Cork's Munster and All-Ireland Club IHC success - a stark contrast with senior

Yesterday, we looked at the recent success of senior Cork clubs in the Munster and All-Ireland competitions – or lack thereof.

When you switch the focus to the Cork teams that have played at Intermediate level in Munster, it paints a much-improved picture, which again raises the question, why can’t senior clubs do better?

Bride Rovers were the first team to win the Munster Intermediate Club Hurling Championship, defeating Tipperary’s Kilruane-MacDonagh's in the 2003 final.

But if you zero in on the same time frame looked at yesterday – 2015 to present, Cork is the clear winner in intermediate hurling.

Not only does the Rebel County contain four of the last eight winners, but only two of those eight deciders have been contested without a Cork representative.

It’s a testament to the sheer depth in quality among Cork clubs, particularly as you go through the grades in hurling.

COMPETITIVE

Kanturk, Charleville and Fr O’Neill’s, three clubs that now play in the PSHC grade, were crowned Munster intermediate champions in 2017, 2018 and 2019. The most recent Cork winner in Castlelyons last season, made it four Munster titles in the last six seasons.

In total, Cork have nine Munster Intermediate Hurling Championship titles, while the remaining five counties have a combined total of 11.

When you look at the All-Ireland series, only two counties have more than one Intermediate title winning club.

Kilkenny with eight, and Cork with three.

Blarney, Ballymartle and Kanturk are the three Cork clubs to have gone all the way and win the All-Ireland title, with the latter’s win the most recent – a 1-18 to 1-17 victory over Kilkenny side Ballyragget in 2017/18.

But when you go through the performances in each year – it’s clear that the Cork clubs are almost always competitive – a stark contrast from their senior counterparts.

In 2015/16, Newcestown were victorious against Tipperary’s Clonakenny in the semi-final, before falling short against Wolfe Tones of Clare in the Munster decider.

The following season saw Bandon well beaten in the quarter final against Waterford side Lismore, but from there the results are far better.

Kanturk won well against Tipperary’s St Mary’s and Kerry’s Ballyduff – setting up a final with Clare outfit Kilmaley.

The north Cork side needed extra time but got over the line to win by a point, with Liam O’Keeffe getting the goal that decided the game.

They made light work of London side Kilburn Gaels in the All-Ireland quarter-final, before sending Armagh’s Eoghan Ruadh on their way with a 10-point win.

In the final against St Patrick’s Ballyragget, Kanturk left it late, but Ian Walsh pointed them to victory – securing the All-Ireland club IHC title.

In 2018/19, another north Cork side in travel came to fore – with Charleville representing the county in Munster. They beat Kerry’s Lixnaw by nine in the semi-final before edging Clare side Feakle in the Munster final.

Their win over Graigue-Ballycallan in the All-Ireland semi-final was the last a Cork intermediate team achieved over a Kilkenny club to date, and the set up a final with Galway’s Oranmore-Maree.

Unfortunately, they lost out in the final, but again – it was a campaign to be proud of.

Fr O’Neill’s made it to the same stage the following year – winning the Munster crown after a 2-15 to 0-17 win over Waterford side Ballysaggart, and after getting the better of Mayo juggernaut Tooreen in the semi-final, it set up a meeting with a Kilkenny representative for the third consecutive year.

In an eight-goal thriller, O’Neill’s fell short losing by a solitary score in added time against Tullaroan.

In 2021/22, Courcey Rovers fell short in the Munster final against Kerry’s Kilmoyley, losing out by three points. The following year in 2022/23, Inniscarra were beaten at the Munster semi-final stage by Tipp’s Roscrea.

2023/24 was the best year for a Cork intermediate side since 2019/20, with Castlelyons winning the Munster title and going all the way to the All-Ireland final, but in the end were beaten well by Kilkenny’s Thomastown.

Still a competitive year, and another Munster championship won by a Cork club.