Cork club hurling top-scorers: Early pace-setters in Division 1 League after four rounds

Fri, 24 Apr, 2026 - 10:06

Jack McKay

With four rounds played of the Cork club hurling leagues, Midleton lead the way early in their first season back in Division 1, after spending the previous number of seasons in the second tier trying to break through.

They’re the only team still with a perfect record of four wins from four, though St Finbarr’s and Douglas – who both have three wins and one defeat – remain just two points behind.

And, after the four initial four weeks of action, it’s St Finbarr’s Ben Cunningham who stands as the overall top scorer. Sitting on the fringes of the Cork panel, Cunningham has totalled 0-46 – primarily from placed balls – across the opening four games for the Barrs. The 0-15 that he has clipped from play is also enough to rank him sixth overall in from-play scoring.

Second and third in the overall scoring charts are the same two that led the way all through last season’s league campaign. Seán Walsh and Kevin O’Sullivan were far and away the best players in the Division 1 Hurling League last season, at least among those who featured in the majority of games.

St Finbarr's Ben Cunningham under pressure from Tadhg O'Leary-Hayes and Evan McGrath. Picture: Noel Sweeney

Walsh ended the campaign with 2-90 (1-45 f, 0-2 65) in nine games for Carrigtwohill, and already has 2-37 (1-22 f) totalled so far after four games.

So, if his form continues, he’s on track to match or surpass last year’s outstanding tally. His performances have already been instrumental so far to Carrigtwohill as they look to avoid facing the drop once again, while his younger brother Patrick has also been in terrific form.

This season is Patrick's second year playing senior hurling, and his tally of 1-11 so far leaves him seventh in from-play scoring.

Carrigtwohill's Patrick Walsh scores a point past Blackrock's Cathal Cormack during their SHL clash at Carrigtwohill. Picture: David Keane.

Fr O’Neill’s sharpshooter Kevin O’Sullivan is just a point behind Seán Walsh and sits in third. He has 0-42 (0-27 f, 0-2 65) so far this campaign, despite his team being without a point from four games.

Fourth place is taken by Blackrock’s Robbie Cotter, who has amassed 2-24 so far, with 1-14 of that from play, while Midleton’s Mikey Finn rounds out the overall top five with 0-26.

Perhaps most impressive of all, is that the division’s top scorer from play is current Cork U20 Mark O’Brien, who has scored 2-16 overall – with 2-13 from play – all in three games, as he missed their victory over Charleville.

Fresh out of minor, O’Brien has settled in at adult level at a rate that most young hurlers couldn’t even dream of.

In last year’s Premier 1 Minor Hurling Championship, O’Brien scored 4-37 (0-25 f, 0-3 65, 0-2 sdl) across Douglas’s four games, 3-7 of which came in their semi-final defeat to Midleton.

It’s not just the youth propping up on the scoring charts, though.

Patrick Horgan has made his return from injury and already stitched together 3-14 (1-9 f, 0-1 65), while Cork panellist Shane Kingston’s availability has allowed both himself and Douglas to flourish in the early months of the year. He’s tallied 1-20 (0-7 f) so far.

Division 1 HL overall top 10 scorers:

1 Ben Cunningham (St Finbarr’s) 0-46 (0-27 f, 0-4 65)

2 Seán Walsh (Carrigtwohill) 2-37 (1-22 f)

3 Kevin O’Sullivan (Fr O’Neill’s) 0-42 (0-27 f, 0-2 65)

4 Robbie Cotter (Blackrock) 2-24 (1-0 pen, 0-9 f, 0-1 65)

5 Mikey Finn (Midleton) 0-26 (0-17 f, 0-2 65)

6 Stephen Lynam (Glen Rovers) 3-15 (0-9 f, 0-1 65)

7 Shane Kingston (Douglas) 1-20 (0-7 f)

8 Patrick Horgan (Glen Rovers) 3-14 (1-9 f, 0-1 65)

9 Ryan McCarthy (Killeagh) 2-16 (0-14 f)

9 Mark O’Brien (Douglas) 2-16 (0-3 f)

Division 1 HL top 10 scorers from play: