John Horgan on change in fortunes for two great Cork hurling clubs Erin's Own and Newtownshandrum

In the first 10 years of the new century, Newtownshandrum and Erin’s Own shared six senior hurling titles between them.

Newtown won the title in 2000, 2003, 2005, and 2009 while Erin’s Own were victorious in 2006 and 2007.

They were final opponents in two of those years, Newtown winning their first ever title in 2000, defeating the Caherlag team 0-14 to 0-11, while that final outcome was reversed in 2007 when Erin’s Own triumphed 1-11 to 0-7.

In both instances the scoring return reached no great heights, but that mattered little to either side, two small clubs were dining at the top table of Cork club hurling. Twenty-five years on from their first final collision both clubs are desperately trying to retain their status as a premier senior club on Leeside.

On Sunday afternoon they come face to face again in the relegation decider, the match once described by that late and great C103 commentator, Paudie Palmer as the ‘slán leat’ final.

There was a time when no relegation existed in this championship, the clubs themselves decided whether they would continue in the top flight or take the drop down in an effort to reinvent themselves.

That was then and this is now, and across the five grades this weekend there are clubs in a very precarious position.

It’s all about survival of the fittest now, both physically and mentally, the stakes are up to the high heavens.

Nobody takes any great pleasure in the demise of any team, but in the past few years some of Cork’s most decorated clubs have found themselves sailing in the murky waters of relegation.

In the very recent past two of them have gone under, famed Glen Rovers and their great northside rivals, Na Piarsaigh.

The Glen bounced back immediately, Na Piarsaigh are finding it a bit more difficult.

The Rockies and the Barrs had relegation worries too in the past, but managed to get through them and the bottom line in all of this is that no club is immune from that dreaded fate.

The current format of the championship in Cork has been a resounding success, every team in the five grades getting a very fair crack of the whip; a guarantee of at least three championship outings each season.

If things don’t work out in those three games and you are pointless at the end and find yourself in the relegation showdown you really can’t have too many complaints.

Erin’s Own and Newtown lost all three games in their group and that’s how it has come to this in Mourneabbey on Sunday.

Erin’s Own competed in a very tough group that featured near neighbours Sarsfields, the Glen, and Fr O’Neill’s.

They scored 3-15 in a heavy defeat to Sars, lost by seven to the Glen, and, in a cracking game, they lost by just two points to O’Neill’s.

So to be fair, apart from the Sars loss, they gave a good account of themselves, they are a team in transition and it was always going to be a big ask to come out on the right side.

Newtown were expected by many to survive and progress in their group alongside Midleton, neighbours Charleville, and Newcestown.

But they lost all three encounters and the former All-Ireland club champions are now walking a dangerous tightrope.

Those great Erin’s Own and Newtown teams from yesteryear contained some of Cork’s finest ever players, Brian Corcoran, Timmy Kelleher for the East Cork team and Ben and Jerry O’Connor and Pat Mulcahy for Newtown.

Some of Cork’s finest club hurlers were involved too on both sides back then but today only Tim O’Mahony and Cormac O’Brien feature in the inter-county set-up.

So, who will survive to live another day on Sunday?

COSTLY

There will be quite an amount of tension, a mistake or two could prove to be very costly and the greater likelihood is that it will be a game in which the mental qualities of both sides will be fully tested.

Four years ago, Charleville relegated Carrigtwohill on penalties, a totally unacceptable way to decide a game of such magnitude, all the more so when there was ample time for a replay.

Let’s hope it does not happen again.

Erin’s Own might just come out on the right side.

Turning to the Senior A relegation match, Bishopstown against Courcey Rovers, two other teams with no points on the board after their three group games.

For the Town, in particular, the stakes are huge; on the brink of a second relegation in two seasons would be a crushing blow to a club putting in a massive effort off the field.

The same applies in Ballinspittle with Courceys, but again neither can have any complaints, just not good enough up to now.

In one or two of their games, both were not that far off, but the end result dictates everything.

The Town might just shade this so important game for both clubs.

Three years ago, Castlemartyr were 20 seconds away from being a senior club, leading Inniscarra by two points in the premier intermediate final before a last-gasp goal from Colm Casey broke their hearts. Now they face a relegation decider in the grade against Mallow despite winning one of their three group games.

However, in a very tight group, all four teams on two points went into the final group games before Ballincollig and Ballinhassig emerged.

Mallow lost all their three group games too and Castlemartyr might be the slight fancy in advance in this all-or-nothing game.

In the lower intermediate relegation decider, it’s Mayfield against Youghal, the loser dropping down to Premier Junior hurling.

It’s not that long ago that Mayfield celebrated an All-Ireland club victory in Croke Park and this column can remember Youghal contesting a senior final back in 1972 against a Glen team captained by the great Denis Coughlan.

But everything changes in all clubs, glory days can be forgotten quickly and when relegation looms large on the horizon, the only thing on the agenda is survival because sometimes the drop can be very difficult to recover from.

BIG PRIZE

It’s all about chasing the big prize this weekend for the clubs who have made it through to the knockout stage.

It’s a stark contrast for those clubs trying to extricate themselves from the very serious situation that they are now in, the ball game is so much different.

It’s always a thin line between success and failure and in the group stage of any competition so much comes into play.

You might win two games of the three and still not make it through while conversely in other situations, just the one win might suffice.

Points differential is crucial too in a lot of instances and in the grounds that host these relegation deciders, the atmosphere will be as tense as it gets.

Expect the winners to celebrate with a huge amount of relief.