Cork Premier Senior Football Championship


The Cork Premier Senior Football Championship is an annual Gaelic football competition organised by the Cork County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association and contested by the top-ranking senior clubs and amalgamated teams in the county of Cork in Ireland. It is the most prestigious competition in Cork football. It has never been won by Douglas.
Introduced in 1887 as the Cork Senior Football Championship, it was initially a straight knockout tournament open only to senior-ranking club teams. The competition will take on its current name in 2020, adding a round-robin group stage and limiting the number of club and divisional entrants.
In its soon-to-be introduced format, the Cork Premier Senior Championship will begin in March with a preliminary qualifying round for the divisional sides and educational institutions. The surviving team from this stage will automatically qualify for the knockout phase. The 12 participating club teams will be drawn into three groups of four teams and play each other in a round-robin system. The three group winners, three runners-up and three third-placed teams proceed to the knockout phase that culminates with the final match at Páirc Uí Chaoimh in October. The winner of the Cork Premier Senior Championship, as well as being presented with the Andy Scannell Cup, qualifies for the subsequent Munster Club Championship.
The competition has been won by 29 teams, 19 of which have won it more than once. Nemo Rangers are the most successful team in the tournament's history, having won it 21 times. Nemo Rangers are also the reigning champions, having beaten Duhallow by 2-08 to 0-10 in the 2019 final.

History

Beginnings

Following the foundation of the Gaelic Athletic Association in 1884, new rules for Gaelic football and hurling were drawn up and published in the United Irishman newspaper. In 1886, county committees were established, with the Cork County Board affiliating on 19 December 1886. The inaugural championship was played during the summer of 1887, with Lees winning the first title. Since then the championship title has been awarded every year except on two occasions. Civil unrest following the burning of Cork at the height of the War of Independence resulted in the 1921 and 1922 championships being cancelled.

Club dominance

City club Lees were the dominant force during the first thirty years of the championship. Between 1887 and 1914 they won ten championship titles before going into a period of decline. Their hegemony was closely followed by Fermoy who enjoyed their own golden era by winning six championships between 1895 and 1906. Lees city based rivals, Nils, also featured regularly in county finals and won six titles between 1894 and 1925.
Macroom joined the roll of honour by winning their first championship in 1909. Seven more titles followed up to 1935. After University College Cork made the breakthrough and dominated the 1920s, the following decade was dominated by divisional sides. Beara lead the way by claiming four championship titles between 1932 and 1940, while Duhallow and Carbery also won two championship titles at this time. Clonakilty made their own breakthrough by winning their first championship in 1939. It was the first of seven titles up to 1952. The rest of the decade belonged to St. Finbarr's, who became the first single-entity club to win championship titles in both hurling and Gaelic football. After a period in the doldrums, UCC were back as a dominant force by winning five championships between 1960 and 1973.
Since winning their first championship title in 1972, Nemo Rangers have gone on to dominate the championship. In the 45 years since then they have won a total of 21 championship titles. In spite of brief periods of dominance by other teams, most notably St. Finbarr's who won five titles between 1976 and 1985, Nemo Rangers have established themselves as the dominant force of Cork Gaelic football.

Formats used

For over 100 years the championship used a single elimination format. Each team was afforded only one defeat before being eliminated from the championship. The creation of the divisions in the 1920s added a new dimension to the championship. These divisional teams, which were composed of junior and intermediate players, competed in a preliminary section with the two winning teams advancing to the championship proper which retained its single elimination format. The introduction of a "back door" system at inter-county level in the All-Ireland Hurling Championship in 1997 lead to the idea of introducing a second chance for defeated teams at county level. In the twenty-year period from the late 1990s to 2017, the championship underwent a number of format changes. The provision of a second chance for defeated teams was later expanded to allow teams the opportunity of being defeated twice and still remain in the championship. The splitting of the intermediate grade in two resulted in the introduction of relegation in 2006. Prior to this teams were allowed to decide for themselves if they wanted to regrade or retain their senior status. In 2015 the championship once again reverted to a double elimination format.

Format

Current

Development

On 2 April 2019, a majority of 136 club delegates voted to restructure the championship once again. The new format led to the splitting of the championship in two and the creation of the Cork Premier Senior Championship and the Cork Senior A Championship.

