Cork football previews: Champions Nemo Rangers open title defence against Valley Rovers

Nemo Rangers players, from left, Ronan Dalton, Barry Cripps, Kevin O'Donovan and Briain Murphy celebrate with the cup after the 2020 Cork Premier SFC final. Picture: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile

SATURDAY

Cork PSFC

Group A: Nemo Rangers v Valley Rovers, Ballygarvan (P O’Driscoll), 5pm.

This is the second year in succession these two are meeting on the opening weekend of action — Nemo winning the 2020 fixture 3-8 to 1-9. The recently crowned 2020 county champions are expected to be without Mark Cronin who injured his leg in the second minute of last weekend’s county final. Valleys managed only one league win from three and will be up against it to put an early dent in Nemo’s three-in-a-row bid.

Verdict: Nemo Rangers.

Douglas v Carrigaline, Páirc Uí Rinn (J Bermingham), 7pm.

Carrigaline enjoyed a decent Division 3 county league campaign, weaving a path all the way to the final where they came up just short against Newcestown. They defeated today’s opponents in the semi-final, but Douglas, on that occasion, were without the many Cork senior hurlers and footballers who’ll backbone their team at Páirc Uí Rinn.

Verdict: Douglas.

Group B: Carbery Rangers v Éire Óg, Bandon (J Regan), 2pm.

It remains to be seen what part, if any, Ciarán Sheehan will play in Éire Óg’s maiden top flight campaign. There is no fear of rustiness on the part of the Ovens men, with 2020 county final wins recorded in both codes earlier this summer. Carbery Rangers are without the injured Mark and Brian Hodnett. New manager Declan Hayes is likely to give youth a showing in his team selection, the club having earlier this summer won their first Carbery U21A title in 26 years.

Verdict: Éire Óg.

Castlehaven v Newcestown, Clonakilty (C Dineen), 4pm.

A big ask for Castlehaven to pick themselves up from the disappointment of a county final defeat six days ago. Only three Haven players — the Hurley brothers, Michael and Brian, and Conor O’Driscoll — found the target last weekend and manager James McCarthy will demand a greater spread of scorers here. They had six to spare in the corresponding group fixture last year. Newcestown finished the league as Division 3 champions. Plenty of focus will be on Cork U20 David Buckley and if he cause as much damage at adult club level as he did for Cork at underage this summer.

Verdict: Castlehaven.

Group C: St Finbarr’s v Ballincollig, Páirc Uí Rinn (A Long), 2pm.

The Barr’s were 1-13 to 0-10 winners when these two sides clashed on the opening weekend of the 2020 championship. Eoin Finn is among a few Barr’s players concentrating solely on hurling in 2021. The city men enter the championship as Division 1 league champions and it’ll be interesting to see the midfield pairing of Cork senior and U20 captains Ian Maguire and Brian Hayes. There was much to admire about Ballincollig’s attacking play last summer, but a balance was not struck with how they organised themselves defensively, as evidenced by the five goals they conceded against Nemo in the quarter-final. That must be the priority for Podsie O’Mahony’s side.

Verdict: St Finbarr’s.

SAFC

Group A: O’Donovan Rossa v Bandon, Ballinascarthy (A O’Connor), 6pm.

Plenty of experience in the O’Donovan Rossa ranks, namely Ryan Price, Daniel Hazel, Donal Óg Hodnett, and Kevin Davis. Bandon are without James O’Donovan, Eoghan O’Donovan, and Ronan Crowley. With both sides having made the knockout stages last year, both will be looking — at the very minimum — to again progress beyond the group phase.

Verdict: O’Donovan Rossa.

Group C: Fermoy v Mallow, Castletownroche (M Collins), 6pm.

Mallow have the disappointment of June’s county final defeat to contend with, as well as the subsequent loss of James Loughrey, who has transferred back to his home club of St Brigid’s in Antrim. Loughrey’s former Cork teammate, Tomás Clancy, has had a tough time with injuries in recent years and so it remains to be seen how much of a role he can play in Fermoy’s campaign.

Verdict: Fermoy.

PIFC.

Group A: Macroom v Naomh Abán, Ballingeary (P O’Leary), 4pm.

Macroom were desperately unlucky not to make the knockout stages last year, losing out on score difference. Dylan Twomey and Sean Kiely are key forwards in their team. Naomh Abán are buoyed by Division 4 league success. Micheál Ó Duinnín, as ever, will be looked to up front.

Verdict: Naomh Abán.

St Nick’s v Kanturk, Mourneabbey (J O’Leary), 4pm.

