Cork look to complete first Munster club hurling clean sweep since 2005

An exciting weekend awaits as three Cork clubs head into Munster hurling finals for the first time since 2009.

Back then, Newtownshandrum, Douglas, and Fermoy were flying the flag, albeit the three finals were held on different weekends. That year was the last time a Cork club claimed the Senior title, although the latter duo came up a point short in the lower grades.

The feat of producing finalists in all three competitions was repeated in 2003, ’05, and ’06. 

The best return came in ’05 as Newtown, Ballinhassig and Fr O’Neills all claimed provincial glory. 

That followed an inter-county clean sweep in Munster and All-Ireland Senior success earlier that trophy-laden year.

In fact, Cork claimed five of the six Munster Club titles across both codes with Nemo and Carbery Rangers adding Senior and Intermediate crowns, while Erin’s Own came up just short of a magical sextet.

UPHILL

A hurling clean sweep this weekend would be a monumental achievement but an uphill one going on all known form.

That applies to the Senior showpiece where Ballygunner are chasing a fourth consecutive title to go clear of Blackrock atop the roll of honour on six victories.

They are unbeaten in 11 Munster games. In fact, no team has come within one score of them in that span and more than half of those outcomes have been decided by double-digit margins.

Not that they’ve been playing any old cannon fodder along the way. Five of those wins were against teams that have reached the All-Ireland in the past decade: Na Piarsaigh (twice), Ballyea (twice), and Kilmallock.

The draw has shown them little charity either. They haven’t received any of the three semi-final byes in the past four years. In each of the past three years, they have travelled away to the Limerick champions and left the Gaelic Grounds victorious.

They haven’t seen much of Cork opposition but they turned over Sunday’s opponents Sarsfields by 17 points last year.

On the other hand, Sars know plenty about the Gunners having competed well with them in frequent challenge matches over the years. 

They will be steadfast in their determination to produce better this time around. Their Walsh Park meeting was a blow-out but they travel to Thurles with some revived momentum. Their eight-point victory over Feakle was hewn from dominating breaking balls and turnovers.

Their reshuffle worked. Goalkeeper Ben Graham’s distribution gave them a fresh edge while his shot-stopping held up to scrutiny. 

New centre-back Cillian Roche showed his ability to read the game and put Sars on the front foot. Pauric Mahony will prove another test of his ability to juggle man-marking with covering his colleagues. Up front, the form of Aaron Myers, Jack O’Connor, and Cathal McCarthy offered a forceful reminder of the trouble they can cause top teams.

It was interesting to see Sars leaving aside their usual sweeper tactic for a more traditional, man-on-man approach at the Páirc.

The onus rests on players to win their individual battles if they are to throw a homecoming for the Billy O’Neill Cup, which commemorates their club founder and one of their most legendary hurlers.

While Cork clubs have claimed three Senior titles in the last 20 years, all for Newtown, they account for nine Intermediate titles and 14 Junior in that timeframe.

At Junior level, Rebel sides could complete six in a row should Russell Rovers beat Kilrossanty to regain the trophy they captured in 2019.

The Waterford champions have been the closest challengers to Cork at that grade, pocketing the last three titles which didn’t head Leeside, but Rovers’ track record gives them the edge. They were eight points better than Déise outfit St Mary’s in that 2019 decider.

In the Intermediate final, Watergrasshill’s first-ever provincial final comes against a Cashel King Cormacs side bidding to end a 12-year Tipperary title drought at that level.

While their depleted footballers flopped against Kilmurry last weekend, the Cashel hurlers have shown a keen nose for the finish line. 

Late flurries saw them overhaul Newcastle West and Abbeydorney, while they twice required extra time in the Tipp championship.

IMPRESSIVE

Their youthful line-up has displayed strong progress over the year but the Hill were ultra-impressive against a star-studded Wolfe Tones na Sionna unit and deserve to travel to Limerick full of confidence.

The experience of big occasions and tough opposition from Imokilly’s county final victory over Sars will give them another advantage in what shapes up as potentially the game of the weekend.