John Horgan on Cork club hurling: Relegation drama pushes clubs to the edge

It could be said that the Cork County Hurling Championships, in all five grades, begins in earnest over the coming days.

The phrase, 'kill or be killed' comes into play now, the clubs who remain in the chase for the big prizes to be handed out next month are now entering a very high-stakes situation where only victory will suffice if you are going to take a significant step towards the ultimate goal.

Lose and you are no longer afloat in the choppy waters you have entered.

The PSHC has just seven teams still swimming and when this weekend's three quarter-finals are decided it will be down to the last four, Midleton already berthed in that coveted place as a result of their one hundred per cent record at the group stage.

They have the luxury now of having a look at the other six teams vying alongside them and before they play again, a full month will have elapsed since their last competitive game, a two-point victory over Bride Rovers.

There are those who believe that scenario can sometimes act as a deterrent, too long a wait, ring rust, that sort of nonsense.

But isn't the object of any exercise all about taking the shortest route as possible and Midleton have done a fine job in doing that.

So, who will join them in the semi-finals of a championship that is viewed by many as being the most wide open for years with very little separating all the teams.

The three quarter-finals, it goes without saying, are of equal importance but perhaps the most important of all the games at this level is the relegation decider between Fr O'Neill's and Douglas.

When this tension-filled encounter is sorted one of them will no longer be a premier senior hurling club.

That's going to be a bitter blow for those striving to retain that lofty status from one year to the next but as they say, them's the rules, you get three chances to avoid being in that situation and it's a survival of the fittest now, which of the two teams can hold their nerve that bit more.

As for trying to call it, near impossible because these relegation play-offs take on a life of their own and all that can be said really is that the two Cork seniors on duty, Deccie Dalton and Shane Kingston have big roles to play, two key players who can inspire those around them.

The quarter-final line-up has lots of potential, Sarsfields against Kanturk, Imokilly taking on the Barrs and the Glen facing Charleville.

For many, Kanturk have been the story thus far, trouncing a much-fancied Blackrock team and subsequently eliminating them from the equation.

And there were no arguments with how they did it, 11 points the margin at the end with Brian O'Sullivan, Alan and Colin Walsh putting up big tallies on the scoreboard and the experience of the McLoughlins, John and Lorcan vitally important.

So, Sars have been well warned in advance, facing a team with huge momentum behind them and an inner belief that they can cope with any of the perceived best teams in the competition.

Sars, being the holders, will be the fancy of most but there will be an awareness too that a more concentrated 60 minutes of hurling must be produced and they will be aware too of the fate that they endured against Charleville in their group opener.

Kanturk contain a strong, physical presence in their team, plenty of scoring ability that is sure to test the champions fully.

Charleville have the Glen on their radar this weekend and they were sailing along very nicely before losing to Newtownshandrum in their final group game.

Bragging rights lost maybe but they entered this game in the knowledge that they were already through.

Darragh Fitzgibbon, if he is absent again would be a massive loss but the side still contains a stong balance and that earlier win over Sars will provide them with plenty of confidence.

The Downeys, Hoggy, Eoin O'Leary and Mick Mullins are a very solid starting off point for the Glen, Mullins playing some great hurling but they'll be extremely wary going in here.

Firing

Midleton host Imokilly and the Barrs, in another quarter-final and making a decisive call on this one is not easy either.

Imokilly are going in again having not been tested in the Divisions/Colleges section but still a team carrying some heavy artillery, players with plenty of county medals in their pockets even if some of their marquee individuals have moved on.

The Barrs have been a bit of a mixed bag, well off it against Midleton, responding well against Bride Rovers before being held to a draw by Newcestown.

With the benefit of hindsight, that was actually a very good point against a team that could easily have qualified themselves if the coin had landed on the other side.

If Brian Hayes is unavailable, the Barrs will be seriously disadvantaged but William Buckley and Ben Cunningham among others can still show the way in attack.

For a number of the Imokilly team it will be their second game in two consecutive days, Dungourney duo Jack Leahy and Cillian O'Callaghan in particular, but the division has coped with similar situations in the past.

No game in this premier hurling grade is easy to predict, this one looks the most difficult of all.

Taking the easy way out one might be tempted to go for Sars, Barrs and Glen to advance to the semis alongside Midleton but it will be no huge surprise if it's Kanturk, Charleville and Imokilly securing the wins.

We base that on what we have witnessed in the group stage over the past few weeks.

Finely balanced

Turning to the Senior A championship and it's almost an identical scenario, all the games too close to call but all of them carrying great potential.

Na Piarsaigh have been reborn after losing to Erin's Own and their opponents Carrigtwohill have mixed the good with the indifferent after losing their opener to Inniscarra.

Ballinhassig are colliding with Watergrasshill in a second quarter-final, two sides with no shortage of resilience in their ranks.

Ballinhassig exhibited that in coming from seven points in arrears against Carrigtwohill to get the draw that got them through with Cork panlist Darragh O'Sullivan showing fine leadership when it was needed.

Erin's Own and Blarney await the outcome of these two games, games that are almost certain to go right down to the wire.

In fact, it could be said that in all five grades this weekend, the playing field is very level, no one team stands out from the rest.

And isn't that the way you want would it, certainly unlike what it might be in Waterford, where it has been almost a given over the past number of years that Ballygunner would prevail in the SHC.

This is the weekend here on Leeside that all of us will be a little bit more knowledgeable on who might end up on the winner's podium.