Cork hurling championship observations - (temporary) managerial exits and one venue's cruciate curse

Small margins have big impact for Midleton

In the 48th minute of Friday’s Co-op SuperStores Premier SHC quarter-final at Páirc Uí Rinn, Glen Rovers led Midleton by 2-15 to 2-12 when Luke Horgan attempted a long-range point effort.

The ball looked to be heading over the bar but was just within reach for Midleton goalkeeper Brion Saunderson and he brought it down. Doing so can be risky for a goalkeeper – a lurking attacker might turn what would have been a point into a goal – but on this occasion the custodian was rewarded and Conor Lehane threw over two frees in quick succession for the Magpies.

What might have been a four-point deficit was instead just one with eight remaining and Midleton pushed on to win by two.

When the club won the Premier SHC in 2021, they were managed by Ger Fitzgerald, who captained them to glory in the 1991 final and who sadly died earlier this year. In both deciders, the opponents were the Glen – perhaps he provided some heavenly inspiration on Friday.

Creative thinking with managerial messages

It’s not unknown for local farmers’ fields to be called into service as car parks at rural championship venues.

More often than not, a paddock of cut silage will be the surface but on Sunday in Castletownroche for Sarsfields v Charleville, it was an area that had until recently been corn. Driving across the stubble was a strange sensation, but perhaps unsurprising that tillage would be strong in an area that hosted the 1999 National Ploughing Championships.

Getting in and out of a field was also a feature of the two managers’ days. With expeditions up the sideline outlawed, at different stages Johnny Crowley of Sars and Charleville’s Dominic Foley got creative.

With movement unlimited outside the wire, each of them exited the pitch area through the gate and ran to where they needed to go get their messages across.

A cruciate intervention?

Sars were without Cathal McCarthy for that game – and the Cork panellist will be out for the rest of the season as the injury that forced him in the victory over the Glen in the last group game was revealed to be cruciate ligament damage.

Come the semi-finals, Blackrock will be without Tadhg Deasy with a similar problem – he had to depart their win over St Finbarr’s – while Na Piarsaigh’s SAHC exit against Blarney came without Daire Connery, who retired from the loss to Carrigtwohill with what proved to be a cruciate injury, too.

Blarney themselves have also suffered in this regard – Dan Quill had to be replaced early in their first group game, against Bride Rovers.

All of those injuries occurred at Páirc Uí Rinn. It may be a coincidence – other players have sustained cruciate injuries this year at different venues – but, given that the quality of the pitch has been a talking point, it may not be.

Familiar look to senior A semis

The last four sides left in the SAHC are Bride Rovers, Carrigtwohill, Blarney and Castlelyons.

A year ago, three of that quartet were present, with Carrig the absentees; the year before that, the east Cork side were in the last four with Bride Rovers and Blarney also present (Castlelyons were busy winning the Premier IHC at the time).

Apart from Glen Rovers’ immediate bounce-back from relegation last year, the second tier has almost had a ‘taxi-rank’ effect as Charleville, Kanturk, Fr O’Neills and Newcestown have progressed.

The battle to be the next team up will be keenly contested.