Bishopstown's defeat of Glen Rovers was the big talking point of round three of the Cork SHC

WHILE Sunday’s final round of hurling fixtures were mainly about finalising the six clubs that will contest the knockout stages of the Premier Senior Hurling Championship, there is simply no getting away from the fact that the big story from the weekend was Glen Rovers defeat to Bishopstown.

No one gave Bishopstown a chance in this one, with them being penciled in for the relegation play-off months ago in most quarters.

But, to their credit they defied all the odds and expectations, thanks to the late heroics of Town goalkeeper Cathal Fitzpatrick who landed four huge points from frees late on, to leave the Glen reeling.

The proud Blackpool based club must now face-off against Kanturk where the loser will drop to the Senior A grade for 2024.

Considering that Na Piarsaigh dropped down to this grade last year, and were eliminated in agonising circumstances in the group stages this weekend, a defeat for the Glen would mean that the northside of the city might not have a Premier Senior club next year, which would certainly be a headline maker.

Kanturk failed in their effort to dethrone reigning champions St. Finbarr’s in Fermoy, although they did register a score of 1-18 and missed plenty other chances. If they can improve their scoring rate then they will have a great chance of saving their skins.

One thing they will have to improve is their discipline. 

They are one of the biggest sides in the competition, so it is no surprise that they would try to impose themselves physically on opponents, but Ben Cunningham landed sixteen frees against them on Sunday.

You would imagine that Patrick Horgan would finish with a similar total should they concede a similar amount of scoreable frees in the play-off.

The Barr’s lived to fight another day and they now must overcome a Charleville side who were the only team they didn't beat in last years championship. 

They blew everyone away after that opening day draw a year ago. Currently they seem to be struggling to hit those same heights. 

Now would certainly be a good time to start going through the gears.

Sarsfields four goal showing against Newtownshandrum was surely a sign that Sars have the firepower to go deep this year, although their route to the final now looks tricky.

Blackrock and Douglas both qualified for the quarter finals, but you sense that their respective Round 3 loses maybe have been momentum killers in terms of their championship bids.

The Rockies ‘reward’ for losing their Group A decider is a quarter final clash with in-form Sars, as opposed to the automatic semi-final that a win against Midleton would have secured.

Douglas were buzzing after their opening two wins over Erin’s Own and Fr O’Neill's, but their loss on Sunday to a Charleville side without the services of Darragh Fitzgibbon will have done nothing for their title ambitions.

Suddenly they are looking very vulnerable as they face into a knockout clash with divisional kingpins Imokilly.