Cork GAA previews: Premier SFC quarter-finals top the bill

Eoghan Cormican and Denis Hurley look ahead to the weekend's Cork championship action

Páirc Uí Chaoimh will host the Premier SFC clash between St Finbarr's and Newcestown on Sunday.

SATURDAY

Cork PIFC quarter-finals 

Nemo Rangers v Knocknagree, Donoughmore (J Murphy), 2pm

Nemo Rangers will be without Ronan Dalton as he played premier senior championship for the club a day after Nemo’s second team earned a place in the knockout stages of the premier intermediate competition.

Dalton kicked 1-4 for Nemo’s premier intermediates in their last outing and his absence will take from their semi-final aspirations. Knocknagree were atrocious against Cill na Martra last time out. Significant improvement is required here.

Verdict: Knocknagree 

Kanturk v Aghada, Ovens (J Regan), 2pm 

Aghada were most consistent throughout the group stages and they will look to Charlie Terry, Kevin O’Hanlon, and Diarmuid Phelan to extend their involvement in the championship

For Kanturk, Kyrle Holland, Liam O’Keeffe, and Alan and Ian Walsh were in fine scoring form during their demolition of Gabriel Rangers last time out. There is plenty more talent operating further back the field.

Their double bid should survive this latest hurdle.

Verdict: Kanturk

PIFC relegation play-off 

Gabriel Rangers v Na Piarsaigh, Ballinacarriga (T Hayes), 2pm 

Neither side will head into this fixture with any great enthusiasm given the difficult - and winless - group campaigns both endured. Have Gabriel Rangers recovered sufficiently from their heavy beating at the hands of Kanturk in the final round of group games? For Na Piarsaigh, Alan Keating and Keith Buckley are the forwards to keep an eye on.

Verdict: Na Piarsaigh

IAFC quarter-finals 

Kilshannig v Glanworth, Killavullen (J O’Leary), 4pm 

Kilshannig have been in excellent form since making the step up from junior. Kieran Twomey, Eanna O’Hanlon, and Eoin O’Sullivan will ask plenty of questions of the Glanworth defence.

Verdict: Kilshannig

Millstreet v Aghabullogue, Ballyvourney (E Sheehy), 4pm

Millstreet will have been disappointed to lose their final group outing to Glenville, even though it was a result that did not knock them from top spot in the group.

Neil Flahive, Mark Ellis, Darragh Cashman, and Kevin Crowley are important cogs in the Millstreet wheel. Luke Casey and Matthew Bradley have been showing well in the Aghabullogue attack.

Verdict: Millstreet 

Mitchelstown v Kinsale, Carrigtwohill (C Walsh), 4pm 

Kinsale will be buoyed by their win over Dromtarriffe last time out, a result which saw Kinsale leapfrog the 2018 junior champions into second place in the group.

They’ll be up against it here, though, Mitchelstown boasting a 10-point average winning margin from their group campaign. Jason Cott, Sean O’Sullivan, and Cork senior Cathail O’Mahony have been on song in the Mitchelstown forward unit.

Verdict: Mitchelstown 

Rockchapel v Ballinora, Mallow (C Ó Murch), 4pm 

Rockchapel came through the group stages unbeaten, with Séamus Hickey and James Forrest central to this unbeaten run. Ballinora will lean on Neil Lordan, Darragh Corkery, and Luke O’Donovan for scores.

Verdict: Rockchapel 

PIHC semi-finals 

Castlelyons v Courcey Rovers, Páirc Uí Rinn (T O’Donovan), 3.30pm 

One of the stories of the Cork championship has been Cork corner-back Colm Spillane’s form at centre-forward for Castlelyons.

He hit 2-13 across their three group outings. Their defence is led by Colm Barry and another Cork senior Niall O’Leary.

One of the latter pair is likely to be detailed onto Courcey sharpshooter Richard Sweetnam. He is the competition’s top-scorer. Having lost their first two games, can Courcey Rovers now make it three wins in-a-row to reach the decider?

Verdict: Castlelyons 

Carrigaline v Blarney, Páirc Uí Rinn (D Copps), 7pm 

Blarney won’t need telling that they will need to improve drastically on their smash and grab victory over Ballincollig last weekend. However many get out of jail cards they had in their deck, all were used in scraping past their neighbours in the most dramatic of fashion.

