Cork's three final appearances in the same season a feat few have managed

Given the run that Cork hurling is on at the moment, it would be easy to take for granted the magnitude of the county reaching All-Ireland finals at senior, U20 and minor levels.

When the county senior hurling side lost to Limerick in the Munster semi-final on July 3, the notion of making it to a first All-Ireland decider since 2013 would have seemed fanciful, especially as the fact that failing to receive a bye in the qualifier draw would have meant four wins were required.

Even so, having avoided the first round, Cork still faced a tricky task in trying to having to get past Clare, but the manner of the victory provided momentum that helped them overcome Dublin and then Kilkenny – if it were boxing, Cork could now claim to be Leinster champions.

In tandem with those three wins, there have been three more at the U20 grade – the 2020 All-Ireland final a week after the senior game against Dublin and the Munster semi-final and final against Limerick and Tipperary respectively – and three in minor, with Clare, Limerick and Waterford seen off as Munster glory was claimed.

Nine championship matches since July 10, all knockout, and all won – these are special times for Cork hurling after a prolonged period of frustration and disappointment, so it’s important that the achievements are appreciated.

Next week will present an opportunity that isn’t completely unprecedented, but certainly rare. Cork have only ever won the senior, U20 (or U21) and minor in the same year on one occasion, back in 1970. Aside from that, Kilkenny have done it three times, in 1975, 2003 and 2008.

On three other occasions, Cork have contested all three finals in the same year – 1977 (won senior), 1969 (won U21 and minor) and 1966 (won senior, after a 12-year wait, and U21).

Kilkenny reached all three without completing a clean sweep in 1974, 1993, 2004 and 2009 and the only other county to manage it was Galway in 1993, who played Kilkenny in each grade’s decider – the Cats won senior and minor while the Tribesmen claimed the U21. But for their senior semi-final loss to Antrim, Offaly would have been in all three finals in 1989.

Naturally, given the reduced capacity of Croke Park for the senior final on August 22, tickets are at a premium and Cork County Board will distribute the entire allocation through club channels.

As a result, the board has made clear that postal applications directly to Cork GAA offices at Páirc Uí Chaoimh will not be considered. Members of the public are asked to refrain from sending cheques or cash and any payments will be processed online.

One upshot of the semi-final win is that there is now clarity regarding the completion of the 2020 Bons Secours Premier SFC as well as with the start dates for the 2021 competitions.

The senior football decider between Castlehaven and Nemo Rangers – delayed for various reasons, not least the involvement of Damien, Conor and Jack Cahalane with the Cork senior and U20 sides – will now take place on the weekend of August 28/29, the week after the senior All-Ireland.

Whoever wins that game will have little time for celebration as they will face into the opening round of the 2021 competition a week later along with the rest of the senior and intermediate club sides. Then, the Co-op SuperStores-sponsored county hurling championships will kick into gear a week later, the weekend of September 10-12.

As with last year, the second round of games in the hurling will take place before the second round of the football, and thankfully the ‘free weekend’ before the final set of games in each code (hurling first, then football) remains, on October 2/3. As things stand, the final two weeks in November are likely to be when the most of the county finals are played.

This weekend is relatively quiet but there is one title from 2020 up for grabs as Freemount meet Araglen in the county-wide junior B championship decider on Sunday.