County Leagues underway with plenty of Duhallow interest
THE 2019 County football leagues are underway this weekend, the early season competition, the Tom Creedon Cup sure to assist some teams involved in action over two consecutive weekends. New regulations and a new points system operates in the league, four points for a win, two points for a draw and one point for each game played places a strong emphasis on participation.
Promoted Kiskeam make the long trek to Carbery Rangers on Sunday for a Division 1 tussle. Having disappointed in the championship last season, Kiskeam reserved some of their form for the Division 2 League, winning 7 and one draw obtained from 11 starts.
That secured a place in a league final against St. Michaels where in a high scoring tussle, Kiskeam were pipped by the minimum of margins.
A new management headed by Neil Conway from Drom/Broadford is in place, they can look ahead with an optimistic mindset though the Rosscarbery based outfit who reached a County SFC semi-final last season are a pretty formidable outfit.
The same attributes apply to Castlehaven on a trip to Kanturk in Division 2. Kanturk rose through the divisions over a few campaigns and it stood to them on landing the 2017 County IFC title.
No surprise, the best of last season surfaced on All Ireland Intermediate Hurling glory, that hectic schedule impacted later in the season, a mixed Football League campaign confirmed on championship defeats by Nemo Rangers and eventual champions Fermoy.
A fresher Kanturk are capable of making strides, Castlehaven no easy task, involved with Duhallow in a marathon three game saga in the 2018 County SFC. Similar to Kanturk, their league form was mixed, maybe no surprise, given players from both sides figured strongly on inter county sides when club league games occupied a void during the summer months.
Hosts Newmarket and Aghabullogue revives memories of a Division 3 Final from 2017 where neither side was found wanting in terms of application and the verdict remained in doubt right up to the last whistle. Defensively solid, conspicuous at midfield and
effective up front summed up a hungrier Aghabullogue that shaded the outcome against premier intermediate opposition.
Last season Aghabullogue enjoyed a great championship run only to disappoint to Cill na Martra in the final. A six month wait between rounds hindered Newmarket’s cause as they look to Frank Flannery for guidance in 2019.
Having taken stock of a mediocre past season sees Rockchapel set new targets under new coach John Collins when they travel away to Dohenys in a Division 3 encounter on Saturday night. A decent showing against Knocknagree in the Tom Creedon Cup will serve as an appetiser ahead of a good journey for Rockchapel.
Meanwhile, the mileage is sure to be clocked, one of the longest trips from the weekend sees Gabriel Rangers from the Mizen Head make a trek to Ballydesmond on Friday night for Division 4. With players scattered in many parts, Rangers are hoping the start of the weekend will satisfy the majority of its numbers.
Ballydesmond enjoyed a decent County IFC last season and with two Tom Creedon Cup games played, that may be good enough for Denys O’Brien charges to open this campaign with a win.
One of the more attractive games over a full league programme sees Knocknagree home to Mitchelstown on Friday night. 2018 brought All-Ireland JAFC honours to Knocknagree, for good measure, they added the County FL Division 5 title.
Mitchelstown along with Knocknagree will be amongst the fancied sides for IFC honours by the fall of the year, the former ran eventual champions Kanturk and Cill na Martra ever so close in the past two campaigns. Home advantage and a pair of wins in the Tom Creedon Cup will have sharpened up Knocknagree nicely.
A big day for Dromtariffe on Saturday, making their debut in Division 5 away to St. Finbarrs. Plenty of encouragement in a productive County JAFC campaign to better Charleville, St. Michaels, Iveleary and Kilmacabea to sample county glory. Of course, Dromtariffe ran a hot fancied Beaufort so close, the Kerry side now looking forward to contesting an All Ireland Junior Final.
St. Finbarrs parade a second side, their best performances in the past few years have come in the championship on fielding players with all important experience that dented the prospects of many including a defeat on Knocknagree last season.
Millstreet are away to Glanmire, the Duhallow side endured a frustrating run last season, IFC wins over Clonakilty and Kinsale preceded a hefty defeat to Cill na Martra. Contrasting Tom Creedon Cup opening round defeats, Millstreet faltering in extra time to Macroom whilst Glanmire will be keen to recover from a big defeat by Nemo Rangers.
A hectic schedule of league games are scheduled over the coming weeks, given the inclement weather on recent days, all teams will be keen to get up and running, the outcome to the opening round will gauge the work put in by teams over recent weeks.