Clonakilty v Castlehaven clash tops Cork football championship action
(7pm unless stated)
Muskerry will be without the injured Ronan O’Toole, Seán Kelleher and Liam Shorten while Noel O’Leary is only just back from a long lay-off and Seán O’Donoghue will miss this game but could link up with the panel for the second round.
They don’t lack quality though, with Daniel Goulding, Fintan Goold, Seán Kiely, Rory Buckley, David Goold, Kevin Hallissey and John Mullins available for selection.
While there are some younger players included, Aghada are working off much the same panel as 2015. Pearse O’Neill, Tom O’Neill, Aaron Berry, John Looney and Kieran O’Connor are some of their key men.
Muskerry
Aghada were ‘relegated’ last season but gained a reprieve as part of the championship restructuring.
Beara are without Dave Fenton through injury but he could return for later games, though David Harrington is playing for UCC and will be missed in attack.
The inability to select players under the age of 17 means that options are limited but they will look to strong performers like Andrew O’Sullivan, Kevin ‘Jer’ O’Sullivan, Conchúr Harrington, Seán ‘Terry’ O’Sullivan, Liam Harrington and William O’Sullivan.
St Finbarr’s will have Ian Maguire back after he missed all of last year, with the midfielder having played for the intermediates last week. Cian Madden, Enda Dennehy and Adrian Murphy should be among the attacking options with Michael Shields and Colin Lyons strong figures in defence.
Last year, Beara made the last 16 of the championship for the first time since 2005.
Clonakilty endured a tough 2015, needing to beat Aghada in a relegation play-off before the system was changed, but their league results in the early part of the year have been encouraging.
While Timmy Anglin, Donal Lyons and Pa O’Regan have opted out of the senior set-up, they boast quality in the graduates from U21 sides which have dominated West Cork in recent years.
Barry O’Mahony, David O’Regan, Denis Murphy and Graham Murray can all provide scores.
Last year’s beaten finalists Castlehaven have 2012 county-winning manager James McCarthy back in charge and he will try to integrate Conor and Darragh Cahalane into the team alongside stalwarts like Mark Collins, Damien Cahalane, Brian Hurley, David Limrick, Seán Dineen and Chris Hayes. Michael Hurley could be one to shine in attack too.
Castlehaven
This game is a repeat of the 2003 county final, won by the Haven.
Dohenys have yet to win a game in Division 2 of the league as they come to terms with a number of departures. David and Tom Collins, Johnny Kelly, Pat Collins, Denis Healy and Timmy O’Donovan have all either retired or emigrated while Jamie Carroll, Brian McCarthy and Adrian O’Donovan are injured. Cork U21 pair Eoin Lavers and Seán Daly, as well as county minor Mark Buckley, give an injection of talent though and Mark Quinn is back from injury.
Eoin Cadogan is a major doubt for Douglas and captain Philip Shine is an injury absentee too. Conor Kingston, Jamie Davis, Alan Cadogan and Cork U21s Kevin Flahive and Seán Powter lead a youthful side.
Douglas
Dohenys beat Douglas by 0-8 to 0-7 in the 2009 third round.
The 2014 champions Ballincollig are without Steve O’Donoghue and John Paul Murphy, who are abroad, but Eoin O’Reilly is likely to play a bigger role this year. With manager Michael O’Brien having departed, Ned English is now in charge. Patrick Kelly, John Kelly, Seán Kiely, Ciarán O’Sullivan, Darren Murphy and Chris Collins have done well during the league for them.
Johnny McLoughlin is absent for Bishopstown, having prioritised rugby, while work has taken Fiachra Ó Deasúnaigh to Australia. Cork seniors Ken O’Halloran and Jamie O’Sullivan are important performers for them and though Conor Dorman missed the spring with injury he should feature. Noel O’Donovan is another injury doubt likely to come through, with Sam Oakes, Daniel O’Donovan and Mark Driscoll likely to impact too.
Ballincollig
Bishopstown manager Andrew McCarthy is a former Ballincollig player.
Alan Barry has been in great scoring form for Glanmire, while Anthony Garvey, Ger O’Callaghan, James O’Keeffe and Conor Power are likely to bring their influence to bear too. Kinsale will be without Derry O’Callaghan, who has sustained a cruciate ligament injury. They will look to Gearóid Finn, Brian Coughlan, Niall Stanley and Philip Fitzgerald for scores.
Glanmire
The sides met in the fourth round last year, Glanmire winning by 2-9 to 1-9 before succumbing to Mayfield in the quarter-finals.
Valleys come into the game on the back of three successive wins, but Darragh Murphy has been injured since February while Jack Murphy and Ben Murphy are abroad due to work commitments.
Cork U21 panellist Ian Murphy is another who could miss out with injury while goalkeeper Alan Quirke has retired and Donncha O’Driscoll will take over after missing much of last year with a cruciate problem.
Avondhu were excellent in seeing off Ilen Rovers last weekend, with Colm O’Neill, Ruairí O’Hagan and Shane Beston impressive in attack while David Pyne ran midfield and James Loughrey was strong at centre-back. They are also boosted by the availability of Cork U21 Ryan Harkin.
Avondhu
Avondhu’s 4-16 to 0-6 preliminary-round win over Ilen is the biggest win in the championship so far this year.
Na Piarsaigh pair, Stephen O’Sullivan and Seán Óg Ó hAilpín have retired ad swapped their kits for tracksuits as they are in charge of the club’s hurling and football teams now. Goalkeeper Alan O’Sullivan has departed too and they will look to Keith Buckley, John Gardiner and Patrick O’Rourke for scores. Kiskeam will have Anthony Casey between the posts, David Scannell and Billy Dennehy will be key in attack and AJ O’Connor and Robert Carroll should also bring their influence to bear. Note also a change of venue from Mallow to Banteer.
Kiskeam
Na Piarsaigh lost to Nemo Rangers in last year’s third round, with Kiskeam then defeating Nemo in the fourth round.
Douglas’s side isn’t likely to be finalised until after the senior match tonight, but experienced hands like Cormac Dineen and Dave McSweeney should feature. Mitchelstown will be backboned by Fionn Herlihy, Shane Beston, Shane Cahill and Stephen Fox.
Mitchelstown
Douglas’s first team won the intermediate championship in 1997 and have been senior since.
