Co-Op Superstores Cork Premier Senior Hurling Championship Final Sunday 18 October · SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh · Throw-in 4pm · Tickets: www.gaacork.ie/tickets
Both finalists lost on the opening weekend. Glen Rovers were caught by 14-man Blackrock at Páirc Uí Rinn, and St Finbarr’s were beaten by eight points by Midleton the night before. Ten weeks later they meet for the Seán Óg Murphy Cup. Here is how each of them got there, game by game.
Glen Rovers: backed into a corner, then four in a row
Group 1, Round 1: Blackrock 1-22 Glen Rovers 1-20
Saturday 1 August · Páirc Uí Rinn
The Glen led 0-11 to 0-6 when Blackrock’s Fionn Coleman was sent off in the 26th minute, but the Rockies outscored them 1-16 to 1-9 the rest of the way. Alan Connolly pounced on a loose clearance for the goal and finished with 1-10. Dean Brosnan’s point had the Glen 1-20 to 1-19 up in injury time, but Niall Cashman levelled and Connolly won it at the death. Patrick Horgan scored 0-6 and Michéal Mullins 1-2.
Group 1, Round 2: Glen Rovers 3-20 Kanturk 1-24
Sunday 23 August
A must-win game, and a three-goal first half. Simon Kennefick and Eoin O’Leary struck early goals and the Glen led 3-9 to 0-14 at the break. Kanturk came back through Brian O’Sullivan, who scored 1-15 including two penalties, and led 1-21 to 3-13. The Glen finished stronger: Robert Downey forced a turnover, Kennefick edged them ahead, and after a Dave Noonan block O’Leary hit the winner. O’Leary finished with 2-3, Horgan 0-7 and Kennefick 1-4.
Group 1, Round 3: Glen Rovers 1-24 Fr O’Neill’s 3-12
Sunday 6 September · Carrig
The Glen were 1-14 to 1-4 up at half-time, after a run of seven straight scores. Fr O’Neill’s hit 2-3 in the closing stages, two of the goals from Jason Hankard, to cut a 12-point lead to six. Horgan scored 0-10 and O’Leary 1-2. The Glen finished second in the group behind Kanturk, and Blackrock went out.
Quarter-final: Glen Rovers 2-22 Charleville 1-20
Sunday 20 September · Mallow
Charleville led 0-8 to 0-4 after 13 minutes. Kennefick’s shot came down off the crossbar and over the line for the first goal, then Horgan finished a Luke Horgan delivery for the second. Eight unanswered points either side of half-time put the Glen in control. Conor Buckley’s late goal for Charleville made it close, but the Glen reached a Premier senior semi-final for the first time in five years. Horgan finished with 1-12.
Semi-final: Glen Rovers 2-20 Midleton 1-18
The Glen led 0-10 to 0-9 at half-time. Michéal Mullins scored both goals, one early in the second half and the second in the 54th minute. Paul Connaughton replied for last year’s finalists, and Horgan missed a late penalty, but the Glen held on. Horgan scored 0-11.
“We kind of backed ourselves into a corner… this has now become a team.” — Glen Rovers manager Tomás Mulcahy, who called the defence “magnificent” and Mullins “a revelation”.
St Finbarr’s: slow start, strong finish
Group 3, Round 1: Midleton 0-25 St Finbarr’s 0-17
Friday 31 July · Páirc Uí Rinn
Midleton, last year’s beaten finalists, led almost all the way. Wind-assisted, they were 0-13 to 0-9 up at half-time, and two quick Conor Lehane points pushed them seven clear early in the second half. Ben Cunningham’s long-range goal attempt from a free was saved, and Midleton pulled away to win by eight. Cunningham scored 0-8 (0-7 frees).
Group 3, Round 2: St Finbarr’s 3-21 Bride Rovers 1-18
The Barrs got off the mark despite losing Jack Cahalane (hamstring, 18 minutes) and Brian Hayes (ankle, half-time) to injury. Seven up at the break, they scored three goals: two from Ben Cunningham and one from John Wigginton Barrett. Cunningham finished with 2-4 and William Buckley hit 0-7 from play.
Group 3, Round 3: St Finbarr’s 1-18 Newcestown 0-21
Enniskeane
The teams were level nine times. Newcestown led 0-11 to 1-5 at half-time, with Ricky Barrett’s goal, set up by Cunningham, keeping the Barrs in touch. Goalkeeper Shane Hurley came up to score the late equaliser. Combined with Midleton’s win over Bride Rovers, the draw sent the Barrs into the quarter-finals.
Quarter-final: St Finbarr’s 1-24 Imokilly 1-13
Sunday 20 September · Midleton
William Buckley hit three points in the first 69 seconds. Conor Cahill’s goal had Imokilly 1-4 to 0-5 up after 22 minutes, but Damien Cahalane answered with a long one-handed strike from out on the wing. The Barrs led 1-9 to 1-6 at half-time and won the third quarter 0-10 to 0-3 to pull clear, despite 17 wides. Buckley scored 0-7 and Cunningham 0-4.
Semi-final: St Finbarr’s 1-27 Kanturk 1-22
Páirc Uí Chaoimh
The Barrs trailed in-form Kanturk by four points with 14 minutes left, then outscored them 1-9 to 0-3. Ethan Twomey’s goal sparked the comeback, and he finished with 1-3 from midfield plus two assists. Shane Hurley made three saves, and Kanturk did not score after the 56th minute.
