Premier Intermediate Round 3 ties promise exciting fare;

Premier Intermediate Football Round 3 ties promise exciting fare;

The McCarthy Insurance Group Cork Premier IFC is unusual among the various county championship grades in that just two knockout spots remain up for grabs with one round of group games remaining.

The three groups conclude on Saturday evening (all six games commence at 6.15pm) and four sides have already had their boarding passes for the knockout stages printed and scanned.

Bantry Blues, the defeated finalists of the last two years, have guaranteed their progress from Group 2 with wins over Nemo Rangers and Bandon, though first place has yet to be secured. On Saturday, they take on Naomh Abán in Newcestown and this battle of the blues will determine top spot. Naomh Abán sit on three points, having drawn with Nemo in their last outing, and would pass Bantry out with a win.

A draw would maintain the status quo and send both through while a Bantry win would put them top, possibly looking to a semi-final, and leave their Baile Bhúirne opponents waiting on the Nemo-Bandon result.

Nemo have a point and so must beat the Lilywhites in Ballygarvan while also trying to overturn a 13-point aggregate scoring-difference deficit. Bandon will be seeking to avoid the relegation play-off by picking up their first points.

Things are cut and dried in Group 1, where Uibh Laoire and Aghabullogue have both beaten Aghada and Ilen Rovers. The leaders’ meeting in Kilmurry will decide the top two places – Uibh Laoire have a healthy advantage on the scoring-difference front should a draw occur and a win for them will secure direct progress to the semi-final stage.

The other game, in Brinny, will be all about trying to finish third and escape any relegation worries. Aghada have the edge in the event of a draw and, if the East Cork side were to win, then Ilen’s scoring difference would almost certainly leave them in the relegation play-off, hoping not to endure a third straight demotion.

In Group 3, Kilshannig will finish top regardless of what happens in their game in Kanturk against Macroom – who will be seeking to evade having to contest the relegation play-off for the second year in a row.

Wins over Rockchapel and Castletownbere mean that, even if the Avondhu side were to lose, they would still have the head-to-head advantage over which side emerges from the winner-take-all clash in Cill na Martra. Rockchapel would take second place if that game were to finish in a draw. (Words courtesy Denis Hurley, The Echo)

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