McCarthy Insurance Group Football League Finals Set for This Weekend

There are two action-packed days ahead of us as the McCarthy Insurance Group Football Leagues play off seven final matches.

With the Cork hurlers set to play their highly anticipated All-Ireland SHC semi-final against Limerick at Croke Park on Sunday at 4pm, it is clear that there will be no deciders on the day, with matches taking place tonight and tomorrow.

With the Club Championship starting on Saturday 27th July, these finals provide ideal preparation for all involved and would be a huge boost for the winning teams ahead of the first round of the group stage of the Football Championship in three weeks’ time.

There are four decider matches to be played tonight, the highlight of which will be the meeting between Nemo Rangers and Carrigaline in what promises to be a fine Division 1 final in Shanbally.

Nemo are aiming for a second league crown in three seasons and will be looking to avenge last year’s league decider defeat to St Finbarr’s. The Trabeg side did not play to their potential on the night and, having lost the Premier SFC final to Castlehaven last October, will not want to lose a third successive decider in all competitions.

Carrigaline may have been a senior A football team that lost out on a place in the top flight last year, but they fully deserved their place in this showcase final. They will be looking to deny Nemo a seventh consecutive win in this fixture and have the players to do it, including Cork international Brian O’Driscoll. They pushed the City side to the end in a league match in May, eventually losing by five points.

The Division 2 clash sees Clonakilty and St Michael’s meet in Ballygarvan. The West Cork side have won eight of their nine league games, with the only blemish on the books being the last league game away to Valley Rovers, although they were short of players on the night.

St Michael’s have collected an impressive 14 points from nine games to reach this stage, having lost by four points to Clonakilty when they met in Mahon in March.

Kilmurry is the venue for Buttevant and Adrigole to meet in a tasty-looking Division 5 clash. Buttevant have won all nine of their league matches, while Adrigole have finished with 14 points.

The final decider of the evening will be in Division 7, where Canovee will face Cullen in Clondrohid. Both teams have 12 points from seven matches. If the league clash is anything to go by, it should be a sensational one. Canovee won 3-17 to 3-13 in May.

Tomorrow there will be three finals as Kanturk and Castletownbere face off in Ballingeary in the Division 3 decider. The teams were inseparable when they met in April.

There should be a big crowd at the Castle Grounds in Macroom for the Muskerry derby between Naomh Abán and Iveleary in the Division 6 decider. There is no love lost between the two and tomorrow’s match should be no different. Goals proved crucial when the teams played each other in April, with Naomh Abán winning 2-8 to 0-9.

Finally, in Division 6, Gabriel Rangers will face Ballinora in an intriguing final. Both teams have finished with 12 points from seven league meetings, with the Ballydehob side winning by a point when the sides met in May. It should be another tight affair in Clonakilty tomorrow.

MCCARTHY INSURANCE GROUP FOOTBALL LEAGUE FINALS MATCHES

FRIDAY

Division 1: Nemo Rangers vs Carrigaline, Shanbally, 7.30pm.

Division 2: Clonakilty v St Michael’s, Ballygarvan, 7.30pm.

Division 5: Adrigole v Buttevant, Kilmurry, 7.30pm.

Division 7: Canovee v Cullen, Clondrohid, 7:30pm.

SATURDAY

Division 3: Kanturk v Castletownbere, Ballingeary, 4pm.

Division 4: Naomh Abán vs Iveleary, Macroom, 6pm.

Division 6: Gabriel Rangers v Ballinora, Clonakilty, 2pm.