The Echo Sport Podcast: Thrilling club action shows best of Cork hurling

What a weekend of club hurling!

There's a cohort out there who feel the inter-county season is too short when the box-office action ends in July, but Cork GAA's brilliant programme of matches across five grades never fails to deliver.

Kanturk were the story of the last phase of group games, blasting past Blackrock to eliminate the city side and grab top spot ahead of Glen Rovers. It was a magnificent team performance, from Darren Browne tagging Alan Connolly in defence to the power and ball-winning of Colin and Alan Walsh up top. Brian O'Sullivan, on the fringes of the Cork panel all year, was lethal from placed balls but also heavily involved from play.

Midleton got held off Bride Rovers to grab top seeding and a semi-final berth but Sars remain the team to beat, their quarter-final with Kanturk will be epic.

Injuries continue to cast a shadow though, with Darragh Fitzgibbon missing Charleville's loss to Newtown and unlikely to feature in the quarter-final with Glen Rovers. Brian Hayes and Jack Cahalane were notable absentees for the Barrs and they'll be under pressure against Imokilly without them.

Another standout team display came from Na Piarsaigh, who outgunned Killeagh and are now one of the form teams in Senior A.

Carrigaline shot the lights out against Kilworth to snatch a place in the Premier Intermediate knockout phase. Their late blast of 1-1 in round two to draw with Ballymartle, who are now out despite beating Valleys, saved their season.

Bishopstown head into their third consecutive relegation final, against Lisgoold, after a poor display against Éire Óg. Can they stop the slide?

Aghada eliminated Kilbrittain at Intermediate A while Cloughduv clawed their way into the Premier Junior quarter-final with a monster win over Milford, who ended up in relegation trouble after Mayfield pulled off an upset against Barryroe. Scoring difference was the common thread there. 

The Echo podcast crew look at what hurlers put their hands up for inclusion in Ben O'Connor's panel after the three group games. In his most recent column, Patrick Horgan suggested continuity is what Cork are lacking, on and off the field. Is he right? 

There's also a preview of the football action this weekend.

TUNE IN 

Now in its fourth season, every Monday, Éamonn Murphy is joined by The Echo team, including Barry O’Mahony, Denis Hurley, Rory Noonan, John Horgan and more to discuss all the latest Cork GAA news on and off the field. You can listen on Echolive.ie/podcast or anywhere you get your podcasts.

Don’t forget to log onto www.IrishExaminer.com as well to catch up on the best inter-county analysis including Dalo’s Hurling Show and The Gaelic Football Show. 

Plus there's a special digital bundle offer with access to the Examiner and Clubber TV, which streams the best of the Cork GAA club matches.