Cork Hurling: Senior A draw offers a tasty number of exciting matchups

The draws for the Cork club hurling championships have been made for 2026 with the grade that looks the most appealing is Senior A with three very competitive groups.

The Premier SHC draw did not produce anything to get overly excited about, with there being no standout 'Group of Death'.

Blackrock and Glen Rovers will be expected to emerge from Group A. Sars should stroll through Group B, with the local derby between Charleville and Newtownshandrum one worth pencilling in even this far out. Group C sees St Finbarr’s paired with this year’s runners-up Midleton, and both will expect to feature in the knockout stages.

Perhaps the biggest question mark centres around who will go through the relegation trapdoor. Bride Rovers will have to prove they belong at this level and you would imagine they will already be targeting the clash against Newcestown in Group C. 

Similarly, Kanturk and Fr O’Neill’s will be eyeing each other up in Group A, with that looking like a must-win for both. 

Douglas have only beaten Bishopstown in the championship in the past two campaigns, and they will need some of their promising young hurlers to step up.

In the search for a Group of Death, the Premier Intermediate all Imokilly Group B of Dungourney, Cloyne, Castlemartyr and Lisgoold stands out. We can expect some tasty ties before the outcome of that group is decided next summer.

EXCITING

The grade that looks the most exciting, this far out, is the Senior A grade.

Group A contains two of the likely top three sides in the betting for promotion, with Castlelyons and Blarney due to lock horns.

Castleyons lost out in agonising fashion by a single point in a replay to neighbours Bride Rovers in this year’s decider and they also reached the semi-final stage in 2024.

Blarney were beaten finalists in 2024, losing out to Glen Rovers, and they also filled the runner-up position in 2023 when losing the final in a replay to Newcestown. 2025 saw them lose out to a David Morrison hat-trick in the semi-final, as Castlelyons got the better of them. 

They will be hoping to have Pádraig Power spearheading their attack again next year and will hope to finally make that final push for their particular Everest.

Both these clubs will feel that it is now or never in terms of jumping up to Premier Senior, yet they will not have the group to themselves either.

Watergrasshill failed to get out of their group this year, in their first year up from the Premier Intermediate grade, but that only tells half the story, as they ended their Group C campaign locked on four points with Blarney and eventual champions Bride Rovers. Ultimately, they got knocked out on scoring difference, as the hiding they suffered at the hands of Blarney left them with too much to do.

The 2025 All-Ireland Intermediate champions were without key players Dáire O’Leary and Michael O’Driscoll this year. If they are back fit and healthy in 2026, then the Hill will fancy their chances against anyone, considering the attacking talent they have at their disposal.

Ballyhea make up the group. They may have been a Premier Senior outfit as recently as 2020 but the North Cork side look a long way off that standard now. They managed to avoid the relegation playoff this year due to the fact that struggling Bishopstown were in their group. 

Right now, it is difficult to see how Ballyhea will get points on the board against opponents of the calibre of their three opponents.

Group B could be interesting too. It contains Erin’s Own, who will look to bounce straight back up to Premier Senior in the manner of Glen Rovers two years ago. You would certainly expect them to be featuring at the business end of the campaign.

TIGHT

The other three teams in the group were all in Group A together this year with each of them taking a win and a loss from the games between each other, which suggests that anything could happen when Na Piarsaigh, Killeagh and Fermoy meet each other.

Group C sees this year’s semi-finalists Carrigtwohill, this year’s quarter-finalists Inniscarra, 2022 Senior A runners-up Courcey Rovers and 2025 Premier Intermediate kingpins Ballinhassig fight it out. Carrigtwohill would have to be favourites going off their 2025 form, but that looks a really competitive group, and another one to look forward to.