Permutations aplenty in Cork football championships this weekend

Paul Kerrigan impressed against Bishopstown last time out. Picture: Sam Barnes/Sportsfile

TODAY

- Cork PIFC (all games 4pm).

Group A: Na Piarsaigh v Aghada, Carrigtwohill (T Hayes).

An Aghada win should suffice unless Castletownbere beat Newmarket by five points more than whatever Aghada defeat Na Piarsaigh. 

Piarsaigh need a big win and also hope Castletownbere suffer heavy defeat to go from fourth to second.

Verdict: Aghada.

Newmarket v Castletownbere, Clondrohid (C Ó Mochain).

Newmarket look good for a knockout berth. 

Castletownbere, with a score difference of -2, must win and hope Aghada (+1) don’t manage a similar result against Na Piarsaigh.

Verdict: Newmarket.

Group B: Cill na Martra v Knocknagree, Mourneabbey (C Egan).

Cill na Martra are already in the knockout stages. Their motivation is to try and nab a semi-final spot. A draw or win sends Knocknagree through. 

They could still advance with defeat if a Naomh Abán win over St Vincent’s doesn’t wipe out the eight-point score difference which separates them.

Verdict: Cill na Martra.

St Vincent’s v Naomh Abán, Cloughduv (E Sheehy).

Winless St Vincent’s are trying to avoid a relegation playoff. Naomh Abán must win here and hope Knocknagree fall to Cill na Martra.

Verdict: Naomh Abán.

Group C: Kanturk v Gabriel Rangers, Ballingeary (P O’Leary).

Kanturs - whose score difference of -2 is inferior to Macroom’s +1, who are also on two points, and unbeaten Nemo’s +12 - will fancy recording a second win but their fate will be determined by the other fixture in Group C.

Verdict: Kanturk.

Macroom v Nemo Rangers, Newcestown (A Whelton).

Nemo’s healthy score difference means they will still likely advance even if they are beaten. If Kanturk win, Macroom must match that result and margin of victory. 

If both teams draw, Kanturk go through on account of head-to-head.

Verdict: Macroom.

- Cork IFC (all games 6pm).

Group A: Millstreet v Glenville, Donoughmore (T Lyons).

Millstreet are assured of a quarter-final. Glenville, meanwhile, are attempting to lift themselves off the bottom rung of the group ladder.

Verdict: Millstreet.

St Finbarr’s v Ballinora, Ballincollig (A Hyland).

A winner-takes-all tie. If it’s a draw, Ballinora progress.

Verdict: Ballinora.

Group B: Dromtarriffe v Kinsale, Kilmurry (M Murphy).

Whoever wins here, irrespective of what happens in the other game in the group, will progress.

Verdict: Dromtarriffe.

Rockchapel v Ballydesmond, Kiskeam (M Sheehan).

Rockchapel head the group with three points, Ballydesmond are pointless having lost their opening two games. 

The only way Rockchapel can fall from first to third is if they lose, Kinsale win, and Dromtarriffe amass a better score difference than them in the process.

Verdict: Rockchapel.

Group C: Glanworth v Adrigole, Ovens (C Ó Murchu)

Winner-takes-all fixture. A hesitant nod to Glanworth.

Verdict: Glanworth.

Mitchelstown v Mayfield, Fermoy (C McAllister).

Dead-rubber as far as Mitchelstown are concerned as they can’t be squeezed out of the top two. 

Neither can Mayfield squeeze themselves into the top two.

Verdict: Mitchelstown.

Group D: Aghabullogue v Glanmire, Blarney (J O’Leary).

Aghabullogue must win and hope Kildorrery do not, or win by three points more than whatever Kildorrery overcome Kilshannig by. 

If Aghabullogue and Kildorrery both draw, Aghabullogue progress on head-to-head.

Verdict: Aghabullogue.

Kildorrery v Kilshannig, Mallow (C Walsh).

Kilshannig have been the form team in this group. Score difference of +13 means they’ll likely go through even if they lose here, which would see them, Kildorrery, and Aghabullogue, should the latter overcome Glanmire, all finish on four points.

Verdict: Kilshannig.

TOMORROW

- Premier SFC (all 2pm).

Group A: Ballincollig v Carrigaline, Páirc Uí Rinn (P O’Driscoll).

Ballincollig got back on track with a good win over Clonakilty, Darren Murphy and Cian Dorgan to the fore, and should progress with another victory. 

Carrigaline need a big win and one for St Finbarr’s in the other game. Kevin Kavanagh, Éanna Desmond and Killian McIntyre will be among their key men as they also seek to stay out of the relegation play-off.

Verdict: Ballincollig.

St Finbarr’s v Clonakilty, Coachford (B Coniry).

The Barrs put themselves on the verge of qualifying with wins over Ballincollig and Carrigaline, Steven Sherlock, Ian Maguire and Cillian Myers Murray to the fore for the 2018 champions. 

The avoidance of defeat will send them through as group winners while Clon need to win and hope they can overhaul Ballincollig in scoring-difference stakes. 

