Premier IHC: Valleys and Kilworth know all about middle-grade ups and downs

The Co-op SuperStores Cork Premier IHC has become a byword for competitiveness since the reformatting of the grades six years ago.

The old second-tier premier intermediate was a hothouse where a number of evenly-matched sides vied for supremacy and a place at senior; while senior A now provides that mezzanine level, premier intermediate has, if anything, become even more heavily contested.

Consider the fact that, of the six sides who have won the grade since the round-robin system came in in 2020, none of them have come back down, with further promotion more likely as two – Blarney and Castlelyons – have contested senior A finals.

Against that, there has been some downward churn, with the only relegated side to return, Aghabullogue, being a special case as they went down in 2024, the year after coming up, but then made an immediate return again.

That means that, of the original 12, only three – Ballincollig, Carrigaline and Valley Rovers – remain in the same same place. 

At end of 2020, Kilworth dropped from senior A to premier intermediate and they took have remained in the third tier since then.

Valleys and Kilworth clash tonight at Páirc Uí Rinn (7.30pm) – it is just a five-day turnaround for the Innishannon outfit from the premier senior football win over Newcestown, necessitated by a wedding this weekend – and the clubs’ ups and downs over the last half-decade show just why the grade is such a challenging one.

In a way, it stands to reason that the third level of five would be the most even and that has been proven with years where all 12 teams went into the final round of games with a chance of qualification for the knockout stage. 

Momentum is a powerful factor in the Premier IHC, either through its presence or absence.

In 2020, Valleys finished bottom of their group and had to beat Blackrock’s second team in the relegation play-off; the following year, they beat Watergrasshill and Inniscarra to finish second behind Castlelyons, setting up a quarter-final tie with Kilworth.

Bucking the trend of relegated teams finding it tough to adjust, Kilworth had won two and drawn one in their group but they fell to Valleys by 1-12 to 0-13 in Blarney, Misko Savic’s goal crucial for the Rovers, who played much of the game with 14 players.

Valleys would lose to their neighbours Courcey Rovers in the semi-final and then experienced the thin end of the wedge in 2022, only losing to Bandon in their group but finishing third with three points. 

Kilworth finished bottom of their section that year – all four sides had been on two points after two games and they avoided the relegation play-off.

In 2023, Kilworth would have the same record of one win, one draw and one loss as Valleys had the previous year – this time it would be enough to qualify while Valleys came out on the right side of a three-way tie of teams on four points to top their group.

Once more, it meant a quarter-final against Kilworth – seven points from play Noel McNamara and a Cormac Donnellan goal helping the north Cork side to a 1-22 to 3-12 victory. 

They followed that with a semi-final victory over Ballincollig and only lost to Castlelyons in the final by two points.

And yet, in 2024 both Valleys and Kilworth finished bottom of their groups again – Valleys avoided the relegation play-off and Kilworth needed a replay to get past Aghabullogue.

Last year, Kilworth again were in a group where the four sides were tied after two matches but defeat to eventual winners Ballinhassig eliminated them; Valleys came second in their group but lost to Cloyne in the quarter-finals.

This time around, the clubs meet after both winning their first matches, Valleys against Carrigaline and Kilworth against Ballymartle. 

It means that whoever prevails will have a foot in the knockout stage – though, as we have seen, nothing can ever been taken for granted in the Premier IHC.