Burns is captain of the hurling, Ian was captain of the football for the last few years, Steven is captain now, it is great to have so many leaders on the team. It is great to be able to look around and count on them.

“When times were hard, we didn't panic. Even with 15 minutes to go, we had a five-point lead, and they came back and got level. But we went back up and got 1-3 without them scoring. It was great to stay composed, something we're good at.” 

EC 

***** 

The downside of doubling up? Niggling injury.

Brian Hayes, who missed their second and third group outings because of injury, spoke of carrying a knock from the Premier SHC hurling semi-final defeat to Sars on Sunday week last.

His first half of absent fluency, no more than so many others in blue, was a microcosm for the Barrs' collective sluggishness and bluntness.

His transformed second half was another microcosm for the collective.

The hurler of the year nominee kicked 1-1, assisted a point, had a strong early fetch in Steven Sherlock’s goal, and came out to win a kickout that finished with a Luke Hannigan point.

“Few of us had injuries after the hurling semi-final, the bodies were tired. Ethan, William, myself, and even Ian on the football side, it is very hard coming back in off a long Cork season to a dual scenario,” Hayes explained.

“It is hard enough to play one, but playing dual is really hard after a long year, so the bodies are showing it on Monday and Tuesday, but when you have lads there who have been chomping at the bit for the last two years to get back to a county final, you have to put your body on the line for the club and go again, and it is great that we are back in the final.” EC ****** 

A stat with plenty of chewing 

The Barrs-Nemo decider on Sunday week will be the fourth year in succession and fifth occasion in six years where Cork football's final Sunday will be contested by two members from the big three of Castlehaven, Nemo, and St Finbarr’s.

As will again be the case on October 26, one of the big three has been the last standing for the past eight editions. You have to go back to Carbery Rangers in 2016 for the last time someone from outside this group scribbled their name on the Andy Scannell Cup.

What we didn’t throw into that mix is the stat showing a big three member has not lost a knockout championship fixture against a team from outside this group since Carbery Rangers shaded Castlehaven 2-17 to 1-18, after extra-time, in Round 2 of the 2019 championship.

There have been 18 such knockout fixtures since. Everyone that is anyone has had a go off the Barrs, Nemo, or the Haven.

Clon were a point off the Barrs in the '21 decider. Nemo needed penalties to squeeze past the same West Cork opposition in last year's quarter-final. Nemo needed extra-time against Newcestown Sunday gone.

Plenty of potential upsets. No one has succeeded, though. Emerging forces yet to emerge. The big three remain uninterrupted.

EC

****** 

Knock, knock, knockin’ on Heaven’s Door

The story of Knocknagree is truly remarkable. In four years, they travelled from Junior ‘A’ football to Senior ‘A’ football in Cork. In a fortnight’s time they will play in their third Senior ‘A’ county final in four seasons, this time against Cill na Martra. Not bad for half a parish. But there is far more than that going on as their iconic manager, John Fintan Daly, explained.

ON TARGET: Knocknagree's Conchur O Conchuir picks his spot for a first half goal in their SAFC semi final win over Beal Atha'n Ghaoraidh on Saturday at Páirc Uí Chaoimh. Pic: Larry Cummins

“What you see there comes from years, and years of investment. There was a time when we’d have to tog out by the ditch. We’ve a €900,000 complex now at home through the work of the whole parish and far beyond, we’ve great support all round the place. It’s great to bring that to fruition with this group able to perform at this level, this long. It’s culture, it’s attitude, it’s focus, it’s dedication, it’s honesty. Call it what you will.

“In the last few years, we’ve won three in-a-row of what are called Nevin Cups. That’s our third league team. This year we won our third Ducon Cup Final in four years which is our Junior ‘A’ team. We won the County Division 2 League. We’re in the Tom Creedon Cup Final. So there has been a lot of trophies.” 

 They will hope to add the Kevin McTiernan Cup to their list in two weeks, but what they’ve achieved to date goes far beyond the realms of silverware.

JC

*****

The Sign of the four.

For all of Nemo Ranger’s consistency, this was the first season that they earned the top seed in the Cork Premier SFC and thus went straight into the final four. After they just about saw off Newcestown in their semi-final on Sunday, their goalkeeper, Micheál A Martin, “It was the only time that we’ve ever come straight through, and we got brilliant challenge games outside the county, which stood to us. It was great to get a bye, because you could be taken out in a quarterfinal. But it was different alright. Four weeks is a long time and you’re certainly worried in and around half time and you’re saying to yourself ‘are Newcestown more battle ready for this, but thankfully we gritted the teeth and came back into it.” So how did the fellow four-week breakers fare? 

Well, of the nine teams who went straight to the last four, five negotiated the break successfully; Nemo, Cill na Martra, Uíbh Laoire, Buttevant and St Nick’s. For Béal Átha ‘n Ghaorthaidh, Naomh Abán, Kilmurry and Adrigole the wait was just too long. Like everything, it just depends.

JC

******

Delicious mid-Cork derby for Premier IFC decider.

Of the 10 teams left contesting the five tiers of Cork football finals, four are from mid Cork.

There is one standout fixture where two mid Cork teams face off against each other, in the Premier IFC decider. Fitting too, that table toppers Aghabullogue and Uibh Laoire from Group 1 and Group 3 respectively, will go head to head.

Someone joked in Macroom on Saturday at the Aghabullogue/Naomh Abán semi-final that the Muskerry division should keep it to themselves and play the final in Macroom.

Given the crowd that turned up, it is unlikely they would have enough room anyway. A huge gathering will be expected in Páirc Uí Chaoimh.

Uibh Laoire will be slight favourites, but when the stats are prepared, there is not much to choose between them. Both are free-scoring.

In five games, Aghabullogue notched 10 goals. It’s the same number for Uibh Laoire, albeit in four games.

Consider the appetite whetted.

TOC 

***** 

Rule changes and two-pointers.

Anyone still doubting the long-range two-pointers have enhanced the game of football? On Sunday, in Páirc Uí Chaoimh we saw how swiftly the momentum switched from side to side. In the two Cork Premier SFC semi-finals, there were seven orange flags. Two for St Finbarr’s in their come-from-behind win over Ballincollig. Four for Newcestown who agonisingly came up short to Nemo Rangers - the Capwell club scored one.

Two of the best kickers were also on view, in David Buckley (Newcestown) and Steven Sherlock (St Finbarr’s). Both attackers have delivered consistently all season. Followers will look forward to seeing them with Cork.

Buckley ranked top, registering three. They came either side of half time at a juncture when a rampant Newcestown outscored Nemo by an incredible 13 points to one.

That the aristocrats of Cork football were able to find a way back is commendable.

TOC.

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Football finals schedule.

Saturday, October 25:  Cork Premier JFC final: Buttevant v St Nick's, Páirc Uí Chaoimh, 7pm.

Sunday, October 26: Cork Senior AFC final: Cill na Martra v Knocknagree, Páirc Uí Chaoimh, 1.30pm;  Cork Premier SFC final: Nemo Rangers v St Finbarr's, Páirc Uí Chaoimh, 3.30.

Sunday, November 2:  Cork Intermediate AFC final: Ballinora v Ilen Rovers, Páirc Uí Chaoimh, 1.30; Cork Premier Intermediate FC final: Aghabullogue v Uibh Laoire, Páirc Uí Chaoimh, 3.30.