Northside struggles the dominant theme in Cork football's relegation playoffs

Last week we looked at which club hurling teams have found themselves caught up in relegation battles one too many times, but even Douglas’ second team and Charleville’s seniors can’t match the leading culprits in Cork club football.

Unlike Charleville in hurling, there are no football sides who have gone three or more times to the well and survived every drop. Macroom are the only exception of note – the sole club to feature in multiple deciders and maintain a 100% survival rate.

They’ve done it in back-to-back years, first beating Na Piarsaigh in 2023 and then Ilen Rovers last season.

It’s those two, Ilen and Na Piarsaigh, who fill two of the top four spots for the most frequent visitors to relegation playoffs.

Ilen Rovers share the top of the list with four appearances, but their record makes for grim reading. They’ve lost three of the four, tumbling from Premier Senior in 2021 all the way down to Intermediate A in just four seasons. Their lone escape came in that first playoff, a PSFC clash with Bishopstown in 2020.

Ilen Rovers' Dan McEoin shoots from Macroom's Rory Buckley during the McCarthy Insurance Group Premier IFC relegation/playoff at Dunmanway last year. Picture: Eddie O'Hare

Na Piarsaigh’s fortunes aren’t much brighter. They managed to beat Gabriel Rangers in the 2020 Premier Intermediate decider, but since then have lost out to Macroom (2023) and their neighbours St Vincent’s (2024) in Intermediate A.

Vincent’s themselves have been walking a tightrope, with three playoff appearances in the last four years. Twice they’ve survived – against Na Piarsaigh in 2024 and St Nick’s in 2021 – but they did drop from Premier Intermediate in 2022 after losing to Naomh Abán.

As for St Nick’s, the third northside club on this list, they’ve been the most regular in danger. They were relegated from Senior A by Bantry Blues in 2020, sent down again the following year by St Vincent’s at Premier Intermediate, and fell once from in 2022 as one of four teams to be dropped from Intermediate A and join the inaugural Premier Junior championship.

Last season, they nearly suffered a fourth drop in five years, but clung on against St James’. Their record of one win and three losses leaves them tied with Ilen Rovers as the busiest strugglers under the new format.

Ciaran Horgan, St. Nicks, gets away from Aidan Moynihan, Canovee, during their Division 6 FL final this season. Picture: Jim Coughlan.

The fact that with the exception of Ilen Rovers, the rest of the top four consist of city clubs from the northside, suggests a deeper issue. It isn’t simply down to coaching standards or a lack of effort.

The single biggest factor is housing demographics.

Beyond that, Éire Óg, Bishopstown, Carrigaline, Bantry Blues and Kinsale have all featured in two relegation deciders, splitting their records; one win, one defeat apiece.

And so, standing apart are Macroom: the only club to face more than one playoff and emerge with a spotless survival record.

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