County hurling final day is special
It has long been dubbed the ‘Little All-Ireland’ and Sunday’s Co-Op Superstores County Premier Hurling decider will endeavour to live up to that billing as East Cork rivals Sars and Imokilly battle for supremacy.
Before that intriguing encounter, it’s the Senior A Final, with Glen Rovers looking for an immediate return to the top flight against a Blarney side that have really impressed en route to the final. Both games are live on C103.
Premier Senior Final
Imokilly v Sarsfields at SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh at 4.15pm
“It has been a strange year and we’re here (in Riverstown) having trained on the pitch for the very first time (last Sunday morning), and we are very grateful to all the clubs particularly Ballinacurra and Brian Dillons for helping us out.” Sars manager Johnny Crowley reflecting on the events of October 2023 almost one year to the day since their facilities were destroyed by the floods.
However they moved on and set out about defending the title, something that no team from Sars has ever done.
“Initially we targeted the league and we won that, then it was the first group game against Douglas, which we also won and we felt that getting a direct route to the semi-final would help.”
Was that a priority? “Not so much a priority but we had a few players away early in the year and by getting the month’s break, it would help us integrate them back into the team and thankfully that’s how it worked out.”
Johnny knows though a real test awaits in the final, even if they did get the better of Imokilly in last year’s semi-final. “Ah look, we know how good they are; it’s virtually an inter-county team and we will need to produce our best display of the season if we are to win. It’s something we as a club have never done and we are looking to do that on Sunday but it’s certainly not going to be easy.”
Denis Ring is the Imokilly coach, a man with a wealth of experience coaching teams and he is really enjoying his time with the divisional side. “It’s fantastic really; a great group of players who just love playing with Imokilly and we get great support from the board officers.”
It has, like all divisional sides, its challenges: “Of course it has and we know the players prioritise their clubs, and that’s only right, but when they come to training or play in challenge games, they give it their all and that is all you can ask for.”
While Imokilly have been very impressive in their wins to date; in particular their dismantling of Blackrock in the semi-final, Denis says Sunday will be another huge test. “Absolutely (Sars are) a fabulous club, given what they endured last season and here they are back in another final, winning all their games going direct to the semi-final and then when it mattered most they got the point to win the game which shows the resolve within the group.”
“I have been impressed by Sars all year and we will need to be very good to win, but having said that, we are confident in our own ability. Our preparation has been good, minimal disruption which is good with so many clubs involved. We will as always give it our best shot and hopefully that will be good enough.”
What we have is two very good teams littered with excellent players all over the field, getting the match ups right will be important, there’s depth in both squads - have Imokilly a bit more in this regard? They could but Sars have all their men back and seem to be hitting form at the right time.
There’s nice mix of youth and experience in the Sars side: Conor O’Sullivan, Daniel Kearney and Craig Leahy have enjoyed multiple wins at this level. Add in Luke Elliott, Paul Leopold, Jack O’Connor, Aaron Myers, James Sweeny and Daniel Hogan and it’s an indication of the strength they have.
Similarly with Imokilly, Eoin Davis is a quality goalkeeper, there’s Ciaran O’Brien, Timmy Wilke, Daire O’Leary, Ciaran Joyce, Jack Leahy, Diarmuid Healy and Sean Desmond. Then you add in the vastly experienced duo of Bill Cooper and Seamus Harnedy and their depth is as strong and in some areas stronger.
Local derbies take on a life of their own, both have been down this road before and well acquainted with County Final day and the pressures it brings.
Imokilly are favourites based on the depth and options they have, but I have a slight fancy for Sars to win - narrowly!
Senior A Final
Glen Rovers v Blarney at SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh at 2.15pm
“Very disappointed at being relegated last year and when we got together at that start of this season, we were determined to get back to the top tier of Cork hurling and now we are just 60 minutes away from achieving our goal.” The words of Glen Rovers captain Dean Brosnan.
Relegation was a real shock, as Dean explains: “We were county champions in 2015 and 2016, lost a few finals after that but when you don’t win your games that’s what happens, and now we must rectify that.”
