Cork Hurling: John Horgan picks his six clubs to qualify from the Premier Senior groups
The Barrs will lean on Ben Cunningham for scores this season and he'll be eager to remind the Cork management of his potential. Picture: Jim Coughlan.
When a county brings home the Liam MacCarthy Cup there is a huge buzz around that county and it can have a very positive impact when the clubs set off on the championship voyage.
Attendance levels tend to increase, there is more conversation on how things might transpire over the Autumn, in a nutshell when the All-Ireland trophy resides on your doorstep, a rising tide lifting all boats.
Unfortunately, it's now 21 years since that grand, old cannister resided on Leeside, far too long we might argue but that's how the cookie has crumbled.
But the show has to go on and next weekend the various grades of the club hurling championship begin, groups of four teams in each grade.
Of course, it's a much changed championship than what it used to be, some of us tend to live in the past, the far distant past now when the SHC was dominated by the big three city clubs, the 'Barrs, Rockies and Glen, a final collision between any two of those three generating anything up to 30,000 souls present in that old ramshackle of a ground that was then the Cork Athletic Grounds.
But there was still something about that place that we still loved, the atmosphere was electric, the rivalry between the supporters of the two teams was fierce and on the field of play nothing was spared in the pursuit of the Sean Óg Murphy trophy.
The hurling was so much different too, first-time ground hurling and over-head pulling were key features. Those features were one of the great arts of the games, the handpass, the short game, and so on were almost unknown.
But everything changes, nothing ever stays the same, games in all codes evolve and the past is now a foreign country. And, like it or not, we have to accept change even if we find it difficult to come to terms with it.
One thing, though, the playing field is much leveller now, East Cork teams dominating to a large extent.
The current format of the championship here in Cork, it has to be said has been a resounding success. It's hugely competitive, much fairer on all the participants and the margin for error is minimal.
Okay, people might state that standards have dropped from what they used to be but the championship continues to occupy our thoughts from beginning to end.
For obvious reasons the spotlight falls more heavily on the PSHC, that is the grade more than the others that we look to in the search for fresh material for the inter-county team.
My good friend up in Clare, Tony Considine often asks me how the championship is going and more importantly what players are putting their hands up for consideration on the much bigger stage.
The inter-county season did not end too well for us here on Leeside but we have to move on and try to come up with the answer to the question, who will win the county in 2026?
As stated, 12 teams head off on the journey but realistically only half of them, maybe less can be considered serious contenders.
That's not saying that the others are not in the equation and, hopefully, they will be but can one look beyond Sarsfields, Midleton, the 'Barrs, Rockies and Glen ending up on the winner's podium.
Imokilly ruled the roost for many years in the recent past but the thinking now has to be that they are no longer one of the more fancied sides.
We may be proved wrong and we'll just have to wait and see.
Could a rank outsider, like Carrigtwohill were back in 2011 come galloping through the field to be first past the post?
Their's was a story for the ages but the likelihood of a similar fairytale success has to be slim enough.
First, things first and the three groups that make up the 12 teams, with the top two in each extending their championship season.
Group 1 consists of the Rockies, Glen, Kanturk and Fr O'Neill's with the smart money being placed on the two city teams to progress.
Kanturk and O'Neill's struggled last season, both just winning one of their three games which was enough to steer them clear of the murky waters of relegation.
It would be wrong and an insult to dismiss any club in their endeavours but on paper it looks very much like that it will be the Rockies and the Glen coming through that first group.
At the same time the other two were competitive in all their games last season, O'Neill's getting the verdict against Erin's Own in an East Cork derby fraught with danger, the outcome consigning the Caherlag team to relegation.
O'Neill's and Kanturk clash in the opening game next weekend and it goes without saying that so much is riding on the outcome.
In Group 2, you have Sarsfields, Charleville, Newtownshandrum and Douglas with the reigning champions from Riverstown the clear fancy to top that group.
They continue to be relentless in their pursuit of silverware and just recently took the Red FM Division 1 HL for the fourth season in a row, a huge achievement by any standards.
Charleville, on the basis that they reached the quarter-final last season, beaten by just four points by Sars, are probably the second most fancied teams in the group.
That is surprising given some of the talent at their disposal, an excellent underage structure and very good hurlers in the ranks.
They had some fine wins in the SHL and the footballers' victory last weekend will have been a big boost.
They should be in the equation to chase the second spot in this group because it looks open enough outside of Sars being the big fancy.
Newtownshandrum will always be spoken of because of what they achieved between 2000 and 2009, one of the great stories of this championship over the years. They are no longer that force and were involved in the relegation decider last season against Erin's Own.
They secured their place at the top table in a replay after staging a remarkable comeback in the drawn encounter.
Cormac O'Brien and Tim O'Mahony must lead by example and there must not be an over-reliance on Jamie Coughlan to secure scores. You never dismiss them lightly but they will be up against it to progress.
In the third and final group, Midleton and the Barrs are the top two rated teams to go through but they are up against two teak tough opponents in Newcestown and Bride Rovers. This group, however, might not be as straightforward as it looks.
Rockies and Glen
Sars and Charleville.
Midleton and Barrs.
App?
