Byes to semi-finals give Cork sides break before Munster club championships

Cork’s representatives in the AIB Munster Club Hurling Championships will have the benefit of a four-week lead-in.

In recent years, the Munster Council have afforded provincial club championship semi-final byes to counties reaching the All-Ireland senior finals - for 2025, that means Cork and Tipperary sides go through to the last four of the three hurling compeititions while Kerry receive a similar benefit in football.

At the weekend, Sarsfields, Ballinhassig and Kilbrittain earned progression as they won the premier senior, premier intermediate and premier junior county titles respectively.

Last year, Sars claimed senior hurling glory for the first time, bridging a 15-year Cork gap, while Watergrasshill and Russell Rovers earned the provincial intermediate and junior titles.

The only other instance of a county recording a clean sweep was in 2005, when Newtownshandrum, Ballinhassig and Fr O’Neills were victorious.

Not since Blackrock and St Finbarr’s won in 1979 and 1980 respectively have Cork managed to retain the Munster senior title and if Sars are to make it back to the final, they will need to overcome Na Piarsaigh of Limerick or Waterford’s Ballygunner in an away fixture - those sides meet in a quarter-final on November 2 with the semi-final slated for a fortnight later.

Ballinhassig will also be travelling in the Munster Club IHC - Cork and Tipperary were drawn together in the semi-final and the Tipp premier intermediate decider is between Upperchurch-Drombane and Carrick Swan, who meet this coming Sunday.

At junior level, Kilbrittain may have home advantage, but it would require Kerry intermediate champions Kenmare Shamrocks to beat Knockaderry of Limerick when they meet in a quarter-final on November 1. If Knockaderry make the last four, they would have home advantage.

Meanwhile, the Co-op SuperStores IAHC final between Aghabullogue and Bandon will now take place at 3pm in SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh on Sunday, November 9, the week after the Coachford side’s McCarthy Insurance Group Premier IFC decider against Uibh Laoire.