John Horgan picks his six clubs to qualify in the Premier Senior Hurling Championship in Cork

The calm before the storm might be the best way to describe last weekend on the Cork county hurling front.

There was just the one game on the menu, the final of the colleges/divisions section, a section that is becoming more and more fragmented with every passing year.

The reasons why are well documented at this stage and there is no point in going over them again.

The one spark of positivity this time was the effort put in by Seandun, firstly in assembling a squad and, secondly, being competitive.

As was expected, they got no change from Imokilly last Sunday night in Páirc Uí Rinn in what could best be described as a very low-key affair, lacking in atmosphere and a real bite to the proceedings.

To be fair, Seandún remained competitive throughout but one always had the sense that the outcome was what it turned out to be, a fairly emphatic victory for the East Cork team. And the clubs in that region must be saluted, giving the green light to so many of their players who are involved in make-or-break situations this weekend.

It's a pity that is not the case in other divisions, players not being made available to participate.

Dungourney and Castlemartyr are in direct opposition this weekend in the PIHC, the winner progressing to the knockout stage, the loser having their season of hurling terminated.

Key players from both teams were on duty last Sunday night when it might have been easier for their management teams to make them unavailable.

But they played, contributing handsomely to the outcome before they will be on opposing sides on Sunday and fair play to them.

Anyway, that section of the PSHC is ended now, not too many highlights to report and now we must wait to see if Imokilly can be as forceful again as they have been in previous campaigns when they went in against the top club sides.

With Jack Leahy and Cillian O'Callaghan on board, and Seamus Harnedy and Duds Healy waiting in the background, no club side will relish the prospect of taking them on.

In all grades, everything goes on the line over the coming days. There is so much to be sorted in all of them in the qualification and relegation process.

It's going to be a tense, high-pressure situation for many, just what the current format was intended to be.

Let's begin with the reigning champions, Sarsfields. They got off to an indifferent start, losing to Charleville in their opener before bouncing back in game two against Newtownshandrum.

They have not been overly convincing, conceding four goals against Newtown and now they come up against Douglas who have just one point on the board. A Douglas win would eliminate the champions and whilst the men from Riverstown will be the hot fancy, they will certainly be taking nothing for granted.

Douglas themselves, if things come together for them, can push the champions to the limit but the choice has to be Sars.

Local derbies are frequent throughout the grades and none comes bigger than a collision between Charleville and Newtownshandrum. Charleville are already through to the quarter-final at the very least and that lessens the pressure on them to some extent.

There is a direct route to the semi-finals available here, dependent on results elsewhere and that will be a huge motivating factor for them.

But Newtown won't be beaten easily and they have their own agenda in trying to avoid the relegation scrap. And in that neck of the woods, bragging rights are monumental.

Arguably, the Rockies have been the most impressive side in the campaign thus far, playing as a strong unit, too good for the Glen and Fr O'Neill's.

Now they encounter Kanturk and this will surely be no easy assignment for them after the latter took the Glen to the wire in their last encounter and are still in the qualification race themselves.

The Rockies, of course, are seeking that one semi-final place that's up for grabs.

O'Neill's, preparing to face the Glen, are in a very precarious situation, alongside Newcestown they are the only side that are pointless, the latter very unlucky to be in that situation after their terrific battle against Midleon, when the latter were very fortunate to secure a one-point victory.

On all known form, Glen Rovers are the choice here, standing up to be counted against Kanturk in Castletownroche when the pressure was really on them.

Of course, in all these final group games across the grades, when you are battling to qualify and conversely trying to avoid the dreaded drop out of the top flight, teams can find an inner belief to produce their best display of the season.

In this case, though, the Glen get the verdict.

Out in Enniskeane, the situation is very similar, the Barrs having to win against Newcestown and the latter needing a result that might keep them out of the releagation mud.

The Barrs were very good against Bride Rovers after being very poor against Midleton while, as aforementioned, Newcestown were desperately unfortunate not to get something out of the contest with Midleton.

This one could well be the game of the weekend in the PSHC, a ferocious battle to extend the season for the Barrs and for the west Corkmen to remain a premier senior club.

Midleton are very much in the hunt for a semi-final spot too, two from two and the all-East Cork derby against Bride Rovers should be very interesting as all of these types of games are.

If the Barrs defeat Newcestown and the Rovers get the better of Midleton, you would have three teams all on four points and that would make things very interesting. Conjecture, of course, but very possible too.

However, Midleton look a better bet to end the group campaign on full points.

So, here is our forecast on who will join Imokilly in the last seven of the championship: 

Blackrock, Charleville, Glen Rovers, Sarsfields, St Finbarr's, Midleton.

However, in all codes of sport there can be twists and turns on the final day in a group stage competition.

So close...

Away from Leeside, before we travelled to Páirc Uí Rinn last Sunday night we tuned int the Waterford county final between Ballygunner and Fourmilewater and thoroughly enjoyed it.

As was very expected, Ballygunner secured title number 13 on the trot, an absolutely massive achievement by any standards but, by God, they earned this one.

It was their inner belief in themselves that got them over the line when it seemed their staggering run of success would be ended by a Fourmilewater unit who fought their greatest fight right to the bitter end.

Nothing against the Gunners at all but we hoped for a Fourmilewater win, a fairytale victory but one more time it will be Ballygunner who will be the team to beat in the Munster club championship.

And whatever anybody thinks about their superiority in the county and that it might not be good for the game down there, one can have nothing but huge admiration for their continuing efforts.