A first tick on the new calendar. The Cork hurlers start 2017 this evening with the Canon O’Brien Cup against UCC (Mardyke, 7pm), but at this time of year, what are the likes of new selector John Meyler looking for?

Blackrock 2-18 Newtownshandrum 2-9: Blackrock swept past Newtownshandrum in the second half of Saturday’s RedFM SHL final at Páirc Uí Rinn to capture the title for the first time since 2008.

Blackrock 1-22 Ballyhea 1-13: Twelve months after losing heavily to Ballyhea, Blackrock were this time standing on the winner’s rostrum after a low-key Cork SHC first round clash at sun-splashed Mallow yesterday.

Ardscoil Rís 2-11 St Francis Rochestown 1-7: Two goals in a four-minute spell midway through the second-half propelled Ardscoil Rís into the penultimate round of the Harty Cup.

St Francis College, Rochestown 0-23 Charleville CBS 2-12: St Francis College turned on the power in the second half of this crucial Harty Cup tie at Mourneabbey yesterday to qualify for the knockout stages in the new year. 

Blackrock 1-21 Duhallow 0-8: Blackrock collected their third Cork U21AHC title in four years – their fifth overall — at Páirc Uí Rinn last night.

Blackrock 1-12 Duhallow 1-12: A courageous fightback by 14-man Duhallow earned them a deserved draw in the Cork U21AHC final at Páirc Uí Rinn yesterday. 

Newtownshandrum 3-18 Blackrock 1-18: A dynamic display from Newtownshandrum in Mallow yesterday saw them advance to a Cork SHC quarter-final tie with Glen Rovers.

Blackrock 3-18 Na Piarsaigh 1-12: Blackrock completed a five-in- a-row in the Seandun Sportsturf Solutions U21 A hurling championship following a 12-point win over Na Piarsaigh at Ballinlough on Saturday.

Blackrock 2-11 St Finbarr’s 0-15: “We are delighted to bury the memory of Ballyhea,” said Blackrock coach, Eddie Murphy, following this Cork SHC second-round victory at Páirc Uí Rinn.

Cork County SHC

St Kieran’s College 2-11 St Francis College, Rochestown 0-10

Cork IT 0-19 NUI Galway 0-10: Cork IT are just one more win away from a third Fitzgibbon Cup final in four years after they advanced past NUI Galway at the CIT Sports Stadium yesterday.

Eight points from John O’Dwyer helped last year’s beaten finalists Cork IT into the semi-finals of this year’s Fitzgibbon Cup as they saw off NUI Galway this afternoon.

Cork IT 1-14UCD 1-10 

Cork IT 1-19 St Pat’s — Mater Dei 1-14: Pat Mulcahy is targeting top spot in Group A and a home tie in the Fitzgibbon Cup quarters-finals after watching Cork IT achieve more capital gains.

St Francis College, Rochestown 4-11Ard Scoil Rís 1-17: Dr Harty Cup semi-final: Not since Midleton CBS’s win of 2006 has a Cork school inscribed its name on the Dr Harty Cup, but the possibility of that run ending remains a live possibility after this Charleville cracker.

CIT 0-17 DCU 1-6: CIT manager Pat Mulcahy praised Tipperary star John O’Dwyer’s big-game character after inspiring his team to an opening-day Fitzgibbon Cup success. The All Star forward shot four important points in the final quarter, and 0-8 in total, to settle a tie that hung in the balance.

St Francis College Rochestown 3-9 Nenagh CBS 2-8: Tour-de-force performances from Ciarán Cormack and Shane Kingston returned St Francis College, Rochestown to the semi-final juncture of the Harty Cup for a second successive year.

St Francis College, Rochestown 2-9 Gaelcholáiste Mhuire AG 1-6

St Francis College, Rochestown 2-14 Midleton CBS 1-08

St Francis College, Rochestown 2-14 Charleville CBS 0-13

Blackrock 2-24 Na Piarsaigh 2-10

St Francis College, Rochestown (Cork)2-8Rice College, Westport (Mayo)1-5

St Francis College, Rochestown 1-13 Thurles CBS 0-11

St Francis College, Rochestown 5-18 Blackwater CS 1-13

Glenbower Rovers 1-06 Lisgoold 1-06 (aet)

Cill na Martra 1-13Glanmire 0-10

Clare’s ambitions to claim a third consecutive Munster minor hurling crown remain intact after they swept past Cork in last night’s play-off tie in Ennis to set up a semi-final date with Limerick on June 29.

Munster MHC champions Clare face a strong test from Cork in Cusack Park, Ennis this evening (7pm) in a backdoor play-off that will determine who faces Limerick in the Jun 29 semi-final.

There are two changes to the Cork side for tomorrow night’s Munster Minor Hurling Championship semi-final second play-off with Clare at Cusack Park, Ennis (7pm).

Cork bounced back from their opening night defeat Limerick to hammer Kerry in this Munster MHC play-off clash at Austin Stack park on Saturday.

Having produced a fantastic team performance for 55 minutes, the Kildorrery players were out on their feet in the final stages of this IFC opening round clash at Rathcormac on Saturday but still did enough to survive a late Glanmire onslaught.

Substitute Liam O’Sullivan was the scoring hero in the finale and wing-forward Ronan Lynch, still eligible for the U16 grade, was the scoring hero for the majority of the game as Limerick enjoyed a successful trip to Páirc Uí Chaoimh last night by claiming a victory over Cork in the opening round of the Munster MHC.

Disappointment tempered by relief, that was the reaction of former Kilkenny great Eddie Keher to the news yesterday that while Richie Power will miss Sunday’s Allianz Hurling League Division 1A final, the injury he suffered playing for Carrickshock in Saturday’s club game against James Stephens isn’t as bad as first feared.

Ballymun Kickhams (Dublin) 3-5 St Michael’s (Cork) 1-2

TWO goals in the opening half set up Sarsfields for a hard-fought win over Midleton in the replay of the East Cork U21AHC final at Ballynoe yesterday.