Overview

Group stage: The 12 club teams are divided into three groups of four. Over the course of the group stage, which features one game in April and two games in August, each team plays once against the others in the group, resulting in each team being guaranteed at least three games. Two points are awarded for a win, one for a draw and zero for a loss. The teams are ranked in the group stage table by points gained, then scoring difference and then their head-to-head record. The top two teams in each group qualify for the quarter-finals.
Divisional and colleges section: University College Cork, Cork Institute of Technology and the divisional sides compete in a separate section, with one team qualifying for the knock-out stage.
Preliminary quarter-finals: Two lone preliminary quarter-finals feature the three third-placed teams from the group stage and the winners of the divisional and colleges section. Two teams qualify for the next round.
Quarter-finals: The four quarter-finals feature the six teams from the group stage and the two preliminary quarter-final winners. Four teams qualify for the next round.
Semi-finals: The two semi-finals feature four teams. Two teams qualify for the next round.
Final: The two semi-final winners contest the final. The winning team are declared champions.

Managers

in the Cork Championship are involved in the day-to-day running of the team, including the training, team selection, and sourcing of players. Their influence varies from club-to-club and is related to the individual club committees. The manager is assisted by a team of two or three selectors and a backroom team consisting of various coaches.
ManagerTeamWinsWinning years
Billy MorganNemo Rangers111972, 1974, 1975, 1978, 1987, 1988, 2000, 2001, 2002
Ephie FitzgeraldNemo Rangers42005, 2006, 2007, 2008
James McCarthyCastlehaven22003, 2012
Haulie O'NeillClonakilty21996, 2009
Des CullinaneUniversity College Cork11999
John CorcoranCarbery12004
Eddie KirwanNemo Rangers12010
Paul O'KeeffeUniversity College Cork12011
Finbarr SantryCastlehaven12013
Michael O'BrienBallincollig12014
Steven O'BrienNemo Rangers12015
Ronan McCarthyCarbery Rangers12016
Larry KavanaghNemo Rangers12017
Ray KeaneSt. Finbarr's12018
Paul O'DonovanNemo Rangers12019

Trophy

The winning team is presented with the Andy Scannell Cup. Andy Scannell, a teacher at Clondulane National School outside Fermoy, was a County Senior Football selector when Cork won the Sam Maguire in 1945. He was later Chairman of the North Cork Division before taking office as Cork County Chairman in the early '50s, and steered the county to All-Ireland hurling victory during his term.

Roll of honour

#TeamWinnerWinning Years
1Nemo Rangers211972, 1974, 1975, 1977, 1978, 1981, 1983, 1987, 1988, 1993, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2015, 2017, 2019
2Lees121887, 1888, 1896, 1902, 1903, 1904, 1907, 1908, 1911, 1914, 1923, 1955
3Macroom101909, 1910, 1912, 1913, 1926, 1930, 1931, 1935, 1958, 1962
3UCC101920, 1927, 1928, 1960, 1963, 1964, 1969, 1973, 1999, 2011
4Clonakilty91939, 1942, 1943, 1944, 1946, 1947, 1952, 1996, 2009
4St. Finbarr's91956, 1957, 1959, 1976, 1979, 1980, 1982, 1985, 2018
5Fermoy71895, 1898, 1899, 1900, 1905, 1906, 1945
6Nils61894, 1901, 1915, 1917, 1924, 1925
6Beara61932, 1933, 1934, 1940, 1967, 1997
7St. Nicholas51938, 1941, 1954, 1965, 1966
7Castlehaven51989, 1994, 2003, 2012, 2013
8Carbery41937, 1968, 1971, 2004
8Collins41929, 1949, 1951, 1953
9Duhallow31936, 1990, 1991
10Bantry Blues21995, 1998
10Imokilly21984, 1986
10Cobh21918, 1919
10Clondrohid21891, 1892
10Midleton21889, 1890
11O'Donovan Rossa11992
11Muskerry11970
11Avondhu11961
11Garda11950
11Millstreet11948
11Collegians11916
11Dohenys11897
11Dromtarriffe11893
11Ballincollig12014
11Carbery Rangers12016

