Cork PSHC draws 2026: Blackrock and Glen Rovers drawn together as Sarsfields begin title defence to Charleville
Stephen McDonnell of Glen Rovers and Mark O'Keeffe of Blackrock in action during the Cork Senior Hurling Championship Final in 2020. Picture: ©INPHO/Ryan Byrne
The 2026 Co-Op Superstores Cork Premier Senior Hurling Championship will kick off with a northside-southside city clash between Blackrock and Glen Rovers, after the pair were drawn together in Group 1 on Tuesday night.
The two teams last met in the PSHC in 2023, when Blackrock got the better of Glen Rovers in Páirc Uí Rinn on the first day out, the first of three Glen defeats that would ultimately see them fall into the relegation playoff, where they were put to the sword by Kanturk.
The north Cork side will be joining them in Group 1, as they face Fr O’Neill’s, who evaded any relegation worries after defeating Erin’s Own in a crunch final round meeting this season.
Reigning champions Sarsfields will begin their title defence against Charleville, who they trumped in last year’s quarter-final, 0-22 to 1-15, as the two have been drawn together in Group 2. next up in the second round of fixtures for the 2024 Munster club champions will be another Avondhu outfit in Newtownshandrum.
Newtown, who edged Erin’s Own in last season’s relegation playoff after a replay victory, will open their championship campaign against Douglas. Should the southsiders come away victorious, they’ll be in a strong position heading into their next round against Charleville, wihle Newtown would meet Sarsfields – making the opening round all the more crucial for both Douglas and Newtown, who failed to reach the knockout phases last year.
Beaten finalists Midleton will take on beaten semi-finalists St Finbarr’s in the opening round, for their first meeting since the 2023 championship, the Magpies snatched victory on that occasion after Cormac Beausang’s goal at the death sent them through to the decider, where they fell short against Sarsfields.
Newly promoted Bride Rovers will kick start their Co-Op Superstores Premier Senior Hurling championship campaign next season when they take on Newcestown, but Rovers will meet divisional rivals Midleton – who have pipped them to the last two east Cork U21 A HC titles – in the final round of group games.
Midleton and Newcestown will meet in the second round of fixtures for the second consecutive year, after Carbery’s sole PSHC representative held the Magpies to a draw in their second round meeting last year.
There is no group of death as such. Glen Rovers, being a top rather than bottom seed as they were last year, coupled with no group stage exits from the big five left little room for such a group. The matchups are balanced, though from the outset Group 1 looks to be most intriguing – Fr O’Neill’s and Kanturk will fancy their chances of an upset against the two city heavyweights.
Fr O’Neill’s came close to scalping the Glen last year, their second round meeting saw the teams merely separated by a first-half penalty goal from recently retired Cork hurler Patrick Horgan.
Kanturk suffered a similar fate when they faced the Rockies in this year’s group phase, losing by five points, and were the team closest to Blackrock, who received the bye straight to the semi-finals.
If O’Neill’s are to reach the knockout stages as they did in 2024 after bringing down St Finbarr’s, they will need to defeat one of Blackrock and Glen Rovers.
App?
