Premier IHC: Valleys look to peak again as last four looms

Those associated with Valley Rovers experienced a variety of moods on Sunday, September 6, the final of the group stage of the Co-op SuperStores Premier IHC.

The Innishannon side have overcome Carrigaline and Kilworth to guarantee themselves top spot before facing another local derby, against Ballymartle in Ballinspittle.

Valleys knew that a victory would be enough to guarantee an automatic semi-final spot but, such is the way that the new system has been designed, no game can be taken as a gimme.

While qualification for the knockout stages was a remote prospect for Ballymartle, they were targeting victory at the very least to ward off fears of ending up in the relegation play-off.

In the event, the Riverstick side’s 0-21 to 0-20 triumph only left them missing out on the knockout stages on scoring difference against Carrigaline. Initially, there was disappointment for Valleys but then news came through that Cloyne – who, like the Rovers, had won their opening two games – lost to Lisgoold and so Noel O’Donovan’s side would be one of the top two sides, availing of the quarter-final bye.

They now will take on Dungourney, who beat Aghabullogue in the quarter-finals, in Ballyanly on Saturday at 4pm.

Valleys centre-back Eoin Guinane admits there was something of a rollercoaster in the wake of the Ballymartle game ending, with the time since then spent on ensuring there will be a strong response to the defeat.

“Yeah, there was a mix of emotions,” he says.

“There was obviously disappointment to start – we weren't even sure were we in the quarter or semi.

“We had people checking Twitter before we said anything after the game and then when the score came through, we were obviously delighted but we know there's still a lot of work to do.

“We weren't very happy after the Ballymartle game, as you can imagine – we were just disappointed in ourselves, really, as we didn't perform to what we could.

“We went up six points and five points and we kind of let them back into it, so that was the first thing that needed to be addressed.

“But we've come together again since and we're looking forward now to the semi-finals.”

Guinane is still only 21 but has quickly become a leader on the pitch, with his development aided by experience with the Cork minor and U20 teams.

“It kind of opens up your eyes a bit to the more serious side of things and it helps you bring it back then,” he says.

“I think it's my fourth year now and we've a young enough team, so I'd say I'm almost one of the more experienced players now!

“That's the joys of it and I wouldn't want it any other way, either.”

Valleys are one of just three clubs, along with Ballincollig and Carrigaline, not to have left the 12-team premier intermediate grade since the 2020 restructuring of the championships, though they have come close to both exits – one relegation play-off win and two semi-final defeats.

In tandem with the hurling, the club operates at premier senior in football and were unlucky not to qualify from their group, losing out to Newcestown and Nemo Rangers on scoring difference.

While that was a disappointment, there was a tiny silver lining in that that elimination has at least allowed for full focus on the hurling.

“We were very unlucky in the football,” Guinane says, “we won the first two games and then still got knocked out.

“The only thing on the bright side of that is we were able to just focus fully on hurling, where some lads haven't gone two weeks hurling in a row in a long time.

“That's the only upside to that, I suppose.”

CO-OP SUPERSTORES PREMIER IHC SEMI-FINALS

Saturday, October 3: Ballincollig v Carrigaline, Ovens; Valley Rovers v Dungouney, Ballyaly (both 4pm).