SAHC preview: Last two premier intermediate champions face off for semi-final spot
Simon O'Neill Ballinhassig battles to keep possession against Carrigtwohill. Picture: Larry Cummins
Back in the days of straight-knockout county championships, it was possible to strike a vein of good fortune and become over-promoted, as it were.
While no team ever won a title by a accident, a first-round defeat for a big gun could remove a shark from the tank and then the luck of the draw – or a bye – would make for a favourable run.
In an era where every team has the privilege of playing three group games before the ‘real stuff’ starts, there is more of a meritocracy at play: there are obviously fine margins that have wider-reaching butterfly effects but, by and large, teams end up where they deserve to.
In tandem with the fact is the fact that the move to 12-team grades means that the steps through the tiers are less precipitous than, say, the days when junior A was just two levels removed from senior.
And all of that should go some way to explaining why it’s a shock to nobody that one of the last two county premier intermediate hurling champions will be in the semi-finals of the senior A competition in 2026.
Last year, Watergrasshill carried their county, Munster and All-Ireland-winning form into the second tier as they beat Courcey Rovers; while they then suffered a defeat to Blarney, they bounced back to beat eventual champions Bride Rovers, though it was a strange situation as the Hill still bowed out with that result and the Rovers marched on.
This year, wins over Ballyhea and Castlelyons – beaten finalists last year – secured progression for Eddie Enright’s men with a game to spare. While they fell to Blarney, the five-point defeat marked improvement compared to the 21-point loss of a year ago and there is a chance to show that lessons from the recent loss have been learned when they clash with Ballinhassig in Ovens on Sunday.
The south-east side claimed victory in the third tier last year and have shown that that was no flash in the pan by going through their group undefeated: a local-derby draw with Courceys followed by a win over Inniscarra and then another tie with Carrigtwhohill giving them top spot when the music stopped.
Both sides will sense a major opportunity, while knowing the size of the mission involved. In Seán Desmond and Adam Murphy, the Hill possess a pair of attackers to rival any in the grade but they have much more than that; not least the springboard provided by Dáire O’Leary and Kevin O’Neill in the half-back line.
Cork goalkeeper Patrick Collins, his brother Ger in attack and county panellist Darragh O’Sullivan give Ballinhassig a strong framework, with Brian Lynch and Evan Cullinane also capable of big plays.
By the time the sides take the field at the home of Éire Óg, they will know who else has joined Blarney and Erin’s Own in making up the semi-finalists as Carrigtwohill and Na Piarsaigh do battle at Páirc Uí Rinn tonight.
Carrig were in the last four in 2025 and would have hoped to at least match that but the loss of Seán Walsh to injury threatened to upscuttle those plans. That they have got to this stage without him – while midfielder Justin Oke missed the Ballinhassig game – speaks to their depth, with Walsh’s brother Patrick and Matthew Barrett capable of carrying some of the scoring load.
Na Piarsaigh lost their opener to Erin’s Own but bounced back well as they beat Fermoy to set up a winner-take-all tie with Killeagh – Daire Connery, Kevin Moynihan and Ross O’Sullivan helped the northsiders to achieve that.
On Saturday is the final that nobody wants to be in: Fermoy and Ballyhea having to face each other to avoid dropping to premier intermediate, both sides having lost three from three.
Like Carrigtwohill, Ballyhea are ruing the loss of a key attacker as Pa O’Callagahan was forced off against Blarney, and trying to recreate his impact in the aggregate is the challenge, though Patrick Daly has led the charge on that front.
Fermoy put up a good battle against an already-qualified Erin’s Own in their last group match – Fionn Lardner and Pádraig de Róiste are likely to have a say if they are to remain senior.
Carrigtwohill v Na Piarsaigh, Páirc Uí Rinn, 7.30pm.
Ballyhea v Fermoy, Kildorrery, 4.30pm.
Ballinhassig v Watergrasshill, Ovens, 3pm.
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