The 2016 Cork Senior Football Championship is the 128th edition of the Cork GAA's premier club Gaelic football tournament for senior graded teams in County Cork, Ireland. The tournament consists of 25 teams (19 clubs and 6 of the 8 divisional sides) with the winner going on to represent Cork in the Munster Senior Club Football Championship. The championship has a back-door format for the first three rounds before proceeding to a knock-out format. Generally, any team to lose two/three matches will be knocked out of the championship.
Nemo Rangers were the defending champions after they defeated Castlehaven after a replay in the previous years final.
This was Carrigaline's debut in the senior grade after claiming the 2015 Premier Intermediate Football Championship title.
On 16 October 2016 Carbery Rangers claimed their 1st ever S.F.C. title when defeating Ballincollig in the final in Pairc Ui Rinn 1-15 to 1-12.
Divisional Sides:
Avondhu: - Composed of and Premier Intermediate clubs Fermoy and Mallow, Intermediate clubs Glanworth, Kildorrery and Mitchelstown & Junior clubs Araglin, Ballyhooley, Ballyclough, Ballygiblin, Ballyhea, Buttevant, Castletownroche, Charleville, Churchtown, Doneraile, Grange, Killavullen, Kilshannig, Kilworth, Liscarroll, Milford, Newtownshandrum and Shanballymore all from the north-eastern area of County Cork.
Beara: - Composed of Intermediate clubs Adrigole & Castletownbere and Junior clubs Bere Island, Garnish, Glengarriff and Urhan all from the Beara Peninsula.
Carbery: - Composed of Premier Intermediate club Bantry Blues, Intermediate club Bandon & Junior clubs Argideen Rangers, Ballinascarthy, Ballyroe, Clann na nGael, Diarmuid Ó Mathúna's, Gabriel Rangers, Goleen, Kilbrittain, Kilmacabea, Kilmeen, Muintir Bháire, St. Colum's, St. James, St. Mary's, St. Oliver Plunketts & Tadhg McCarthaigh's all from the barony of Carbery.
Duhallow: - Composed of Premier Intermediate club Kiskeam, Intermediate clubs Ballydesmond & Kanturk, and Junior clubs Boherbue, Castlemagner, Cullen, Dromtarriffe, Freemount, Glenlara, Kilbrin, Knocknagree, Lismire, Lyre, Meelin, Millstreet, Newmarket, Rockchapel, St. John's & Tullylease all from the barony of Duhallow.
Muskerry: - Composed of Premier Intermediate clubs Ballingeary Ballinora, Éire Óg, Grenagh, Macroom and Naomh Abán, Intermediate clubs Aghabullogue and Kilnamartyra & Junior clubs Aghinagh, Blarney, Canovee, Clondrohid, Cloughduv, Donoughmore, Dripsey, Gleann na Laoi, Inniscarra, Iveleary, Kilmurry and Kilmichael all from the baronies of Muskerry West and Muskerry East.
Seandún: - Composed of Premier Intermediate club St. Vincent's, Intermediate clubs Mayfield and Na Piarsaigh &Junior clubsBallinure, Ballyphehane, Brian Dillons, Delaney Rovers, Fr. O'Callaghan's, Gurranabraher, Lough Rovers, Passage West, Rathpeacon, Redmonds GAA, Rochestown, Shandon Rovers, St. Michael's (Blackrock), Whitechurch and White's Cross all from the district of Shandon.
After losing the Relegation Final in 2015 Aghada were originally to be relegated to 2016 P.I.F.C. However, they were spared from relegation after the new championship format was voted in for the 2016 season. Last year's S.F.C. involved 18 teams (16 clubs and 2 divisional sides) but this has been increased in 2016 to 25 teams (17 clubs, 6 divisionals and 2 colleges). Carrigdhoun and Imokilly were the only divisional sides not to be represented in the S.F.C.
The championship will maintain it's 'Back-door' structure.
The following teams have changed division since the 2015 championship season.
2 teams from a random draw play in this round. The winner progresses to Round 1 while the loser goes on to Round 2B.
Avondhu 4-16, 0-6 Ilen Rovers, Coachford, 1/5/2016, [1]
The Preliminary Round winner along with the remaining 23 teams play each other in this round. The 12 winners enter Round 2A while the 12 losers enter Round 2B.
UCC 1-17, 3-10 Seandun, Ballinlough, 19/4/2016 [2]
Carrigaline 0-13, 0-5 St. Nicholas, Ballygarvan, 23/4/2016 [3]
Carbery Rangers 1-17, 2-13 Clyda Rovers, Carrigadrohid, 1/5/2016, (A.E.T.) [4]
Carbery 2-13, 1-14 O'Donovan Rossa, Dunmanway, 2/5/2016 [5]
CIT 1-11, 0-12 Newcestown, Páirc Uí Rinn, 2/5/2016 [6]
Nemo Rangers 3-14, 1-10 Duhallow, Páirc Uí Rinn, 3/5/2016 [7]
Muskerry 2-13, 0-8 Aghada, Caherlag, 7/5/2016 [8]
St. Finbarr's 1-17, 1-7 Beara, Bantry, 7/5/2016 [9]
Douglas 0-14, 1-6 Dohenys, Brinny, 7/5/2016 [10]
Bishopstown 3-8, 0-13 Ballincollig, Páirc Uí Rinn, 7/5/2016 [11]
Castlehaven 0-14, 0-13 Clonakilty, Rosscarbery, 7/5/2016 [12]
Valley Rovers 2-6, 0-11 Avondhu, Watergrasshill, 8/5/2016 [13]
The 12 winners from Round 1 play against each other. The 6 winners progress to Round 4 while the 6 losers enter Round 3.