Carrigaline were unbeaten during the group stages. They have plenty of firepower in Brian and Ronan Kelleher, Denis McBarron, and Rob O’Shea.

Verdict: Carrigaline 

SUNDAY 

Cork Premier SFC quarter-finals 

St Finbarr’s v Newcestown, Páirc Uí Chaoimh (C Lane), 4pm 

The 2018 champions St Finbarr’s impressed in topping their group, with Steven Sherlock in excellent scoring form while Cillian Myers Murray and Brian Hayes have also weighed in on the scoreboard.

Newcestown came through their winner-take-all clash with Carbery Rangers in powerful fashion and Fionn Keane and Seán O’Donovan will relish going up against Ian Maguire and Colm Keane at midfield.

Micheál McSweeney is likely to be tasked with following Sherlock. Up the other end, Newcestown will look to Tadgh Twomey and David Buckley.

Verdict: St Finbarr’s 

Duhallow v Valley Rovers, Páirc Uí Rinn (C Dineen), 7pm - Live on Examiner Sport

Duhallow came through a rip-roaring clash with UCC to reach the quarter-finals, 4-20 to 6-12 the final score after extra time.

The north-western division don’t lack for scoring power, with Séamus Hickey, Jerry O’Connor, Eoghan McSweeney and the evergreen Donncha O’Connor all capable of contributing. 

Donncha O'Connor is a serious scoring threat for Duhallow.

A familiar concern for the Duhallow management is that so many of the panel will be heading into Sunday evening’s game having lined out for their club on Saturday. Well rested they certainly won’t be given Kanturk, Rockchapel, Millstreet, and Knocknagree are involved in knockout action on Saturday.

Paul Walsh and Mark Ellis are a formidable midfield pairing for the division but Valleys, who recovered from their opening day defeat to Nemo when scoring back-to-back wins over Douglas and Bishopstown, won’t be easy to breakdown.

Fiachra Lynch, Billy Crowley, Eoin O’Reilly, Jack Walsh, Kevin Canty, and Chris O’Leary will power their hopes of gaining revenge for defeats to Duhallow in 2017 and 2018.

Verdict: Duhallow 

Premier SFC relegation play-off 

Bishopstown v Ilen Rovers, Clonakilty (J Bermingham), 2pm 

Neither side won a point in the group stages, with Carrigaline’s superior scoring-difference allowing them to avoid the play-off at Bishopstown’s expense.

Paul O’Flynn, Simon Collins, Diarmuid Lester, and Mark Driscoll will be integral for the Town, while Ilen will look to Conor O’Driscoll, Peter O’Driscoll, Stephen Leonard, and Seán O’Donovan.

Verdict: Bishopstown 

SAFC quarter-finals 

St Michael’s v Éire Óg, Ballyanly (M Collins), 2pm 

A repeat of last year’s premier intermediate final, in which Éire Óg triumphed. Tadhg Deasy, Eric Hegarty, and Andy O’Connell are all capable of impacting strongly in attack for Michael’s while Daniel Meaney brings a strong presence to centre-back.

Even though they were without Ciarán Sheehan, Éire Óg beat Kiskeam to edge out the Duhallow side for a knockout berth.

Daniel Goulding was their talisman that day, with Joe Cooper and Colm O’Callaghan weighing in too.

Verdict: St Michael’s 

Mallow v Bandon, Blarney (R Whelan), 4pm - Live on Examiner Sport

Cian O’Riordan scored 1-5 as Mallow saw off Bantry Blues to earn their knockout spot and they have quality throughout their team in the form of James Loughrey, Matthew Taylor, Eoin Stanton, Ryan Harkin, and Kieran O’Sullivan.

Eoin Kelleher will be pushing for inclusion from the off on this occasion given the decisive impact he had off the bench last time out when landing the game-deciding goal in the closing stages.

Bandon, who beat Mallow in their senior A hurling group, progressed to the knockout stages despite defeat to Fermoy in their last football outing.

Barry Collins, Mark Sugrue and Mike Cahalane give them scoring options, with Cian O’Mahony and Peter Murphy influential further back the field. Bandon are searching for their first football victory since July 24.

Verdict: Mallow