Carbery Junior A Football Championship
The Carbery Junior A Football Championship (known for sponsorship reasons as the Bandon Co-op Carbery Junior A Football Championship and abbreviated to the Carbery JAFC) is an annual club Gaelic football competition organised by the West Cork Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association and contested by the top-ranking junior clubs in West Cork, Ireland, deciding the competition winners through a group stage and knockout format. It is the most prestigious competition in West Cork Gaelic football.
| Carbery Junior A Football Championship | |
|---|---|
| Irish | Craobh Peile Sóisear A Cairbre |
| Code | Gaelic football |
| Founded | 1926 |
| Region | Carbery (GAA) |
| Trophy | Mick McCarthy Cup |
| No. of teams | 16 |
| Title holders | Barryroe (2nd title) |
| Most titles | Bandon (16 titles) |
| Sponsors | Bandon Co-op |
| Official website | Carbery GAA |
Introduced in 1926 as the West Cork Junior Championship, it was initially a straight knockout tournament. The competition went through a number of format changes since then, including the introduction of a back-door or second chance for beaten teams. The competition took on its current format in 2022, adding a round-robin group stage and limiting the number of entrants.
In its current format, the Carbery Junior Football Championship begins with a group stage in late summer. The 16 participating teams are divided into four groups of four and play each other in a round-robin system. The two top-ranking teams in each group proceed to the knockout phase that culminates with the final. The winner of the Carbery Junior Championship, as well as receiving the Mick McCarthy Cup, also qualifies for the subsequent Cork Junior A Football Championship.
The competition has been won by 22 teams, 18 of which have won it more than once. Bandon are the most successful team in the tournament's history, having won it 16 times. Barryroe are the title-holders, after defeating Kilmacabea by 1-12 to 0-14 in the 2023 final.