Premier Intermediate Hurling preview: John Horgan rates the contenders in wide open grade

THERE would be a general acceptance that one of the most difficult grades to be successful in on the Cork County club hurling championship circuit is at Premier Intermediate level.

All the grades in recent times have been hugely competitive and the group stage of the championship has been a resounding success with every club getting a fair crack of the whip in their endeavours to progress to the knockout stage of the competition.

Over the past number of years, we have been treated to some fine fare across the landscape but if one was asked to select the grade that is most competitive, the answer in a lot of cases would be the aforementioned Premier Intermediate.

The reasons put forward would be that the playing field is very level, more than it might be in some of the other grades, particularly Premier Senior when the destination of the trophy usually rests between a small few clubs and the remainder would not be considered genuine title contenders.

Carrigtwohill, of course, blew that theory out of the water back in 2011 when they did a Foinavon on the rest of the field and ended up in the winning enclosure after being quoted at 100/1 at the outset. That was, however, a glorious one-off and is unlikely to happen again.

Where the Premier Intermediate grade is concerned, the thinking among the vast majority would be that all 12 participants are in with a decent shout of ending up on the podium. There would be no outright favourite in that competition and no rank outsider either.

There would not be a whole pile separating any of the 12 and selecting the two from each of the three groups is an immense task.

Some of the best games from year to year have been played at Premier Intermediate level and last season that was very much the case right through to the final when Inniscarra triumphed over Castlemartyr in the most dramatic of circumstances after a replay.

The conditions on the first day were quite horrible but the fare on offer was compelling all through before the sides could not be separated.

A last-gasp goal from Colm Casey sealed the deal in the replay for Inniscarra after another memorable hour's hurling.

As a result, Inniscarra were elevated to Senior A level and Castlemartyr must go again this season to try and join them in that grade.

The old theory of having to lose one to win one has applied in the past for some clubs but nine times out of ten that might not be the case.

Some of the best games in Cork club hurling were viewed at Premier Intermediate, games that went right to the wire illustrating the thin line that exists between all 12 clubs.

An example of how difficult it is to emerge from this grade is Castlelyons who have been beaten finalists on three occasions in recent times, 2013, 2020 and 2021.

In two of those instances, the margin of defeat was a single point. They'll be one of the more fancied teams again this time in Group A of the competition but being in the top two in a group that also features Bandon, Ballincollig and Dungourney is not going to be an easy task.

There is no city club participating in this championship so it's an all-rural battleground where no quarter will be asked or given.

Group B will feature three clubs from the Carrigdhoun division so the expectation is for fireworks here.

Ballymartle, Carrigaline and Valley Rovers will be joined by Éire Óg and again selecting the top two will be an immense task.

Carrigaline and Valley Rovers might be the fancy of some pundits to emerge but, similar to the other groups, anything you get you will earn that crust.

The final group, Group C has Castlemartyr alongside Ballinhassig, Kilworth and Watergrasshill, try coming up with the two that will progress from that group.

FANCIED

Ballinhassig are usually much nearer the top of the fancied contenders list in most campaigns and that will be the case again this time.

Themselves and Castlemartyr will be renewing acquaintances after their collision in Cobh last season when the East Cork team emerged after an absorbing battle on a scoreline of 1-23 to 1-20.

However, it was a game that could just as easily have gone in the other direction.

Kilworth were in the group too last season and defeated Castlemartyr in the second game while historically, Watergrasshill are always very difficult to get past.

You could make a case for all three groups being a Group of Death because there cannot be any certainty about all three.

But that is the beauty about this Premier Intermediate hurling championship, it's much more difficult to select the top two from each group than it might be in some of the other grades.

A lot of the games will be played in rural venues too which always lends itself to a greater atmosphere and it makes far more sense to do so rather that bringing two country teams into the city.

There is still the best part of a month to pass before the championship commences but with the league campaign now concluded, preparations will start to intensify.

EFFORT

However, this coming weekend will see the finals of the various league sections and there should be considerable interest in the senior final on Friday night at Páirc Uí Rinn where the Rockies will take on Sarsfields.

Both clubs put in a considerable effort throughout the campaign and as both are two of the leading contenders for the championship, the expectation is that this will be a game of great intensity with the Rockies defending their title. 

And both clubs have new management teams directing operations which adds a little bit more to the contest, securing some silverware before the bigger assignments commence.

And credit must go too to all the clubs in all the divisions for the efficient manner with which they went about their business in the secondary competitions.

As we have previously stated, the secondary competitions are far more structured and meaningful too, the county board organising committee and the clubs ensuring that this is the case.

And the generous sponsorship of RedFM has further embellished the senior competition.