Inniscarra: first PIHC winners not to make it out of the group in first year at senior

THIS season feels like it was a step back for Inniscarra in some ways. Their lack of competitiveness at Senior A was paramount in 2023.

Or did they merely fail to follow an impossible trend set by previous PIHC winners?

Given they were Premier Intermediate champions in 2022, Scarra were a little off the pace this year, but crucially – they avoided relegation.

Take the previous Premier Intermediate winners – Courcey Rovers.

The Ballinspittle/Ballinadee outfit were crowned champions in 2021, and the following year won two of their three group games, only losing to Fr O’Neill’s.

They eliminated Ballyhea and Fermoy on their path to the Senior A final, but finished runners up, despite holding a five-point lead over O’Neill’s at the short whistle.

The Ballymacoda/Ladysbridge side took the crown after a dominant second half.

Blarney, the 2020 champions – hit the ground running as soon as they were promoted.

To their credit, Blarney’s run to the PIHC title was a relatively dominant one, as they beat Inniscarra by 14 points, before following that up with their only defeat of the campaign – a 1-20 to 1-14 loss against Castlelyons.

They replied with a dominant win over the Rockies’ second string, winning by 2-23 to 1-13. A tough quarter final saw the club overcome Ballincollig by a point, but they cruised through Carrigaline, winning by 17 in the semi-final to book a chance at redemption against Castlelyons.

Defeating the Imokilly side by eight in the final, Blarney secured promotion.

In their first year at Senior level, they made it to the quarter finals in 2021, with Cork star Mark Coleman the grade’s top scorer.

In 2022, they succumbed to group stage elimination, but 2023 was the Muskerry outfit’s best run – making it to the final and forcing a replay with Newcestown.

Though they lost at the second time of asking, it’s been a steady improvement and they’ve been expected to be contenders each year since their promotion from Premier Intermediate.

However, it's 2019’s Premier Intermediate champions that are undoubtedly the biggest success story.

While Fr O’Neill’s secured the PIHC title and promotion in 2019, the grade restructure brought four more clubs up a tier; Fermoy, Cloyne, Kilworth and Mallow.

Dominant in the group stages, Fr O’Neill’s scored 10-55 across their first three games in the second tier of Cork hurling.

A three-goal win over Newcestown in the semi-final preceded a gut-wrenching final defeat – with Charleville taking the crown despite Fr O’Neill’s leading by nine at the half time break.

Back for more in 2021, Fr O’Neill’s kick started their campaign with a draw to Newcestown, before overturning a five-point deficit at the interval to defeat rivals Killeagh by four. In the last group game, they thumped Cloyne – beating another east Cork opponent and topping the group.

After yet another semi-final win, and a third consecutive victory over an Imokilly side, Fr O’Neill’s had booked back-to-back final appearances.

Again, they fell short. This time it was Kanturk who dealt the killer blow, as Colin Walsh’s 3-1 ensured nothing but déjà vu heading home to Aghavine.

Though lightning had struck twice – it wouldn’t strike a third time, and in 2022 they finally got over the line, beating Courcey Rovers.

Once again, Charleville, the 2018 Premier Intermediate winners – though champions before the change in format, went on to become the inaugural Senior AHC winners.

Newcestown's success in 2023 means that this year marked the first season a club crowned Senior A winners were not competing at Premier Intermediate in 2017.

Inniscarra are also now the first PIHC winners not to make it out of the group stage in their first year at Senior A.