Gentlemen, Start Your Engines for Carrigdhoun Championships

Residents of the Carrigdhoun Division will be looking forward to the upcoming divisional championships following last Monday night’s draw in the Huntsman Bar in Belgooly.

This year, the South East welcomes back Procure.ie as sponsors of the Junior A Football Championship, while Ross Oil will support the Junior A Hurling Championship.

With four competitions down for decision, the main focus remains on the Junior A grades.

In the Junior A Hurling Championship, the prospect of Kinsale, Ballymartle and Ballinhassig all emerging in the same group should provide plenty of entertainment.

Beaten finalists in 2025, Kinsale will again be seen as one of the favourites, but falling short in recent years remains a concern for the seaside club’s supporters.

The Launch of the Carrigdhoun Championships at the Huntsman Bar, Belgooly, recently (John Allen Images).

The group featuring Valley Rovers, Courcey Rovers and Carrigaline is difficult to call. It was not so long ago that Valley Rovers were regularly appearing in junior finals, while Carrigaline pushed the then South East champions Belgooly all the way in the 2024 quarter-final.

The Ballinspittle outfit have shown well in the league and, provided they do not lose players to senior ranks, they cannot be discounted.

The final group sees current champions Belgooly paired with Ballygarvan and Shamrocks.

While Belgooly will be expected to top the group, a number of influential players will be absent from their ranks in 2026, and Shamrocks could emerge as a serious challenger for top spot.

In the Junior A Football Championship, Ballygarvan are in a group of three alongside Courcey Rovers and Shamrocks, and will be expected to top the group as they chase four titles in a row.

Last year, the loss of Cork senior footballer Sean Brady and Ray O’Halloran impacted their county ambitions, although Carrigaline nearly claimed their crown in the divisional decider.

Carrigaline face a stern test this year if they are to reach similar heights, with Valley Rovers, Ballinhassig and Ballymartle providing the opposition in the group stages.

This section could prove to be something of a lottery and may well be considered the group of death.

The Junior B grades also promise plenty of excitement. In football, county B champions Carrigaline are the team to beat, though Belgooly and Tracton may yet spring a surprise.

The hurling competition continues to provide a platform for emerging talent, and this year’s edition is expected to be no different.

The competition appears wide open, with no clear favourite emerging.

The Junior B Competitions groups are as follows

Junior B Football Championship 2026

Group A

• Kinsale

• Carrigaline

• Belgooly

• Tracton

Group B

• Ballinhassig

• Valley Rovers

• Crosshaven

• Ballygarvan

Junior B Hurling Championship 2026

Group A

• Valley Rovers

• Courceys

• Ballymartle

Group B

• Ballinhassig

• Kinsale

• Tracton

Group C

• Ballygarvan

• Carrigaline

• Crosshaven