PSHC and SAHC draws: Barrs and Rockies in group of death while Blarney and Bride Rovers meet again
Glen Rovers Patrick Horgan shoots for a goal against Castlelyons during the Co-Op Superstores SAHC semi final at SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh. Picture: Eddie O'Hare
Glen Rovers will mark their return to the Co-Op Superstores Premier Senior Hurling Championship with a clash against Erin’s Own in the opening round – and will conclude their group stage action against Munster senior champions Sarsfields.
While Sars and the Glen meet for the first time since their semi-final in 2021, the ‘group of death’ has a few familiar faces. Group 3 – saw the Rockies, Kanturk, Douglas and the Barrs all drawn together.
After featuring in the group of death together in 2021 and 2022, before another group stage meeting in 2024 – Blackrock and St Finbarr’s meet once again, this time in the second round of fixtures.
Douglas’ inclusion adds a third city team to increase the stakes – while Kanturk are more than capable of beating any of the three teams in their group.
Group 2 and 3 sees repeats of last year’s quarter finals in the opening round, with Midleton facing Newtownshandrum and Blackrock taking on Kanturk.
Given the progression of both north Cork outfits in 2024 – they’ll provide stern tests for this year’s beaten semi-finalists.
Charleville meet Midleton in the group stage once again, with the pair, like this season, joined by a north Cork side in Newtownshandrum. Newcestown take the final spot and face Charleville in the opening round.
Beaten quarter-finalists Fr O’Neill’s will face Erin’s Own in the final round of fixtures for an east Cork derby as the pair did in 2023 – which was a drawn result in Cloyne.
In the second round of fixtures the Glen will face O’Neill’s – meaning this year’s SAHC winners will certainly be targeting a return to the knockout stages in their first year back at the top grade.
The change in seedings from three to two simplified the draws – but also ensures the first round of fixtures are a face-off between each first seeds and each second seed across all of the groups in both codes.
That also ensures the trilogy gets a reboot in the first round of hurling fixtures.
Bride Rovers and Blarney will meet once again in the Co-Op Superstores Senior A Hurling Championship.
Having played two semi-finals in 2023 – the first which was voided after Bride Rovers’ won a free to take it to extra time, when Bride Rovers sought to make a substitution at a late stage, ending up with 16 players on the pitch at the time.
After being defeated by Rovers on penalties, the Muskerry side appealed the result and won the replay against Rovers.
The sides met again in the semi-final this year – with Blarney’s blistering second half ensuring they cruised to victory, 2-19 to 1-11.
The opening round of Group 3 will see the circumstantial rivals meet again – a fixture Bride Rovers will certainly want to win, given how the last two results went.
Bride Rovers and Blarney alone gives reason to bring out the ‘group of death’ label once more, but with the addition of Premier Intermediate and Munster Intermediate hurling champions Watergrasshill – at least one Senior A heavyweight is going to miss out on the knockouts.
Beaten quarter-finalists Killeagh will face Na Piarsaigh in the Group 1 – a rematch of their drawn fixture in Cobh in 2023 that saw the northsiders eliminated on scoring difference.
Having finally fallen from premier senior, Bishopstown will be welcomed to Senior A by Castlelyons – before facing Inniscarra and Ballyhea in rounds two and three respectively.
Group 1’s Killeagh and Carrigtwohill will face off in an east Cork derby in the final round of fixtures – a clash that could very easily decide which of the two get to a quarter-final.
roup 1: Killeagh, Na Piarsaigh, Carrigtwohill, Fermoy.
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