Master fixture plan confirms times and venues for 2026 Cork club championships

With the publication of Cork GAA’s master fixture plan for 2026, the championship landscape for the year is there to see, with venues and throw-in times having now been assigned for the late-summer group stage games.

For almost every club, the season is already in the rear-view mirror, but one exception remains.

While 119 of the 120 teams across both codes have parked up, Kilbrittain’s hurlers are still on the road – bound for Croke Park – where they face Sligo champions Easkey in the AIB All-Ireland Junior Club final at 3.15pm on Saturday, January 10.

When attention turns back to domestic matters, the Premier Senior Football Championship will get underway on Friday, July 24. Reigning champions St Finbarr’s, whose Munster ambitions were ended by Dingle after a pulsating contest, open their title defence against Carrigaline. It is the only PSFC tie down for the Friday, with the remaining fixtures spread across Saturday and Sunday.

Beaten finalists Nemo Rangers meet Newcestown in Brinny on the Saturday, while Sunday brings a Premier Senior debut for Knocknagree, who face Clonakilty in Carrigadrohid.

That opening football weekend carries an asterisk. Should John Cleary’s Cork side reach the All-Ireland final, the opening round will be pushed back, with games deferred until the weekend of August 28-30.

Elsewhere on July 24, Canovee and St Nick’s – both halted by eventual Premier Junior champions Buttevant – meet in Ballymaw at 7.15pm. At the same time, Bishopstown and Éire Óg renew acquaintances in the Senior A Football Championship in Ballincollig.

The second block of group fixtures, scheduled for August 14-16, is laced with local rivalries. Northside neighbours St Nick’s and Na Piarsaigh clash in St Vincent’s on Saturday, August 15 (4pm), while southside rivals St Finbarr’s and Douglas square off on the Friday night, throw-in 7.15pm in Páirc Uí Rinn.

West Cork interest centres on Moneyvollahane, where Carbery Rangers and O’Donovan Rossa meet on the Saturday. The final round of football group games, across the weekend of September 11-13, sees St Finbarr’s take on Mallow in Fermoy, while Ballincollig and Clonakilty face off in Bandon – both Sunday fixtures timed for 4pm.

On the hurling front, reigning champs Sarsfields begin their campaign on Saturday, August 1, meeting Charleville in Castletownroche in a repeat of their 2025 quarter-final. The Friday night beforehand features two Premier Senior ties: Midleton versus St Finbarr’s in Páirc Uí Rinn, and Douglas against Newtownshandrum in Ballyhooly.

Newly promoted Bride Rovers face Newcestown in Ballincollig on the Saturday. Sunday, August 2, brings an all-East Cork Premier Intermediate double-header in Midleton, Castlemartyr v Lisgoold at 5.15pm, followed by Dungourney v Cloyne at 7pm.

Those same four will reconvene on Saturday, August 22, this time in Carrigtwohill, with Dungourney meeting Lisgoold at 5.30pm and Cloyne taking on Castlemartyr at 7.30pm.

Blarney and Castlelyons face off in a repeat of their Senior A HC semi-final on the opening weekend, that fixture pencilled in for Friday, July 31, in Riverstown at 7.15pm.

Elsewhere, Senior A HC newcomers Ballinhassig face Courcey Rovers in Kilbrittain on Saturday, August 1. That evening also sees a Páirc Uí Rinn double-header, with Na Piarsaigh and Erin’s Own as the curtain-raiser (5.45pm), followed by city rivals Glen Rovers and Blackrock at 7.30pm.

Local pride will be at stake in the Intermediate A HC when Bandon and Kilbrittain meet in Ballinspittle on Sunday, August 23 (3.30pm). Na Piarsaigh and Killeagh renew last year’s SAHC pairing in Midleton on Saturday, September 5 (5.30pm), while Charleville and Newtownshandrum meet again that same weekend in Milford, Sunday, September 6 at 4pm.

Both the football and hurling finals are set to be concluded across three weekends: October 16-18, October 23-25, and October 30 to November 1.