List of finals

YearWinnerScoreOpponentScore
2019Nemo Rangers2-08Duhallow0-10
2018St. Finbarr's3–14Duhallow2–14
2017Nemo Rangers0-14, 4-12 St. Finbarr's0-14, 3-13
2016Carbery Rangers1–15Ballincollig1–12
2015Nemo Rangers0–10, 1–10 Castlehaven0–10, 0–11
2014Ballincollig1–13Carbery Rangers1–10
2013Castlehaven0–16Nemo Rangers1–11
2012Castlehaven1–07Duhallow0–09
2011UCC1–12Castlehaven0–10
2010Nemo Rangers2-10St. Finbarr's1-08
2009Clonakilty1-13St. Finbarr's1-12
2008Nemo Rangers0-13Douglas0-05
2007Nemo Rangers0-12Ilen Rovers0-09
2006Nemo Rangers1-11Dohenys0-07
2005Nemo Rangers1-14Muskerry0-07
2004Carbery1-11Bishopstown0-07
2003Castlehaven1-09Clonakilty1-07
2002Nemo Rangers0-15Bishopstown1-07
2001Nemo Rangers1-14Bantry Blues0-06
2000Nemo Rangers1-14Carbery0-07
1999UCC1-11Nemo Rangers1-08
1998Bantry Blues0-17Duhallow2-06
1997Beara1-10Castlehaven1-07
1996Clonakilty1-09UCC0-10
1995Bantry Blues0-10Muskerry0-08
1994Castlehaven0-12O'Donovan Rossa0-10
1993Nemo Rangers0-13St. Finbarr's0-04
1992O'Donovan Rossa2-09Nemo Rangers0-10
1991Duhallow0-11St. Finbarr's0-10
1990Duhallow0-08St. Finbarr's0-06
1989Castlehaven0-09St. Finbarr's0-07
1988Nemo Rangers2-08Duhallow0-10
1987Nemo Rangers2-11Imokilly0-09
1986Imokilly2-04St. Finbarr's0-09
1985St. Finbarr's1-10Clonakilty0-09
1984Imokilly1-14St. Finbarr's2-07
1983Nemo Rangers4-12Clonakilty2-03
1982St. Finbarr's1-05Duhallow0-05
1981Nemo Rangers3-11Bantry Blues0-06
1980St. Finbarr's3-08UCC1-09
1979St. Finbarr's3-14Castlehaven2-07
1978Nemo Rangers1-09St. Michael's1-03
1977Nemo Rangers1-08St. Michael's1-03
1976St. Finbarr's1-10St. Michael's1-07
1975Nemo Rangers4-12Dohenys0-07
1974Nemo Rangers2-08Carbery1-08
1973UCC3-08Carbery1-10
1972Nemo Rangers2-09UCC0-08
1971Carbery3-11UCC2-08
1970Muskerry3-10Nemo Rangers4-06
1969UCC0-09St. Nicholas0-08
1968Carbery1-09Clonakilty1-06
1967Beara2-05UCC0-07
1966St. Nicholas1-07St. Finbarr's1-06
1965St. Nicholas2-04St. Finbarr's0-06
1964UCC0-12Carbery1-06
1963UCC1-06St. Nicholas1-05
1962Macroom3-04Muskerry1-04
1961Avondhu1-07Clonakilty1-05
1960UCC1-07Avondhu0-09
1959St. Finbarr's1-05Macroom0-06
1958Macroom1-07Avondhu0-09
1957St. Finbarr's0-08Lees0-05
1956St. Finbarr's3-05Millstreet0-04
1955Lees3-04Macroom0-09
1954St. Nicholas2-11Clonakilty0-03
1953Collins1-08UCC1-04
1952Clonakilty1-04Collins0-04
1951Collins3-02St. Nicholas1-05
1950Garda3-07St. Nicholas2-05
1949Collins5-11Macroom0-01
1948Millstreet1-02St. Vincent's0-03
1947Clonakilty2-05St. Nicholas1-04
1946Clonakilty1-02Fermoy0-03
1945Fermoy0-06Clonakilty0-03
1944Clonakilty1-09Fermoy1-05
1943Clonakilty2-05Fermoy1-04
1942Clonakilty1-08Fermoy1-05
1941St. Nicholas1-08Millstreet1-05
1940Beara2-08Millstreet1-07
1939Clonakilty0-07Beara0-05
1938St. Nicholas2-01Clonakilty0-02
1937Carbery3-08Duhallow West1-01
1936Duhallow West2-05Clonakilty0-02
1935Macroom1-03Clonakilty1-02
1934Beara2-06Clonakilty2-03
1933Beara2-05Clonakilty0-04
1932Beara2-02Clonakilty1-01
1931Macroom2-06Carbery2-02
1930Macroom2-08Na Deasunaigh2-03
1929CollinsMacroom
1928UCC1-06Duhallow United0-02
1927UCC3-03Macroom1-00
1926Macroom1-01UCC0-02
1925Nils4-03Macroom0-02
1924Nils0-08UCC0-02
1923Lees0-03Youghal0-02
1922
1921
1920UCC5-04Cobh0-01
1919Cobh4-03Youhal1-00
1918Cobh0-03Fermoy0-01
1917Nils0-02Lees0-00
191610-03Fermoy0-01-
1915Nils2-03Fermoy0-01
1914Lees2-05Youghal1-02
1913Macroom1-02Fermoy0-03
1912Macroom1-03Fermoy1-01
1911Lees2-04Nils0-01
1910Macroom5-06Cobh0-02
1909Macroom1-06Bantry Blues1-02
1908Lees2-08Fermoy0-06
1907Lees0-07Macroom1-02
1906Fermoy0-08Carbery Rangers0-00
1905FermoyCarbery Rangers
1904LeesFermoy
1903Lees1-07Dohenys0-02
1902Lees0-10Kanturk1-01
1901Nils0-08*Fermoy0-04
1900Fermoy1-09Kinsale1-06
1899FermoyNils
1898Fermoy0-01*Dohenys0-02
1897Dohenys0-05Kanturk0-04
1896Lees0-03Kanturk0-00
1895Fermoy0-06Nils0-01
1894Nils1-13Kinsale Black & Whites0-01
1893Dromtarriffe0-05Castlemartyr0-03
1892Clondrohid1-04Kilmurry0-01
1891Clondrohid3-05Nils0-02
1890Midleton2-03Dromtarriffe0-02
1889Midleton1-00Macroom0-01
1888Lees0-03Dromtarriffe0-01
1887Lees0-04Lisgoold0-01

