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Cork Business League Shield Final 2024 / 2025 Match Preview

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FIRST TIME SHIELD FINALISTS Dennehy’s Health & Fitness Grangevale and Longboats will contest next Sunday morning’s 67th CBL Shield Final at St. Colman’s Park, Cobh (kick-off 10.30am), writes Finbarr Buckley

It is the first time in the celebrated history of the competition that two teams outside the top flight with contest a final.Both teams are currently in the top two placings in the first division with Longboats five points ahead of their opponents who have matches in hand. In their only meeting to date, Longboats pipped the Vale on sudden death penalties following a 2-2 draw in their Mooney Cup last sixteen tie.

Paths to the Final ( DHF Grangevale )

  • Helio Inter Cork W 1-0 (Corey Harris)
  • The LAB L 3-4 (Corey Harris (2), Luke Dennehy)
  • Cork Hospitals W 3 – 0  *Objection
  • Suro Cars W 3-1 (Corey Harris (3))
  • Swyft W 3-1 (Brian Murphy, Ben Jenkins, Corey Harris)

Path to the Final (Longboats)

  • DCT FC W 7-1 (Ray Murphy (4), Sam Kendellan, John McCarthy, Liam Cashman
  • ISF Ballyphehane Celtic W 9-3, (Ray Murphy (3), Sean Nagle (2), Stephen Dwyer (2), Stephen O’Sullivan, Liam Cashman
  • Helio Inter Cork W 2-1( Stephen Dwyer, Liam Cashman)
  • Jay Bazz Barbers W 5-1 (Ray Murphy (3), David Scott, Sean Nagle) 
  • The Weigh Inn Dripsey W3-2 (Sean Nagle (2),Ray Murphy)

Both teams will be looking to their much vaulted forward divisions to see them through. Corey Harris is firing on all cylinders for Grangevale at the moment with the support of Luke Dennehy and Aaron O’Sullivan. O’Sullivan, who has fought a serious illness, has the opportunity of creating history by becoming the first player to win a medal with four different clubs following his triumphs with Abtran (2015), Mi Daza Rebels (2016) and Satellite Taxis (2018). O’Sullivan’s three wins are matched by the great John Hayes who won his three back with Liebert (1989), Aer Lingus (1996) and Roches Stores (2004).

Vale keeper Jamie O’Sullivan will be hoping to put the disappointment of last season’s 2-1 defeat with Helio to Doolan’s Cow behind him by coming out on top this season. His opposite number Eddie Walsh has been an ever present between the posts for Longboats since their foundation in 2021. Grangevale are on the cusp of history if they are successful on Sunday. They will become the first team to win a major competition in the three Cork junior leagues, the CBL, the MJL ( City Challenge Cup 1956/57)and the Cork AUL (AOH Cup 1978/79, Corinthians & City Challenge 2021/22).

Longboats’ free scoring front three of January player-of-the-month Sean Nagle, top scorer Ray Murphy and Stephen Dwyer have been in sparking form this season. For Nagle, whose outstanding individual goal in last season’s stunning Linehan Cup win over SCS Crookstown United will live long in the memory, Colman’s Park gives him the opportunity to display his talents to a wider audience.

For myself, my son Alan has the chance to eclipse me by playing for Grangevale in a Shield Final, forty years after I played in my first of three semi-final ties for Roches Stores in November 1985!

Match referee Ken O’Driscoll and his assistants Denis Cronin and Grahame Duffy handled the semi-final tie between DHF Grangevale and Swyft and will be joined by fourth official Stephen Madine. In the event of a draw at the end of ninety minutes, extra-time and penalties will come into play to decide a winner.

Full Time Productions will once again provide live coverage and commentary on You Tube in what promises to be a cracking encounter.