John Horgan picks the six Cork hurling clubs to emerge from the Premier Senior group stages

FOR the first time since 1994, St Finbarr’s will begin the Cork County SHC as defending champions.

And the first question to ask is, can they retain the title that they won so gloriously last season after defeating southside rivals, Blackrock in the final?

Recent history, going back to the start of the new millennium, has shown that defending their title has proved beyond the best of club teams.

Two of the best teams in that period have been Newtownshandrum and Sarsfields, winning four titles each but never defending it.

The Glen did it in 2015 and 2016, Erin’s Own did it in 2006 and 2007 and the Rockies before that in 2001 and 2002.

Now it’s the turn of the Barrs and they set sail on the voyage this weekend against Newtownshandrum in a group that also contains Kanturk and Sarsfields.

TREAT

The new format has worked a treat since its introduction, three groups of four teams with the top two progressing to the knockout stage.

It’s as fair a system as you can get, each club guaranteed at least three games and if you don’t make it through you really cannot have too many complaints.

So, who is likely to be in the chase when the business end of the season is reached?

Predicting the two that will emerge from the three groups is no easy task and that’s the way it should be, giving the competition a far more competitive edge.

As in every group format, winning your opening game is hugely important or getting a draw at the very least. A loss and you are on the back foot with no margin for error.

Group A has that minefield look about it — the Rockies, Glen, and Midleton alongside Bishopstown; the four clubs vying for the two top spots.

There are new management teams in Church Road, Blackpool, and in Midleton, adding further to the intrigue.

Bishopstown would be regarded as the outsiders of the four, but that suits them, though they won’t be taken lightly by the other three.

In fact, given how level the playing field has become, not one of the 12 participants should be underestimated.

The opening game, the Rockies against the Glen, has a huge appeal about it, a throwback to long ago when their jousts were legendary.

Blackrock, on the basis of being runners-up last season, are probably slight favourites and they recently contested the SHL final against Sars.

However, they were second best on that occasion and it goes without saying that they will be looking for a significant improvement on that performance.

Ritchie Kelleher is back at the helm with the Glen and his track record speaks for itself, leading the club to glory in 2015 and 2016, and a person who always gets the best out of a team.

Both clubs contain players who have county medals on their mantlepiece while there is a youthful dimension to both as well.

We’ll know a lot more about both sides' overall prospects after this opener.

CHASE

Group B is equally interesting, Erin’s Own, Douglas, Charleville, and Fr O’Neill’s chasing the top two spots with the only certainty being the uncertainty.

O’Neill’s sit at the top table and how they have got there is, in many ways, the stuff of dreams. It wasn’t all that long ago that they were a club participating in the East Cork JHC, but through very good organisation, strong management teams, and the emergence of players who came up through the ranks, all of that combined to produce what is now a very forceful unit.

There is a step up from senior A to premier, but this group of players are fairly well battle-hardened and won’t be out of their depth against their more experienced foes in the group.

Douglas and Erin’s Own are probably the fancied two in the group, but who would put money on that, and the Caherlag team had a very poor league campaign.

This is probably the most open of the three groups.

Group C has Sarsfield’s and the Barrs as the two big fancies to emerge with the Riverstown unit, after a very positive league campaign and a panel that looks stronger than most, the fancy of many to go all the way.

Kanturk and Newtown also feature in this group, both regarded as always being dogged opponents.

The Barrs removed a huge monkey off their backs last season and were richly deserving of their first title win since 1993.

That team contained a lot of young players who are now a year older and wiser too, although the loss of Ben O’Connor to rugby is a significant blow.

However, there’s a lot of pressure off now and it will be a big surprise if it isn’t they and the Riverstown men going through.

Of course, outside of the clubs going for glory, you have the divisional and colleges factor too.

Avondhu have put in a big effort thus far in that section and Imokilly still have the experience of a lot of players who were three-in-a-row winners a short few years ago.

You never know what to expect from UCC but any UCC 15 can test the best.

The east Cork team, still look the most likely to really challenge the clubs and with Ciaran Joyce in the heart of their defence and Seamie Harnedy up front, they have to be looked at very seriously.

JOHN HORGAN'S PREDICTIONS:

Group A: Blackrock, Glen Rovers 

Group B: Erin’s Own Douglas 

Group C: Sars and the Barrs.

Colleges/Divisional section: Imokilly.