Bishopstown 3-9, 1-13 UCC, Páirc Uí Rinn, 17/6/2016,
Valley Rovers 0-13, 0-5 Carrigaline , Ballinspittle, 18/6/2016,
Carbery Rangers 1-13, 0-12 Douglas, Dunmanway, 18/6/2016,
St. Finbarr's 1-12, 1-9 Carbery, Macroom, 19/6/2016,
Castlehaven 4-17, 3-9 CIT, Newcestown, 19/6/2016,
Nemo Rangers 3-12, 2-9 Muskerry, Páirc Uí Rinn, 19/6/2016,
The 12 losers from Round 1 and the Preliminary Round loser play against each other. 1 team receives a bye in a random draw. The 6 winners and the team who received a bye enter Round 3. The 6 losers exit the championship (only club teams who lose in this round enter a Relegation Play Off as divisional sides can not be relegated).
Ilen Rovers 4-12, 3-9 Dohenys, Aughaville, 28/5/2016
Clonakilty 3-14, 0-9 St. Nicholas, Bandon, 18/6/2016
Newcestown 3-13, 1-10 Aghada, Ballygarvan, 18/6/2016
Duhallow 3-17, 0-3 Seandun, Coachford, 19/6/2016
Avondhu 1-9, 1-7 O'Donovan Rossa, Coachford, 19/6/2016
Ballincollig 4-9, 0-7 Beara, Bantry, 6/8/2016
Clyda Rovers - Bye
The 6 Round 2A losers play the 6 Round 2B winners along with the team who received a bye in Round 2B. The 6 winners of Round 3 along with the team who received a bye in Round 3 (this cannot be the same side to have received a bye in Round 2B) will progress to Round 4 while the losers will be eliminated from the championship. In the event that the team which received a bye in Round 2B loses in Round 3, and thereby has lost its first two games in the Championship, then that team must take part in the Relegation play-offs to decide the two lowest teams in the championship.
Ilen Rovers 3-8, 0-9 Carrigaline, Clonakilty, 23/7/2016,
Avondhu 2-11, 1-8 Muskerry, Dromtariffe, 1/8/2016,
CIT 1-18, 1-10 Clonakilty, Brinny, 1/8/2016,
Newcestown 2-13, 0-12 UCC, Brinny, 1/8/2016,
Duhallow 4-13, 0-6 Douglas, Coachford, 14/8/2016,
Ballincollig 1-14, 0-14 Clyda Rovers, Blarney, 14/8/2016,
Carbery - Bye
In this round, 3 of the 6 Round 2A winners will receive byes into the Quarter-Finals. The 5 fixtures in this round will consist of the remaining 3 Round 2A winners against the 6 Round 3 winners. The 5 winners of this round will proceed to the Quarter-Finals.
Castlehaven 3-11, 2-11 Ilen Rovers, Aughaville, 13/8/2016
Nemo Rangers 3-11, 0-8 Carbery, Coachford, 14/8/2016
Ballincollig 1-11, 2-8 CIT, Páirc Uí Rinn, 21/8/2016
Avondhu 1-21, 0-14 Newcestown, Watergrasshill, 28/8/2016
Duhallow 2-14, 2-7 Bishopstown, Macroom, 3/9/2016
Ballincollig 1-13, 0-7 CIT, Carrigaline, 11/9/2016 (Replay)
Carbery Rangers - Bye
St. Finbarr's - Bye
Valley Rovers - Bye
Nemo Rangers 3-10, 2-10 St. Finbarr's, Páirc Uí Rinn, 3/9/2016
Carbery Rangers 1-11, 0-6 Valley Rovers, Dunmanway, 11/9/2016
Avondhu 2-15, 2-9 Duhallow, Mourne Abbey, 13/9/2016
Ballincollig 3-15, 0-7 Castlehaven, Clonakilty, 17/9/2016
Carbery Rangers 1-17, 0-8 Avondhu, Pairc Ui Rinn, 2/10/2016,
Ballincollig 1-10, 2-6 Nemo Rangers , Pairc Ui Rinn, 2/10/2016,
Carbery Rangers 1-15, 1-12 Ballincollig, Pairc Ui Rinn, 16/10/2016,
Club sides who lost in Round 2B or who received a bye in Round 2B and subsequently lost in Round 3 enter the Relegation Playoff. The loser of the Relegation Final will relegated to the 2017 Premier I.F.C.
Relegation Preliminary Round:
O'Donovan Rossa 1-14, 0-11 Clyda Rovers, Enniskeane, 10/9/2016
Relegation Semi-Finals:
Aghada 2-9, 0-14 Clyda Rovers, Ballygarvan, 3/10/2016,
St. Nicholas 2-8, 1-11 Dohenys, Ovens, 20/10/2016,
Dohenys 1-10, 1-7 St. Nicholas, Ovens, 4/12/2016,
Relegation Final:
Clyda Rovers -vs- St. Nicholas
