Cork hurling wins leads to club football revamp

Cork’s qualification for Sunday week’s Allianz Division 1 Hurling League final against Kilkenny has meant a re-scheduling of the football championship fixture programme.

An extensive number of games had been pencilled in for Sunday, May 6 but following the victory over Tipperary last weekend, the schedule has been significantly altered.

At last night’s meeting of the Cork county board it was confirmed that no club football games will take place in opposition to the league decider in Thurles with the senior football tie between Carbery Rangers and Clonakilty, and the premier intermediate football clash of St Michael’s and Kiskeam the only two set to be played that Sunday evening, May 6.

The involvement of Cork hurlers John Gardiner, Sean Óg Ó hAilpín, Eoin Cadogan, Patrick Cronin and Damien Cahalane in that showdown in Thurles has led to their club’s senior football championship games being altered. Cronin’s club Bishopstown will now face Nemo Rangers on the day after the league decider, May 7, as will Cahalane’s outfit Castlehaven when they play Aghada.

Castlehaven did seek to get their game moved to Saturday, May 5due to Cahalane’s presence on the Cork squad but county board secretary Frank Murphy stated that would not be allowed as he was a member of the hurling league final squad.

Gardiner and Ó hAilpín will line out for Na Piarsaigh in opposition to a Douglas side that will field Cadogan on May 9. The presence of Paudie O’Sullivan in the Cork attack has also resulted in a change to his club Cloyne’s IFC first round tie against Éire Óg and that game will now be played on May 12.

Meanwhile there was plenty criticism from club delegates in relation to the chaotic scenes outside Semple Stadium as patrons attempted to secure tickets to enter last Sunday’s league semi-final double-header. Cork county board chairman Bob Ryan expressed his best wishes to senior hurling captain Donal Óg Cusack, who starts his rehabilitation from the Achilles tendon injury he suffered last Sunday.

“I’d like to wish our captain Donal Óg Cusack well after he suffered a very serious Achilles Tendon injury last Sunday.

“He has now had corrective surgery, we wish him a speedy recovery in the weeks and months ahead.

See Results section for fixtures.