Cork PSHC: Defensive steel a key component for title ambitions as shown by PCPG tallies

Wed, 12 Nov, 2025 - 09:59

Jack McKay

Having broken down the average points scored per game across the Premier Senior Hurling Championship yesterday, the focus tilts to the far side – points conceded.

And if the age old mantra of “attack wins you games, defence wins you championships” is anything to go by, the saying is certainly true here in the points conceded per game (PCPG) stats of the 12 clubs.

For starters, let’s acknowledge the most improved team on the defensive front. Charleville, whose story last year was all about phenomenal shooting despite a relegation playoff detour, flipped the script entirely. Their scoring dipped, yet here they reached the quarter-finals – carried by a monstrous defensive effort. From a staggering 28.5 points conceded per game in 2024 to just 19.3 this term, that’s almost a 10-point improvement.

But they weren’t first on conceding the fewest per match, they come in at second.

Only one side bettered them – Jamie Harrington’s Blackrock. Eighth-best in 2024, best of all in 2025. The Rockies shaved their concession rate from 23.0 to an impressive 17.8, and only for extra-time heartbreak against Midleton, the season might have stretched further.

And it is Midleton who complete the podium – fifth last year on 21.6 PCPG, up to third now at 20.4.

County champions Sarsfields were never going to be too far away, the Riverstown outfit sit just behind having dropped off slightly on last year’s impressive 19.2 PCPG to 20.8 this year, but remain firmly among the standard-setters.

It’s the other two teams that reached the knockout stages, St Finbarr’s and Glen Rovers, that complete the top six. They prove that this year, at least, defensive strength is what gets you there.

St Finbarr’s finished with 22.0 PCPG, a shade looser than last year but a vastly improved outcome. Glen Rovers, back in the big house and facing both county finalists along the way, finished at 22.8.

The “best of the rest” tag on the defensive front belongs to Kanturk, just 0.2 PCPG behind Glen Rovers, a one-point improvement on the last campaign.

Behind them are Newcestown, just 0.3 PCPG shy, after another incremental gain on last season, as they managed on the scores for front, too. Relegation survivors Newtownshandrum take ninth, finishing with 24.8 PCPG, a big drop off from their number last season when they reached the quarter-finals having posted 19.8 PCPG, second best in the grade in 2024.

Tenth belongs to Fr O’Neill’s, who like Newtown, take a hit on where they were last year, falling from sixth. This season, they had a 26.3 PCPG average, but were comfortably clear of the bottom two.

Douglas’ slide paints the starkest summary. Worst attack, second-worst defence, their 27.3 PCPG five worse than they finished with in 2024. Only the point salvaged against Kanturk kept them alive.

But at the bottom, despite being fifth in points scored per game, is relegated Erin’s Own. The Caherlag side’s defensive strength plummeted by 7 PCPG this season, taking them from last season’s tally of 21.3 to 28.3 this year.

Conclusions to take from this one? The defensive steel of teams is what matters most when it comes to getting the desired championship outcome.

Rankings in full:

1st – Blackrock 17.8 PCPG

(Last year: 8th – 23.0 PCPG)

2nd – Charleville 19.3 PCPG

(Last year: 12th – 28.5 PCPG)

3rd – Midleton 20.4 PCPG

(Last year: 5th – 21.6 PCPG)

4th – Sarsfields 20.8 PCPG

(Last year: 1st – 19.2 PCPG)

5th – St Finbarr’s 22.0 PCPG

(Last year: 3rd – 20.6 PCPG)