Cork Hurling: John Horgan on the clubs under pressure heading into round two

The opening round in the hurling championships on Leeside were of huge importance and for the clubs who were unsuccessful on that first day, the second round now becomes a make-or-break situation.

For some strange reason, the hurling clubs are back out again next weekend while their football counterparts have an extra week to recover from their first round endeavours.

The consensus was that the opening round games in the Premier SHC did not light any bushfires with the fare on offer not reaching any great heights.

Maybe the fallout from the All-Ireland final was a contributing factor but it’s onwards we go now with the action resuming again on all fronts.

There would have been a spring in the step of the players of the clubs who were first round winners but, conversely, for the losers the emphasis would have been doing much better and how things can be improved.

Another loss and the reality will strike home that their season of championship hurling will not be extended and the only priority in the third and final game in the group series will be to try and make it third time lucky in the effort to stave off the threat of relegation.

Of course, if they manage to get back on the horse next weekend the complexion changes and they are firmly back in the chase to be one of the two teams that will emerge into the knockout stages.

Down through the years, different formats have been put in place to try and enhance the status of the competition but it is fair to state that the current one has been a resounding success and every club is now getting a fair crack of the whip.

All the clubs are guaranteed at least three games and more, depending on how deep you can go in the knockout stage. If a club does not progress after the three group games, there can’t be any complaints and an acceptance that you were not good enough.

The current format carries much jeopardy for all the clubs and you have to ensure that the house is in order from the outset.

In the very recent past two decorated northside clubs, Na Piarsaigh and the Glen took the big drop into the Senior A grade, a grade that is equally difficult for its competitiveness.

The Glen got out at the first attempt and last season were head and shoulders above the rest of the participants in that grade. In fact, the year on the outside looking in gave them the perfect opportunity to reset and they now have to be on the list of leading contenders for the Premier title.

It’s a different scenario for Na Piarsaigh, they are finding things more difficult in their efforts to return to the top table.

They did reach the quarter-final stage last season and were involved in of the great games of the season, losing to Castlelyons after a 26 penalty shootout.

They were involved in another gripping encounter on the opening weekend of this season, losing to Killeagh by a couple of points in a game that produced half a century of points.

Of course, being involved in those types of quality games is not much consolation if you don’t come out on the right side of them and their meeting at the weekend with first-round winners, Carrigtwohill takes on huge significance on their championship journey.

The lesson to be learned with the current format is that no club, no matter what your history might be, is safe from being relegated if the tide starts to turn against you.

So, it has to be all hands on deck next weekend for all the first round losers and in the Premier senior grade that has to be the case for Douglas, Erin’s Own, Kanturk, Newtownshandrum, Newcestown and Fr O’Neill’s, all on the wrong side of the outcome in their opening assignment.

On the training ground last week and this week there will have been plenty of mature reflection on where it went wrong and how that can be bettered next time out.

In the case of Douglas and Erin’s Own the emphasis will be on trying to ensure a more positive start and to be in the game a lot longer than they were the last time.

BALANCED

The clash of Kanturk and Douglas is particularly interesting. The losers here will subsequently be sailing in very choppy waters with the Barrs and the Rockies, respectively, in their final group games. Where both are concerned, there must be a more balanced return from the starting 15 as a unit and not an over-dependency on a few players.

The game that maybe stands out from all the rest over the weekend is the local derby collision of Charleville and Newtownshandrum.

Milford houses this contest that is generating huge interest and if ever the bragging rights were of paramount importance, this is surely the one.

In the past, Charleville had to watch on as their very close neighbours swept all before them on the county, provincial and national stages but now both are on an equal footing.

And if the opening day results are an indicator, Charleville could be the slightest of fancies here.

They were far too good for Newcestown in their opening game while Newtownshandrum came up short against Midleton.

In that game, there was an over-dependency on Tim O’Mahony to register scores from the placed ball and Jamie Coughlan was a considerable loss.

One thing is a definite here, no quarter will be asked or given, a couple of Cork players on opposite sides in a contest that carries huge potential.

It’s a weekend of local derbies across all fronts and in the Premier Senior grade, you have something similar to Charleville and Newtown, two more very near neighbours, Sarsfields and Erin’s Own colliding.

On the evidence of the opening round, Sars will be going in here as the firm choice, the league title is already safely tucked away in Riverstown and they registered the very impressive tally of 1-28 against Fr O’Neill’s in their championship encounter. Conversely, Erin’s Own struggled against the Glen and improvement is an imperative.

However, in all of these local derby encounters the game can take on a life of its own and the outcome is never a certainty.

Sars certainly have generated bigger headlines lately but whilst the Caherlag side might currently be going through a period of transition, they will relish the opportunity of taking on the championship favoutites carrying the underdog tag.

This is certainly one to pencil into the diary for enthusiasts from that part of the world.

In all of these group games, there is something for everybody in the audience but the main hope from this quarter anyway is that the fare on offer will rise up a few notches.

On Friday, we’ll delve into what might transpire between the Barrs and the Rockies, a Southside derby of great magnitude that always captures the imagination.