Records and statistics

Final

Team

By decade

The most successful team of each decade, judged by number of Cork Senior Football Championship titles, is as follows:
15 teams of the 29 who have won the championship have successfully defended the title. These are:

By year

YearTop scorerTeamScoreTotal
1992Mick McCarthyO'Donovan Rossa3-2635
1993Colin CorkeryNemo Rangers4-3648
1994Mick McCarthyO'Donovan Rossa0-2929
1995Jonathan McCarthyMuskerry0-2424
1996Colin CorkeryNemo Rangers0-2121
1997Ciarán O'SullivanBeara1-2427
1998Mark O'SullivanDuhallow5-2035
1999Podsie O'MahonyBallincollig1-3437
2000Paul HollandClyda Rovers2-4046
2001Philip CliffordBantry Blues7-1334
2002Colin CorkeryNemo Rangers2-3339
2003Jurgen WernerO'Donovan Rossa0-3333
2004Fionán MurraySt. Finbarr's1-3033
2005James MastersNemo Rangers2-4046
2006James MastersNemo Rangers2-4046
2007James MastersNemo Rangers2-2935
2008James MastersNemo Rangers1-3033
2009Donncha O'ConnorDuhallow3-1928
2010Donncha O'ConnorDuhallow0-3030
2011Cian O'RiordanAvondhu1-2730
2012Donncha O'ConnorDuhallow0-4848
2013Brian HurleyCastlehaven3-4756
2014John HayesCarbery Rangers5-2843
2015Paul KerriganNemo Rangers4-2234
2016Cian DorganBallincollig2-3137
2017Steven SherlockSt. Finbarr's2-4854
2018Steven SherlockSt. Finbarr's3-3746
2018Mark CollinsCastlehaven0-4646
2019John HayesCarbery Rangers2-2026

In a single game

YearTop scorerTeamScoreTotal
2014Jason SextonSt. Finbarr's3-0413
2015Paul KerriganNemo Rangers3-0312
2016Kevin O'SullivanIlen Rovers3-0615
2017Mark SugrueCarbery2-0814
2018Seán O'SullivanKiskeam1-1114
2018Kevin DavisO'Donovan Rossa1-1114
2019Steven SherlockSt. Finbarr's1-1114

In finals

FinalTop scorerTeamScoreTotal
1995Kevin HarringtonBantry Blues0-044
1995Jonathan McCarthyMuskerry0-044
1996Terry DillonClonakilty1-025
1997Séamus SpencerBeara1-036
1998J. P. O'NeillDuhallow2-017
1999Colin Corkery Nemo Rangers0-066
1999Ian Twiss UCC1-036
2000Alan CroninNemo Rangers1-047
2001Colin CorkeryNemo Rangers0-1010
2002Colin CorkeryNemo Rangers0-1111
2003Colin CrowleyCastlehaven1-047
2004Jack FerriterBishopstown0-044
2005James MastersNemo Rangers0-066
2006James MastersNemo Rangers1-069
2007Paul KerriganNemo Rangers0-077
2008Paul KerriganNemo Rangers0-055
2009Fionán MurraySt. Finbarr's0-055
2010Paul KerriganNemo Rangers1-036
2011Daithí CaseyUCC1-047
2012Donncha O'ConnorDuhallow0-044
2013Brian HurleyCastlehaven0-1212
2014Cian DorganBallincollig0-066
2015Brian Hurley Castlehaven0-044
2015Paul Kerrigan Nemo Rangers0-044
2015Barry O'Driscoll Nemo Rangers1-014
2016Cian DorganBallincollig1-0710
2017Steven Sherlock St. Finbarr's0-088
2017Steven Sherlock St. Finbarr's2-0713
2018Steven SherlockSt. Finbarr's1-0811
2019Luke ConnollyNemo Rangers2-0410