Carrigdhoun Clubs Set for Weekend Title Showdowns

(JJ Hurley)

Noah Ryan, set to feature in the Ross Oil Junior A SE Hurling Final at the weekend

The destination of both the Procure.ie South East Junior A Football Championship and the Ross Oil Junior A Hurling Championship will be decided this weekend, with two eagerly anticipated finals lined up.

Football Final: Ballygarvan vs Carrigaline

Evan O'Connor will hope he can repeat his goal touch in the Procure.ie SE Junior A Football at the weekend. ( Delores Kidney)

First up is the football decider, where Ballygarvan and Carrigaline renew acquaintances in Shanbally at 4pm, a repeat of last year’s final.

Ballygarvan, who captured their first Junior A Football crown back in 2002, have been a consistent force in the South East ranks ever since.

Now chasing a remarkable third consecutive title, they could easily have been eyeing four in a row if not for Barry Gray’s late goal in Belgooly in 2022.

Late concessions have been a recurring frustration for the ‘Garvan’, particularly given the heartbreak of last year’s county final.

Their campaign got off to a sluggish start with a draw against neighbours Ballinhassig, and injuries certainly haven’t helped — with Ray O’Halloran, Evan O’Connor, Kevin Lyons, and star Cork senior footballer Sean Brady all sidelined at various stages.

The semi-final win over Ballymartle was turned by the introductions of Lyons and O’Connor, whose impact proved decisive.

For Carrigaline, last year’s beaten finalists, this is another chance to get their hands on the Pa Joe Cronin Cup, a trophy they last lifted in 1992.

Having already taken home the B title against Belgooly, they’ll be eager to complete a double.

Their campaign has been mixed — a strong showing against Valleys contrasted with narrow escapes against Courcey Rovers (a one-point win) and Ballymartle (a draw), before finding their rhythm to overcome Shamrocks in the semi-final.

If Carrigaline are to derail Ballygarvan’s charge, they’ll need big games from Killian McNulty, Jack McGrath, Kieran Kavanagh, and Billy Pope.

It’s been 33 years since they last celebrated this title — and they’ll be determined to end that wait.

Barry Dwyer set to have a big say in the Ross Oil Junior A SE Hurling Final at the weekend

Hurling Final: Belgooly vs Kinsale

Sunday’s action sees the focus switch to Carrigaline at 4pm, where Belgooly and Kinsale meet in what promises to be an enthralling Ross Oil Junior A Hurling Final.

With Tracton having claimed the County Junior A crown earlier this year, the South East Championship was always going to be closely contested among the next best — Belgooly, Kinsale, and Valley Rovers — so it’s little surprise that Kinsale and Belgooly have made it to the decider.

The two sides were drawn together in the group stage, with both registering victories over Courcey Rovers before clashing on a wet, blustery evening in Riverstick.

On that night, the youthful Kinsale side produced an excellent display to take the points, inspired by Michael Murphy, who stepped up impressively following the loss of their key man, John O’Brien.

Belgooly recovered strongly from that setback, producing a dominant quarter-final win over Carrigaline, with Barry Dwyer and Ryan Long driving them on after the break.

In the semi-finals, Kinsale powered past Ballymartle, led by a standout performance from Noah Ryan, while Belgooly edged Valley Rovers thanks to a well-taken goal from Eoin O’Donovan.

Sunday’s clash sets up a fascinating contrast of youth versus experience — and as one famous football pundit once quipped, “You never win anything with kids”… or do you?

Carrigaline's John Roberts leading discussions with his fellow selectors at a recent Procure.ie SE JA championship encounter. (Bermard Laverty).