County final talking points: Cork's big population centres represented on the big day

Clonakilty and Mallow are the sort of urbanisations that need to be producing good teams and options for Cork’s football management, and the progress of Mitchelstown to Cork’s IFC final is no bad thing either

Mallow players Kevin Sheehan, Eoghan Barry and Kevin Doyle celebrate after defeating St. Michael's in the Bon Secours Cork SAFC final at Pairc Ui Chaoimh. Picture: Eddie O'Hare

Big town fervour augurs well for Cork

Just under 8,000 at Páirc Uí Chaoimh for Cork football’s blue riband on Sunday. Though one of them came up shy, an important sidebar was that two of the county’s biggest towns had teams marching behind the pre-match parade. Clonakilty and Mallow are the sort of urbanisations that need to be producing good teams and options for Cork’s football management, and the progress of Kanturk and Newmarket in the Premier IFC and Mitchelstown to Cork’s IFC final is no bad thing either.