John Horgan on hurling: Cloyne and Castlemartyr pick up momentum at right time in PIHC
Cillian Lordan with possession for Ballymartle as defender Adam Sherlock, Cloyne, closes in. Picture: Larry Cummins
Football was back on centre stage last weekend and we won't see the club hurlers in the various grades of the Cork hurling championship in action again next weekend, though Imokilly v Muskerry is on tonight.
Some clubs, particularly those having entered very choppy waters after the opening two rounds of the group stage will welcome the break as they seek to turn the ship around in their third game of that stage in the competition.
Trying to reset being a major priority.
For some, their fate has already been sealed, those who are pointless after their opening two assignments, their championship won't be extended beyond the next round of group games. Their only priority now will be in trying to get something from that final group to avoid getting tangled up in a relegation battle.
In the Premier Senior grade, Erin's Own, Newtownshandrum and Fr O'Neill's are most at risk after two losses and on the training ground this week and next the problems that they encountered in those games will be addressed fully.
Otherwise, the loser will have sunk into deeper waters in the struggle to avoid the relegation issue and this is an East Cork derby with a much different look about it. It's all about trying to ensure that their current status as a Premier Senior club is maintained because being involved in a relegation playoff would be fraught with danger.
But as they say, where there's life, there's hope and the same applies to Newtown as they get ready to take on Newcestown.
In the Senior A championship, Na Piarsaigh, Ballyhea, Bishopstown and Courcey Rovers are pointless after their opening two games and as a result quite a bit of soul-searching is going on before their final attempt to try and stave off the threat of relegation.
One of the big stories in this grade was Fermoy's superb victory over Killeagh, one of the more fancied sides in the competition and who had manufactured a fine win themselves in their opener against Na Piarsaigh when they pointed 26 times in a 2-26 to 2-24 victory.
Where the Farranree unit is concerned, they now face a huge game against Fermoy next and another defeat could spell very big trouble in their efforts not to drop further down the ladder.
But as history has illustrated, it's a very thin line between success and failure and that applies across the board.
There's no such problems for Carrigtwohill, Bride Rovers and Castlelyons, all four bracketted on full points from two games and through to the knockout stage.
That's a game that is already generating huge interest in the hurling homes of the Hill and Rathcormac when the stakes will be as high as they have ever been when these two collide.
East Cork teams look very likely to have a major say in the destination of the trophy but Inniscarra and Blarney from Mid Cork are likely to be very much in the equation too.
The Roche brothers, Brian and Eoin and Adam Walsh are just three of the Bride Rovers players impacting in this championship. Walsh's aerial ability has certainly caught the eye thus far and going forward he's a player to keep an eye on in this Senior A championship.
Not for the first time the PIHC is creating its own headlines, the competition that is generally regarded as being the most difficult to predict the outcome of.
Of course, that applies to all the grades and this, what might best be described as a cut-throat format is certainly working the oracle and generating great debate on the Monday morning in the workplace.
It is a format that has reinvigorated the entire championship from the premier senior grade right down to the premier junior grade.
We'll continue to stress that it has been a huge success since its introduction a number of years ago. This observer was back in Páirc Uí Rinn for the clash of my own club Castlemartyr and Ballinhassig in a crucial Premier Intermediate tie.
Ballinhassig had made a very positive start against Ballincollig while Castlemartyr had come up short against Kilworth.
Ballincollig had made a fine fist of it in getting back on the horse against Kilworth which meant that if Castlemartyr could do the business against Ballinhassig all four teams would be on two points entering the final round of the group stage.
And that's exactly how it has transpired, the East Cork team with Cork star Ciarán Joyce featuring in attack and Michael Kelly being flawless from the placed ball with a return of a dozen points getting the job done.
The term, 'group of death' is maybe too often used but in this case it has applied, everything going down to the wire when Castlemartyr face Ballincollig and Ballinhassig tackle Kilworth on September 7.
One team that has already ensured their progress to the knockout stage of this PIHC grade is Cloyne after their opening two victories.
Since the great days of contesting three premier senior finals on the trot, times have not been easy in one of Cork's greatest hurling homes.
The club entered a period of transition, great servants departed and a drop down the grades followed.
At the outset this season there might have been no great optimism about their chances but a stunning victory over Carrigaline in their opening game has certainly altered the mindset, defeating the team who were so close to glory last season was a huge shot in the arm.
They have now followed that up with a second victory over Ballymartle and there is certainly a buzz in the old village again that might have been absent for some time.
Cork club hurling needs clubs like Cloyne, given its rich heritage, to be competing strongly from year to year.
Similar to other grades, East Cork clubs are figuring prominently in this PIHC with four of them still very much in contention, Cloyne, Dungourney, Castlemartyr and Lisgoold.
On the evidence thus far, Dungourney are certainly making their presence felt with young Jack Leahy continuing to illustrate what an excellent prospect he is.
Finally, a word on the excellent programme that is being produced by the County Board for all the games being played in Páirc Uí Rinn.
New PRO Ger O'Sullivan is certainly overseeing a publication that has bags of fine material and relevant information concerning all the grades.
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