Munster Club JHC: Kilshannig look to make the most of home comforts

Kilshannig will look to take advantage of that rarest of beasts – a home championship match – as they make their first foray into Munster club hurling on Saturday.

With a home draw for the Cork representatives in the AIB Munster Club JHC, victory over St Catherine’s in the county Premier JHC final meant that Kilshannig could host Deaglán Naofa of Waterford as their Glantane venue ticks the requisite boxes.

Saturday’s game, which has a 1.15pm throw-in, should allow for a good home support and manager Pat Murphy is keen that they can make it count.

“If you had a choice of playing anywhere, your home venue would be your first choice,” he said.

“Certainly, you’d say there would be benefit from playing at home, we’ll have a big following from our own parish and from the division as well.

“We have great supporters and they’re great to follow the team. For years, in our parish we were only looking for something to follow.

“Since we’ve had the bit of success, we’ve no better followers than the people of the parish.”

It is a quick turnaround for Kilshannig, the provincial clash just eight days after the county final, but they will be ready for the new challenge.

“The county final was the Friday night,” Murphy says, “and I suppose, after we doing something that the club has never done before, fellas are bound to let their hair down and blow off a bit of steam over the weekend.

“We're probably going into unknown territory, going out representing Cork in Munster, but we're delighted, over the moon to be there.

“We're breaking new ground from a hurling point of view, so that's very pleasing. I suppose there was probably a lot of festivities until the small hours of the morning for a few days, but we're back training, back on the horse again we'll be geared up for Saturday.”

In a sense, it’s not all that new, though, as three county football titles in the past seven seasons have seen the club play twice in Munster club fare in the big-ball code.

That success – and 2025’s county JAHC win – show that the current squad relish the big occasion.

“To be fair to the group of players, when we go to the bigger stages it doesn't seem to faze fellas,” Murphy says.

“They've had a share of experience down through the years, since 2019 the players have become used to playing in Páirc Uí Chaoimh and Páirc Uí Rinn.

“They've given us great great enjoyment and I suppose we're just very fortunate to have the crop of players. They've been tremendous ambassadors for the club.

“Then you add in our coach Dermot O’Riordan, who has done such a great job. He was with Carrigtwhill when they won the senior county in 2011 and it just shows how good he is that he’s still winning back-to-back county titles.

“We’re very lucky to have him.”