Dara Ó Sé, Seán White and Thomas Clancy will be to the fore if they can achieve that.

Verdict: St Finbarr’s.

Group B: Carbery Rangers v Newcestown, Ballinascarthy (J Ryan).

With each side having lost to Castlehaven and beaten Ilen Rovers, this is a play-off for a quarter-final spot, though with a draw sending Newcestown through on scoring-difference. 

Carbery Rangers will hope John Hayes is back from injury while his brother Séamus, John O’Rourke and Brian Shanahan impressed in the last game. 

Newcestown, who advanced in the SAHC last week, will look to Tadgh Twomey, David Buckley and Colm Dinneen for impetus.

Verdict: Carbery Rangers.

Castlehaven v Ilen Rovers, Ballydehob (A Long).

The Haven are the only team currently guaranteed a knockout spot but the likelihood is that their scoring-difference will need to be augmented if they are to take the one semi-final spot. 

Brian and Michael Hurley and Mark Collins can contribute in that regard while Ilen need a win to evade the relegation play-off. 

Stephen Leonard and Seán O’Donovan likely to be key for the Batimore/Church Cross side.

Verdict: Castlehaven.

Group C: Nemo Rangers v Douglas, Páirc Uí Chaoimh (A O’Connor).

Like their city rivals St Finbarr’s, reigning champions Nemo are all but through as it would take a massive defeat, and a big victory for Valley Rovers in the other game, to eliminate them. Luke Connolly, Paul Kerrigan and Mark Cronin shone in their win over Bishopstown. 

Douglas, beaten by Valleys last time out, will look to Conor Russell, Darragh Kelly and Brian and Niall Hartnett to overturn their neighbours.

Verdict: Nemo Rangers.

Valley Rovers v Bishopstown, Ballinora (C Lane).

Fiachra Lynch, Chris O’Leary and Jack Walsh powered Valleys to victory over Douglas and if they can pick up another win they will have a great chance of advancing but a Bishopstown victory could eliminate them even if Nemo beat Douglas. 

The Town’s scoring-difference would need to be improved if they are to squeeze into the second qualifying spot. Trying to avoid relegation play-off their primary aim.

Verdict: Valley Rovers.

- SAFC (all 4pm).

Group A: O’Donovan Rossa v St Michael’s, Enniskeane (D Murnane).

Two teams already qualified so this game will act as a semi-final qualifier, the winners almost certain to have the best scoring-difference of any side.

Dylan Hourihane, Donal Óg Hodnett and David Shannon have impressed in attack for Rossa, while Michael’s will look to Eoghan Buckley, Liam Grainger and Andy O’Connell.

Verdict: O’Donovan Rossa.

Béal Áthan Ghaorthaidh v St Nicholas, Carrigadrohid (M Collins)

Third place is up for grabs for the winners, with the losers probably having to negotiate the relegation play-off. 

The Béal Áthan Ghaorthaidh scoring power comes mainly from Ben Seartan and Diarmuid Mac Thomáis while Shane Kennefick and Dean Brosnan will lead the Nick’s charge.

Verdict: Béal Áthan Ghaorthaidh.

Group B: Kiskeam v Éire Óg, Glantane (C Dineen).

Two wins left Kiskeam top of the table and on the verge of qualification, though an Éire Óg win could mean a three-way tie for two spots. 

Seán O’Sullivan and Tom O’Sullivan did much to see Kiskeam past Bantry Blues and their Ovens opponents will hope that the injuries which kept Ciarán Sheehan, Daniel Goulding and Colm O’Callaghan out of their hurling game last week will have cleared up.

Verdict: Kiskeam.

Mallow v Bantry Blues, Macroom (J Regan).

A Mallow win will almost guarantee them a knockout place but if Bantry were to pick up their first points, they could squeeze through if Kiskeam win the other match. 

Cian O’Riordan and Kevin Sheehan got a lot of Mallow’s scores in the win over Éire Óg while James Loughrey and Matthew Taylor are integral in defence. 

Their Cork team-mate Ruairí Deane is the Bantry talisman while Arthur Coakley and Stephen Coughlan are capable of weighing in on the scoreboard.

Verdict: Mallow.

Group C: Bandon v Fermoy, Glanmire (J Bermingham).

Bandon lead the group on three points but shadowed by Fermoy and Clyda on two each with Dohenys (one point) not out of the running either. 

The winners of this game will go through, but a Fermoy victory may not eliminate Bandon. 

Mark Sugrue and Darren Crowley will make their presence felt for the Lilywhites. Martin Brennan, Ruairí O’Hagan and Pádraig de Róiste were Fermoy’s scorers in the loss to Clyda Rovers.

Verdict: Fermoy.

Dohenys v Clyda Rovers, Ballyanly (R Whelan).

Conor Flanagan’s two late goals got Clyda back in contention as they beat Fermoy in their last match and Conor Corbett can also have a strong influence in attack as they seek the victory that would secure qualification. 

Dohenys need to win and hope Bandon win the other match – Mark Buckley, Fionn Herlihy and Keith White are among those who can shine.

Verdict: Clyda Rovers.