The Cork Senior A Football Championship (known for sponsorship reasons as McCarthy Insurance Group Cork County Senior A Football Championship and abbreviated to the Cork SAFC) is an annual club Gaelic football competition organised by the Cork County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association from 2020 for the second tier senior Gaelic football teams in the county of Cork in Ireland.

In its current format, the Cork Senior A Championship begins in early autumn. The 12 participating club teams are divided into three groups of four teams and play each other in a round-robin system. The three group winners and the three runners-up proceed to the knockout phase that culminates with the final match at Páirc Uí Chaoimh.

Five clubs have won the championship. Carrigaline are the title holders after beating Knocknagree by 0–16 to 1–11 in the 2024 final.

History Development On 26 March 2019, three championship proposals were circulated to Cork club delegates after an expensive review process of the entire Cork championship system. A core element running through all three proposals, put together by the Cork GAA games workgroup, was that there be a group stage of 12 teams, as well as straight relegation and promotion. On 2 April 2019, a majority of 136 club delegates voted for Option A which provided for one round of games played in April and two more in August – all with inter-county players available. The decision meant that, for the first time since 1887, the top tier of Cork football was split in two into the Cork Premier Senior Championship and the Cork Senior A Championship.

Beginnings The inaugural championship was scheduled to begin in April 2020, however, it was postponed indefinitely due to the coronavirus pandemic in Ireland. When the championship resumed, time constraints led to a revision of the format, with the play-offs for the second best and third best third placed teams being abolished. The knockout stage was further reduced, with the two best-ranking teams from the group stage receiving byes to the semi-finals and the other four qualifying teams contesting two lone quarter-finals. The very first match eventually took place on 24 July 2020, with Bandon claiming a 1-12 to 0-06 victory over Clyda Rovers. Bandon's Mark O'Regan scored the very first championship point before later scoring the championship's very first goal.

Regular format Group stage The 12 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 knock-out stage.

Knockout stage

Play-off: The second best and third best third placed teams from the group stage play off for last quarter-final place.

Quarter-finals: The play-off winner and the seven top-ranking teams from the group stage contest this round. The four winners from these four games advance to the semi-finals.

Semi-finals: The four quarter-final winners contest this round. The two winners from these four games advance to the semi-finals.

Final: The two semi-final winners contest the final. The winning team are declared champions.

Promotion and relegation At the end of the championship, the winning team is automatically promoted to the Cork Premier Senior Championship for the following season. The three bottom-placed teams from the group stage take part in a series of play-offs, with the losing team being relegated to the Cork Premier Intermediate Championship.

Teams

2026 Teams The 12 teams due to compete in the 2026 Cork Senior A Football Championship are: Team Location Division Colours Position in 2025 In championship since Championship titles Last championship title AghabullogueCoachfordMuskerryGreen and whiteChampions (Cork PIFC)20260 — Béal Átha'n GhaorthaidhBallingearyMuskerryBlack and redSemi-finals 20200 — BishopstownBishopstownSeandúnMaroon and white Quarter-finals20210 — Carbery RangersRosscarberyCarberyGreen, white and gold hoopsRelegated (Cork PSFC)20260— Cill Na MartraKilnamartyraMuskerryBlue and whiteRunners-up20240 — Clyda RoversMourne AbbeyAvondhuBlack and yellowGroup stage20200 — DohenysDunmanwayCarberyGreen and whiteGroup stage20200— Éire ÓgOvensMuskerryRed and yellow Semi-finals20251 2020 KanturkKanturkDuhallowGreen and white Quarter-finals20230 — KilshannigGlantaneAvondhuBlue and yellowGroup stage20250 — NewmarketNewmarketDuhallowRed and black Group stage20220 — O'Donovan RossaSkibbereenCarberyRed and whiteRelegation playoff winners20200—

Sponsorship In July 2020, Bon Secours Hospital were unveiled as the title sponsor of the Cork Senior A Championship. McCarthy Insurance Group became the new title sponsor in December 2023.

Trophy and medals The Kevin McTernan Cup is the current prize for winning the championship. It was donated in June 2021 to honour Kevin McTernan who served as a St Finbarr's player and selector. Daniel Goulding of Éire Óg was the first recipient of the cup when it was presented to him after the 2020 final.

Traditionally, at Páirc Uí Chaoimh, the victory presentation takes place at a special rostrum in the main grandstand. The cup is decorated with ribbons in the colours of the winning team. During the game the cup actually has both teams' sets of ribbons attached and the runners-up ribbons are removed before the presentation. The winning captain accepts the cup on behalf of his team before giving a short speech. Individual members of the winning team then have an opportunity to come to the rostrum to lift the cup, which is held by the winning team until the following year's final.

In accordance with GAA rules, the County Board awards a set of gold medals to the championship winners. The medals depict a stylised version of the Cork GAA crest.

List of finals

List of Cork SAFC finals Year Winners Runners-up Winning captain(s) Venue# Club Score Club Score2025Knocknagree2–17Cill Na Martra0–17Anthony O’ConnorPáirc Uí Chaoimh2024Carrigaline0–16Knocknagree1–11Jack McCarthyPáirc Uí Chaoimh 2023 Newcestown 0–13 Dohenys 0–08 Luke Meade Páirc Uí Chaoimh 2022 St. Michael's 2–07 Knocknagree 0–06 Seán KeatingTom Lenihan Páirc Uí Chaoimh 2021 Mallow 2–12 St. Michael's 0–15 Eoin Stanton Páirc Uí Chaoimh 2020 Éire Óg 2–13 Mallow 1–07 Daniel Goulding Páirc Uí Chaoimh

Roll of honour By club # Club Titles Runners-up Championships won Championships runner-up1 Mallow 1 1 2021 2020 St. Michael's 1 1 2022 2021 Éire Óg 1 0 2020 — Newcestown 1 0 2023 — Carrigaline 1 0 2024 —5 Knocknagree02 —2022, 2024 Dohenys01 —2023

By Division DivisionTitlesRunners-UpTotal Avondhu112 Carbery112 Seandun112 Carrigdhoun101 Muskerry101 Duhallow022 Beara000 Imokilly000

Records and statistics Top scorers All time

Rank Player Club Tally Total Matches Average1Ben SeartanBéal Átha'n Ghaorthaidh4-5769154.602Kevin DavisO'Donovan Rossa1-6568125.663Mark BuckleyDohenys4-5062144.424Fintan O'ConnorKnocknagree4-3749104.905Arthur CoakleyBantry Blues2-354185.126Daniel GouldingÉire Óg2-344066.667Adam HennessySt. Michael's5-2439133.00Barry CollinsBandon2-333994.339Seán O'SullivanKiskeam1-3538113.4510Keith WhiteDohenys1-3336142.57

By year + YearTop scorerTeamScoreTotal2020Daniel GouldingÉire Óg2-34402021Mark BuckleyDohenys1-24272022Kevin DavisO'Donovan Rossa0-31312023David BuckleyNewcestown0-3737

In a single game + YearTop scorerTeamScoreTotal2020Daniel GouldingÉire Óg2-07132021Mark BuckleyDohenys0-10102022Ryan O'KeeffeNewmarket4-03152023Anthony O'ConnorKnocknagree1-0811

In finals FinalTop scorerTeamScoreTotal2020Joe CooperÉire Óg1-025Dylan FoleyÉire Óg2021Tadhg DeasySt. Michael's0-0882022Adam HennessySt. Michael's2-0172023David BuckleyNewcestown0-099

See also

Cork Premier Senior Football Championship

References