For Blarney’s Conor Power, they are still hurting after last year’s defeat in the final. “Very much so, especially after the drama of the semi-final, but we parked it and moved on and here we are now back in the final, and really looking forward to Sunday.”
For Conor and his brother, Cork senior Padraig, there’s a strong family connection as their father Pat, played with Glen and football with St Nick’s and the banter started immediately after the semi-final.
“It did all good fun, I suppose he can’t lose really whoever wins!”
Conor though knows how tough it will be. “Glen are a great club and a very good team and it was a shock to everyone that they were relegated but we don’t fear them, obviously we respect them but we are looking forward to the final and we have every confidence in our own ability to get a result.”
As for Dean, getting to the final was the Glen’s first objective and now it is to win, while accepting their form in the semi-final wasn’t great. “No it was not but semi-finals are for winning in whatever way you can and we did that. Now the focus is on Blarney who we know are a very good team, were in the final last year and we know that unless we produce our best, we won’t win.”
Having gone direct to the semi-final without a real test was that a concern? “A bit but you can only play what’s in front of you and we did that, got in a good bit of work before the semi-final and now we are looking to Sunday and hopefully completing the job and atoning for last season’s relegation.”
Both sides went through the group phase unbeaten - Glen won all their games convincingly enough without Patrick Horgan, who then on his return from injury bagged 2-9 in the semi-final win over Castlelyons.
Blarney had a couple of tough tests notably against Na Piarsaigh and Courcey Rovers which showed their resilience, were not at their best against Killeagh in the QF, but displayed their real quality and class by dismantling Bride Rovers in the semi-final.
Interestingly 5 players that started the All-Ireland final, 3 for Glen and 2 from Blarney will feature in this decider.
Robert and Eoin Downey have been excellent for the northside club while Brian Moylan, Eoghan Varian, Rhys Dunne, Simon Kennefick, Eoin O’Leary and Dean Brosnan have all played key roles.
Mark Coleman and Shane Barrett showed their leadership qualities in the tight games as did Padraig Power while Cian Barrett and Cathal McCarthy - incidentally a nephew of Glen manager Tomas Mulcahy, Denis McSweeney and Eoghan Kirby all impressed.
It has the makings of a cracking game, with a lot at stake for both, who are hurting for different reasons after last season - no shortage of motivation on either side.
With quality players on both sides it will be tight and go to the wire, but a nod to Glen to edge it and get back to where they feel they belong, but they have to earn it, and should.
Premier Junior semi-final
Nemo Rangers v Russell Rovers on Saturday in Carrigtwohill at 4pm
Fresh from qualifying for the senior football final, a fair number of Nemo Rangers players will feature in this game, and the limited preparation will not help, but they have been down this road before and got the job done.
Russell Rovers are fancied by many to win this championship out but a few weeks inactivity could hinder them.
St Catherine’s await the winners in the final and the expectation is that in a few weeks time it will be an all East Cork decider.
Ladies football
For the first time in a very long time, Mourneabbey will not contest the Senior A Final. In fact they did not even make the B decider; probably one of the best teams that this championship has seen have come to the end of a remarkable innings, a bit like Ballymacarby’s 43 year winning run ending in Waterford.
So who will succeed them? Well the MTU Grounds on Sunday will witness that when Aghada play Éire Óg who were runners-up last year by a single point to Mourneabbey, and might be slight favourites to win. It’s a 4pm start.
The B final at 2pm features Kinsale and Clonakilty.
Camogie
The big game this weekend is the SE Systems Premier Intermediate Final on Saturday in Castle Road at 2pm with Ballinhassig v Ballinora, while in Ballincollig at 4.30pm, it’s the Lillie O’Sullivan Junior Final with Glen Rovers v Sars.
Inter-provincial
There’s much attention this weekend on the games in Croke Park on Friday and Saturday when Munster, Ulster, Connacht and Leinster trial the new playing rules. The changes brought in after a lengthy process have so far been positively received as it is generally agreed the game can be a hard watch at times.
It will be interesting to see what the reaction after seeing them for the very first time.