Premier IHC final preview: Ballincollig and Dungoruney targeting fairytale end to journeys

In one sense, Ballincollig have out-performed the mean in reaching the final of the Co-op SuperStores Cork Premier IHC for the second year in a row.

Across six seasons and five grades since the 2020 restructuring – 30 different county hurling competitions – there had been only six instances of a team finishing as runners-up in their grade making it back to the following year’s final.

Facing into a new season the year after losing a decider is a two-sided feeling. On the one hand, you know you have what it takes to go the distance; on the other, you’re starting from zero just like everyone else and, what’s more, you’re a scalp to be taken as competing clubs use you as a benchmark against which to measure their own ambitions.

Factor in the legendary even nature of the third tier and it was clear that Ballincollig, beaten in the 2025 final by Ballinhassig, would need to show their mettle in order to go a step further this time around but, so far, that’s exactly what they have done.

In the group stages, the mid-Cork side were the only one of the 12 in the Premier IHC to pick up a maximum of six points, with an aggregate scoring difference of 20 across wins over three neighbouring clubs – Bishopstown, Éire Óg and Aghabullogue.

The top seeding meant direct passage to the semi-finals but of course therein lies a double-edged sword: no need to play a quarter-final but, by the time you get back on the field, four weeks have passed and you must play a team usually buoyant after a good victory to get to the last four.

For Ballincollig, that challenge was displayed in vivid form in Ovens a fortnight ago as they came face-to-face with a Carrigaline side that had beaten Kilworth in their last group game to make the knockouts before then scoring 32 points in seeing off Cloyne.

Trailing by eight points at the three-quarter mark presented a big test for Ballincollig but they remained calm in the face of adversity, both on the field and on the sideline. Brian Keating came off the bench and had a huge impact while the redeployment of James Dwyer to centre-back was also an important move.

Keating finished with 1-2 while Dann Miskella got four points and Stephen Wills was, as ever, ultra-reliable from dead balls as they ran out winners by 1-25 to 2-19.

It’s four years since Dungourney beat Cloughduv to win the IAHC final – an illustration of the fine margins across the grades is the fact that the Muskerry men are now residing in premier junior following relegation in 2024.

In contrast, Dungourney have stepped up impressively and have gone one step further each year: unlucky to miss out on qualification in 2023 on scoring difference, they made the quarter-finals in 2024 and were automatic semi-finalists last year, losing to Ballincollig by 3-13 to 0-17.

While goals were the difference that day, nobody could accuse the east Cork side of being shy of green flags this time around: five matches so far have seen them find the net 11 times.

The most important of those was Dylan Healy’s late strike to beat Valley Rovers when it looked as if the Innishannon side had snatched victory. One of the main scoring threats, Jack Leahy, was only able for an appearance as a sub that day and Dungourney will hope that the two weeks since have allowed him to recuperate enough for a more central role.

Cillian O’Callaghan has been in superb form at full-forward – centre-back Jack Griffin’s deliveries a regular source of opportunity, while Griffin himself popped up with a vital goal when it looked as if Aghabullogue had made a decisive surge in the quarter-final.

John Ahern is another likely to keep the Ballincollig defence busy in what could be a cracking encounter.