Watch: Newcestown raring to go after bouncing back to top tier

Newcestown face Éire Óg in their opening game of the Cork Premier SFC on Friday night. 

Brendan Harrington, CEO McCarthy Insurance Group holding the Senior A Cup and David Buckley, Newcestown at the McCarthy Insurance Group 2024 Cork Club Football Championship launch at SuperValu Pairc Ui Chaoimh.

Newcestown's David Buckley said the club's senior footballers "can't wait to go again" now that they are back in the Cork Premier SFC.

The club was relegated to Senior A level in 2022 but bounced straight back by beating Dohenys in November's second tier decider. That was the culmination of a memorable fortnight for the club as they also won the Senior A hurling title.

"It was great to get back up straight away after the year before," Buckley said on Tuesday at the launch of the Cork club championships. 

"Every lad put the shoulder to the wheel for the year. It was a great two or three weeks for the club winning both the hurling and the football."

Newcestown face Éire Óg in their opening game on Friday night. The two sides are in Group 1 along with Ballincollig and Nemo Rangers. 

"They beat us two years ago, so hopefully we're ready for them," Buckley said about Éire Óg.

"It'll go right down to the wire and hopefully we get over the line.

"When you come up the grades, you're going to find that difference in speed and strength. We'll give it a good auld rattle."

Buckley, who was part of the Cork senior football panel this year, said he is "happy" to have John Cleary returning as manager for 2025. The Cork footballers had a disappointing end to the season, losing to Louth at the All-Ireland preliminary quarter-final stage.

"He puts a lot of work in and a lot of work goes unseen," Buckley said about Cleary.

"A very disappointing finish to the year. A few good wins but it was definitely a disappointing finish overall."