Cork hurling previews: Sars' latest quest for back-to-back glory begins
HUNTING FOR MORE: Sean Daly of St. Finbarr's fails to stop Jack O'Connor of Sarsfields. Pic: Jim Coughlan.
Sars. The target is the same as it was in 2009, ‘11, ‘13, ‘15, and ‘24, that is to achieve the club’s first-ever back-to-back.
Sars. With Johnny Crowley and Diarmuid O’Sullivan now in their fourth year at the helm, Sars are a most finely tuned system. There is clarity of identity, approach, and purpose.
An absolute help for this latest back-to-back effort is that management has been working with the entire group since January onwards when Cork’s league panel contained not a single member from the county championship-winning side.
Jack O’Connor, Cian Darcy, and Colm McCarthy all played Munster SHL before failing to make the 36-man panel, while Daniel Hogan was not recalled after involvement in the 2025 Cork set-up.
They come into championship off the back of a fourth successive Division 1 League title. County minor glory last October offers fresh options for a group not short on miles.
Might not fit the description given they were within a point of Sars in last year’s county semi-final, but we’re going to plump for the Barrs here. Definite intrigue as to what the Murray brothers - Paudie and Kevin - can conjure at the helm. While Billy Hennessy is a significant loss, a plus for the small ball department out in Togher is that Cork senior Ethan Twomey is hurling-only this summer.
If they can hang on in the topflight, the age profile of promoted Bride Rovers is perfect for a side attempting to embed themselves in the Premier Senior grade. Seven of last year’s county final winning team - Denis Cashman, Conor Hazelwood, Cillian Tobin, David Barry, Adam Walsh, Cormac O’Sullivan, and Josh Ahern - were U21 at the time.
Finished ahead of Newtownshandrum, Newcestown, and Kanturk to secure promotion out of Division 2 earlier this season. They subsequently added Division 2 silverware when Brian Roche clipped five from play for a 10-point final win over Erin’s Own.
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Two heavyweight clashes to announce the opening weekend of action. Midleton and the Barrs square off in Group 3 this Friday at Páirc Uí Rinn (7.15pm). At the same venue the following day (7.30pm) in Group 1, the Glen and Blackrock renew northside-southside rivalries.
Defeat won’t be fatal for whoever comes off second best in the respective ties, but it will make precarious their path to the knockout stages. Room for error will have been removed in its entirety.
An unconvincing nod to Group 1, but only if Fr O’Neill’s and Kanturk prove capable of making life uncomfortable for the city pair of Glen Rovers and Blackrock. Thankfully, both have form in this regard.
Fr O’Neill’s came within two of the Glen towards the finish of last year’s group fixture at Midleton, while Kanturk were within three of the Rockies at half-time in their respective group fixture 12 months ago. Michael O’Halloran’s early second half goal was the game’s crucial score, even if Kanturk continued to prove most stubborn opposition. In the county quarter-final clash between the pair 12 months further back, two was the difference entering the final quarter in Blackrock’s favour.
That same 2024 season, Fr O’Neill’s stunned St Finbarr’s in the group stages to reach a first-ever Premier Senior quarter-final. Is the class of 2026 capable of stunning another city force?
The way we see it, there are five outstanding contenders. They are, in no particular order, Sars, Midleton, the Barrs, the Glen, and the Rockies. Five into four doesn’t go, so someone is losing out. Two could even lose out if Imokilly can refresh and relaunch.
Sars will be one of the quartet such is the favourable group draw they were handed. If you glance back up at the glamour ties, the respective beaten sides from Barrs-Midleton and Glen-Rockies will be under pressure to reach the last four as a second-place finish in their respective group will deliver a more difficult quarter-final assignment.
Bride Rovers edged a gripping final against neighbours Castlelyons last year to secure their place at the top table. They meet Newcestown, the 2023 winners, in the opener this Saturday.
All the clubs that have won the SAHC since it was introduced in 2020, have stayed in Premier Senior: Charleville, Kanturk, Fr O’Neill’s, Newcestown and Glen Rovers.
Blarney, beaten in the 2023 and ’24 deciders, fell at the semi-final stage last winter but remain the leading contenders. With three Cork seniors in Mark Coleman, Shane Barrett and Pádraig Power, they will always be fancied to take the next step with Paul O’Leary back at the helm.