Kanturk have had five weeks to lick their wounds following last month’s 2020 county final defeat. Led by Ian, Paul, and Aidan Walsh (and keep an eye out for two more Walshs, Colin and Tommy, who were Cork U20s this year), it is very hard to see the Duhallow men coming unstuck against a side relegated from Senior A last autumn.

Verdict: Kanturk.

Group C: Newmarket v Aghada, Glantane (A Hyland), 5pm.

Both teams made the knockout stages last season, Newmarket falling by a point at the semi-final stage to eventual champions Knocknagree. Newmarket are without Cork senior Alan Browne who did his cruciate earlier this year.

Verdict: Newmarket.

IAFC

Group A: Mitchelstown v Aghabullogue, Watergrasshill (D Daly), 2pm.

Verdict: Mitchelstown

Group B Adrigole v Glenville, Dunmanway (J Forbes), 6pm.

Verdict: Adrigole.

TOMORROW

Cork PSFC Group C: Clonakilty v Ilen Rovers, Rosscarbery (D Murnane), 2pm.

Ilen Rovers failed to win a group game last year, a statistic they’ll be keen to correct over the coming weeks. Their opponents put together an impressive league campaign, ending up in the Division 1 decider which they lost to St Finbarr’s. Doubts surround the involvement of Cork senior pair Maurice Shanley and Liam O’Donovan, but there are plenty other household names Clon can call on to see them across the line in this West Cork derby, namely Sean White and Tom Clancy.

Verdict: Clonakilty.

Cork SAFC Group A: Béal Átha’n Ghaorthaidh v Dohenys, Kilmichael (Peter O’Leary), 2pm.

Mark Buckley and Fionn Herlihy will ask questions of the Béal Átha’n Ghaorthaidh rearguard. Dohenys are another club who failed to win a group game during the first season of the new format last year. Diarmuid Mac Tomáis kicked 0-17 for Béal Átha’n Ghaorthaidh last season, well over a third of their 2-39 total. He again leads their charge.

Verdict: Dohenys.

Group B: Kiskeam v Knocknagree, Boherbue (C Lane), 2pm.

An intriguing Duhallow derby between two clubs literally down the road from one another. Kiskeam’s defensive set-up centres around Cork’s Sean Meehan. For premier intermediate champions Knocknagree, the men who’ll need particularly close watching are Fintan O’Connor and Eoghan McSweeney.

Verdict: Knocknagree.

Group C: Clyda Rovers v Bantry, Aghinagh (Pat O’Leary), 2pm.

Bantry are chasing their first group stage win at this grade, having lost all three of their games last year before preserving their Senior A status with a relegation victory over St Nick’s. Ruairi Deane and Arthur Coakley remain their go-to men. For Clyda, cruciate victim Conor Corbett is a huge loss.

Verdict: Bantry.

PIFC Group B: Cill na Martra v Nemo Rangers, Carrigadrohid (R Whelan), 2pm.

Daniel Dineen enjoyed a fine debut season with Cork and he will look to carry back to club level the form he showed in the red jersey earlier this summer. The make-up of Nemo’s team will be influenced by the number of subs used by manager Paul O’Donovan in Saturday’s senior game.

Verdict: Cill na Martra.

St Vincent’s v Rockchapel, Mallow (J Murphy), 3pm.

Rockchapel are two weeks on from their unexpected 2020 county intermediate final win. Jack Curtin and Jason O’Callaghan will hope to continue their scoring exploits from the victory over Mitchelstown. St Vincents’ Division 5 league campaign saw them win one and lose two.

Verdict: Rockchapel.

Group C: Castletownbere v Na Piarsaigh, Enniskeane (C McAllister), 3pm.

Castletownbere were 4-9 to 2-11 winners when this pair met in the group stages in August 2020. Gary Murphy, as he was then, will again be pivotal for the Beara men. One wonders what kind of impression Na Piarsaigh’s Shane Forde can make after a season with the Cork seniors.

Verdict: Castletownbere.

IAFC

Group A: Kildorrery v Glanmire, Fermoy (T Lyons), 4pm.

Verdict: Glanmire.

Group B: Kilshannig v Glanworth, Killavullen (E Coleman), 4pm.

Verdict: Kilshannig.

Group C: Millstreet v Kinsale, B Barry-Murphy (Macroom), 4pm.

Verdict: Millstreet.

St Finbarr’s v Iveleary, Cloughduv (T Hayes), 4pm.

Verdict: Iveleary.

Group D: Dromtarriffe v Ballydesmond, Cullen (J Kelleher), 4pm.

Verdict: Dromtarriffe.

Gabriel Rangers v Ballinora, Ballinacarriga (S Scanlon), 4pm.

Verdict: Ballinora.