Carrigaline and Éire Óg should relish a Division 2 hurling league full of big guns

THE RedFM hurling leagues get underway this weekend, with Division 2 expected to be as competitive as ever.

The second tier of the league was full of surprises last year and when all was said and done at the end of June, it was Glen Rovers and Ballincollig that got promoted. It was a big achievement for both, more in Ballincollig’s case considering they lost their first two games and that they are a premier intermediate side that were jousting with premier senior and senior A clubs.

Division 2 will have two representatives from the premier intermediate grade this year in the shape of Carrigaline and Éire Óg. Both teams will be fully aware of the huge challenges that lie ahead, and they won’t be worried that they will be fancied to drop straight back down, but both should take heart from what Ballincollig achieved in the league last season.

Yes, every campaign is different, and a lot can change as the weeks progress, but Ballincollig’s unlikely promotion was more impressive given they weren’t actually at full strength for any of the nine league outings. The Collig didn’t achieve their ultimate goal of winning the PIHC, but the experiences of last year should stand them in good stead in 2024.

Carrigaline are away tomorrow to Bride Rovers with throw-in at 2.30pm in Rathcormac. Both teams will want to start the league well to get the last campaign out of their system. Bride Rovers lost the SAHC semi-final replay to Blarney, while Carrigaline had to beat Bandon in the relegation play-off to avoid dropping down to the fourth tier of Cork hurling. Carrigaline are a club with unlimited potential, and have been one of the fancied sides in the PIHC over the last few years, but haven’t lived up to it yet. They know they will be under pressure in the league, but if they can get a performance in the matches, the result will take care of itself.

Carrigaline know that after sailing very close to the wind in 2023, the only way is up now, and they will be targeting a strong start to the league, like every other team.

Similar to Carrigaline, Éire Óg will be eager to get the campaign underway after what would have been a long winter for them after being squeezed out of the top two in their championship group stage on the final day last year as the Ovens side missed out on the knockout stages on scoring difference. Éire Óg probably start with one of their toughest tests in many years, with Ger Cunningham’s 2022 Premier SHC winners St Finbarr’s coming to Ovens tomorrow for a 7.30pm throw-in.

The clubs clashed in a memorable SHC quarter-final tie back in 1980, when a late Jimmy Barry Murphy goal denied Éire Óg a semi-final place.

The Barrs will be hurting on many fronts, first of all, inconsistency was their downfall in the league last year, as they finished fourth, and also in the way they lost the Premier SHC semi-final to Midleton. The Togher outfit will want to start on the front foot in 2024.

Éire Óg were unbeaten at home in the league last year, in fact the only team they lost to in 2023 was Ballymartle in league and in championship, which is a great record, but also very unfortunate. That home record will be tested tomorrow, but whatever happens, it’s bound to benefit John Malone’s side in the long run.

The Barrs will be far from full strength, due to injuries, players away and also players with the various Cork teams, but it’s not a new problem and they know how to deal with it at this stage. Promotion will be one of the objectives for them this season, and they will be zoning in on a win tomorrow to get things up and running.

But, the city side were hot and cold in the league last year, and Éire Óg will hope it’s the latter. As first games go, it could be the best time to meet the Barrs, or the worst time. We don’t have long to find out.