Having led the 2025 replayed final against Bride coming down the stretch, Castlelyons are firmly in the mix. They’ve a tight pick but with the likes of Niall O’Leary, Anthony and Colm Spillane, Alan Fenton and Colm Barry, they’re not short on quality.
Erin’s Own were relegated but only after a replay against Newtown. Robbie O’Flynn is their marquee man but they’ve a talented young crop and recently got promoted from the Division 2 league. However, only the Glen bounced back immediately after dropping to Senior A.
Killeagh have struggled to make an impact in recent years but should start reaping the rewards from their thriving underage section, especially after Barry Walsh’s breakthrough season with Cork. His cousin Ben will also be a key figure.
Beating Fermoy this weekend will be critical to getting out of a group that also contains Erin’s Own and Na Piarsaigh.
Carrigtwohill, managed by Denis Walsh and coached by Johnny Dwyer, won all their group games last year and were very impressive in Division 1 of the league. However, a season-ending injury to electric forward Seán Walsh was a major blow on the eve of championship.
Ballinhassig make the step up after a storming second half saw off Ballincollig in the PIHC final.
John O’Sullivan’s side survived a host of injuries in 2025 and at full strength have a quality squad, including Rebel hurlers Patrick Collins and Darragh O’Sullivan. Adam O’Sullivan was an exceptional underage forward for Cork and at full tilt is hard to stop.
Four of the contenders collide on opening weekend. It’s Blarney against Castlelyons on Saturday at 2pm in Riverstown while at 5.45pm in Páirc Uí Rinn, Erin’s Own take on Na Piarsaigh.
Looking ahead, Carrigtwohill and Ballinhassig on Saturday, September 5 in the last group game should be a belter. Watergrasshill and Blarney in Grenagh on the same evening should also be a cracker as the Hill, spearheaded by Seán Desmond and Daire O’Leary, are very capable of upsetting the odds in Group 1.
Carrigtwohill, Courcey Rovers, Ballinhassig and Inniscarra looks the most evenly poised since Seán Walsh’s injury. The openers which pit Carrig against Scarra and Courceys versus Hassig in a South East derby, will dictate a lot.
Blarney, Erin’s Own, Castlelyons and Carrigtwohill.
Ballinhassig had six to spare over Ballincollig in last year’s decider. They are nobody’s Premier Intermediate problem in 2026.
Hmm, that’s a tough one. Is there an obvious favourite? Do Ballincollig wear the crown simply because they were involved on the concluding day in 2025? They were beaten semi-finalists for the two years before that, so they’re nothing if not consistently challenging.
Valley Rovers, maybe. Suffered for the absence of injured Chris O’Leary when falling to Cloyne in the quarter-final last season. Took points from five of their nine Division 2 fixtures in 2026.
Aghabullogue are determined for a much better showing than in 2024 when the promoted Intermediate A champions returned straight to the fourth tier. The same as 2024, Éire Óg and Ballincollig are again in their group. Bishopstown complete the local feel to Group 1. Survival is most achievable for a side that earned promotion to Division 3 in recent weeks.
Has to be the clash of neighbours Bishopstown and Ballincollig at Ballyanley on Sunday (5.15pm). The latter were beaten finalists last year, the former were relegated from Senior A. Both have designs on the ultimate prize. Both want to dent the designs of the other.
Another easy pick. Group 2 is dripping in East Cork hostility. Castlemartyr, Cloyne, Dungourney, and Lisgoold will be cutting through each other to claim the two tickets to the knockout phase. Cloyne and Dungourney were beaten semi-finalists last year.
It isn’t very long ago that Castlemartyr were a converted free away from winning this grade outright, albeit the absence of injured Ciarán Joyce significantly weakens their hand. As for Lisgoold, they acquitted themselves just fine - third place in Group 3 - during their maiden spin at Premier Intermediate last summer.
We’re going to lean towards Ballincollig, Carrigaline, and Valley Rovers, primarily because of their lengthy runs the past two years in the case of Ballincollig and Carrigaline, but also the fact that all three were operating in Division 2 during spring and early summer.
This fortnightly exposure to Premier Senior and Senior A sides should give them a head start on others in the third tier. Whoever joins Ballincollig in emerging from Group A could also be part of the final four line-up.
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