Cork club GAA: Breaking down the 2022 Premier IHC, Intermediate A and Premier Junior draws
Niall O'Leary, Castlelyons, in action against Donncha Donovan, Ballinhassig, in last year's Co-Op Superstores PIHC semi-final. Picture: Larry Cummins
CASTLELYONS will have to negotiate a tricky group featuring Carrigaline, Éire Óg and Watergrasshill to have a shot at making a third Co-op Superstores Premier Intermediate Hurling Championship final in a row after the Cork County Board draws were made on Tuesday night.
Last season, Courcey Rovers won the Premier grade, consigning Castlelyons to their second consecutive loss in the decider, and went on to reach the Munster final. Defeat was a bitter pill to swallow for Castlelyons but with Colm Barry, Alan Fenton, Cork senior Niall O'Leary, former Rebel defender Colm Spillane, now focusing on club duty after a tough run of injuries, and his brother Anthony, they remain the team to beat in the PIHC.
Carrigaline have proved capable of posting championship-winning tallies in recent season, with Brian Kelleher, Rob O'Shea, David Drake and David Griffin, who is on the comeback trail from injury, while Éire Óg is on a roll overall.
For Watergrasshill, Daire O'Leary is now on the Cork senior panel after excelling at U20, though there is a transfer request in from Shane Óg Regan to switch to Sars.
Last season, Castlemartyr and Lisgoold captured the IAHC and LIHC titles respectively and both made it two trophies in the space of a few months having also won delayed 2020 championships.
Castlemartyr are in with Ballinhassig, Kilworth and Ballincollig in Group C, and all three of those clubs were matched up in 2021 as well, Hassig and Kilworth progressing to the knockout stages.
Ballinhassig will be expected to emerge again, but after that it'll be a dogfight.
In Group B, selecting a two-top is anyone's guess. Bandon have dropped down from Senior A but are physical and anchored by former Cork senior Michael Cahalane. Youghal will be hoping to have Bill Cooper back after injury, while Valley Rovers and Inniscarra have no shortage of serious hurlers themselves.
Lisgoold will certainly be leading contenders at Intermediate A and they'll meet East Cork rivals Aghada and Midleton, albeit their second team, along with the Rockies' second side, in Group A.
Aghabullogue have been in the mix in recent seasons and they're grouped with neighbours Cloughduv, Dungrouney and Douglas' second team.
Group C in the IAHC includes Mayfield, Kildorrery, Meelin and Sars' second team, who made last season's final and are always a threat given the strength of underage hurling in Riverstown.
The Lower Intermediate tier has been rebranded Premier Junior and from here on will supply the county's representative in the Munster junior championships. That change was implemented because the new tighter split-season timeframe means running Junior A divisional sections feeding into county quarter-finals wasn't an option.
One of the quirks of this is that Ballygiblin, who last weekend lost the All-Ireland junior final at Croke Park to Mooncoin in a thriller, could return to that stage.
For now, they'll be focusing on getting out of a tricky group featuring Ballygarvan, Dripsey and Argideen Rangers. Last year's LIHC runners-up Kilbrittain are in with Milford, Barryroe and St Finbarr's second team. Group B is headlined by Glen Rovers' second team along with Tracton, St Catherine's and Russell Rovers, which is probably the most competitive group, featuring two of the favourites.
Castlelyons, Carrigaline, Éire Óg, Watergrasshill.
Bandon, Valley Rovers, Youghal, Inniscarra.
Ballinhassig, Kilworth, Castlemartyr, Ballincollig.
Aghada, Midleton, Lisgoold, Blackrock.
Cloughduv, Aghabullogue, Douglas, Dungourney.
Sarsfields, Mayfield, Kildorrery, Meelin.
Kilbrittain, Milford, Barryroe, St Finbarr’s.
Ballygarvan, Argideen Rangers, Dripsey, Ballygiblin.
Glen Rovers, Tracton, St Catherine’s, Russell Rovers.
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