“We always know there is serious potential in the squad… thankfully, we ground it out.” — Ethan Twomey
Side by side
| Stage |
Glen Rovers |
St Finbarr’s |
| Round 1 |
L 1-20 v 1-22 Blackrock |
L 0-17 v 0-25 Midleton |
| Round 2 |
W 3-20 v 1-24 Kanturk |
W 3-21 v 1-18 Bride Rovers |
| Round 3 |
W 1-24 v 3-12 Fr O’Neill’s |
D 1-18 v 0-21 Newcestown |
| Quarter-final |
W 2-22 v 1-20 Charleville |
W 1-24 v 1-13 Imokilly |
| Semi-final |
W 2-20 v 1-18 Midleton |
W 1-27 v 1-22 Kanturk |
| Scored |
9-106 |
6-107 |
| Conceded |
7-96 |
3-99 |
| Top scorer |
Patrick Horgan 1-45 |
Ben Cunningham 2-33 |
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Ballincollig v Dungourney: The Path to the Final
Co-Op Superstores Cork Premier Intermediate Hurling Championship Final Sunday 18 October · SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh · Throw-in 2pm · Tickets: www.gaacork.ie/tickets
Ballincollig are back in a second straight county final, unbeaten and straight through to the semi-finals from Group 1. Dungourney took the long way: an opening-day defeat, a quarter-final that went to extra time and a semi-final won by two. A lot of their games turned on comebacks and late scores. Here is how each side got to Sunday.
Ballincollig: three from three, then the comeback
Group 1, Round 1: Ballincollig 1-24 Bishopstown 2-13
Sunday 2 August · Ballyanly
Bishopstown led 1-8 to 0-3 after the first quarter through a Brian Murray goal and were 1-11 to 0-10 up at half-time. Cillian Murray’s goal had them two ahead after 40 minutes. Cian O’Driscoll scored Ballincollig’s goal, Stephen Wills edged them in front after 52 minutes, and eight different players scored in the last ten minutes. Wills finished with 0-12.
Group 1, Round 2: Ballincollig 2-23 Éire Óg 1-18
Sunday 23 August · Riverstick
In the Mid Cork derby, Stephen Wills goaled early from a 20-metre free and Ballincollig led 1-12 to 0-9 at the break. Cian O’Driscoll added a second goal after the restart, set up by a James Dwyer flick, and the lead reached ten. Colm O’Callaghan’s goal gave Éire Óg hope, but Ballincollig closed it out and reached the knockout stages with a game to spare. Wills scored 1-10.
Group 1, Round 3: Ballincollig 2-17 Aghabullogue 1-16
Sunday 6 September · Ballyanly
Aghabullogue led 1-11 to 1-7 at half-time and were back in front with three minutes left. Debutant Danny Miskella had scored Ballincollig’s first goal, and James Dwyer won it with a second in a goalmouth scramble. Mark Oldham’s late point sealed three wins from three and a place in the semi-finals. Goalkeeper James Linehan made several key saves, and Wills scored 0-10.
Semi-final: Ballincollig 1-25 Carrigaline 2-19
Saturday 3 October · Ovens
Carrigaline led 1-15 to 0-11 at half-time and were seven up with nine minutes left. Theo Morgan’s point started the comeback. Brian Keating, back early from injury, finished an Adam Wills pass for the goal, and Ballincollig outscored Carrigaline 7-1 in the closing stages. Pete Kelly, Keating and Stephen Wills hit the last three points. Wills scored 0-9 and Keating 1-2.
Dungourney: the hard road
Group 2, Round 1: Cloyne 2-15 Dungourney 1-17
Sunday 2 August · Clonmult Memorial Park
The East Cork derby got away late. Dungourney hit an unanswered 1-4 in the first seven minutes, Cillian O’Callaghan with the goal, and led 1-9 to 0-4 at half-time. They were still 1-16 to 0-14 up with four minutes left. Brian O’Shea’s 20-metre free cut the gap, and Michael Cahill scrambled home the winner in the 64th minute. Jack Leahy scored 0-7.
Group 2, Round 2: Dungourney 1-17 Lisgoold 0-14
Saturday 22 August
Needing a win, Dungourney led 1-8 to 0-5 at half-time through another Cillian O’Callaghan goal. Seven of the first nine points after the restart settled it, and the lead peaked at eleven. Leahy scored 0-9.
Group 2, Round 3: Dungourney 4-16 Castlemartyr 2-17
Sunday 6 September · Killeagh
Cillian O’Callaghan scored a hat-trick inside the first 15 minutes, and Dungourney led 3-3 to 0-4. Barry Lawton’s two goals (2-7) brought Castlemartyr back level at 45 minutes. Kelvin Coady Byrne’s goal three minutes later put Dungourney ahead for good. O’Callaghan finished with 3-1 and Leahy 0-10, and the win sent Dungourney into the quarter-finals.
Quarter-final: Dungourney 3-26 Aghabullogue 3-25 (after extra time)
Saturday 19 September
Dungourney were eight points up early in the second half, then conceded three goals and faced elimination. They survived to extra time, and John Ahern had the final say to win it by a point.
Semi-final: Dungourney 2-14 Valley Rovers 1-15
Saturday 3 October · Ballyanly
Dungourney led 1-7 to 0-9 at half-time, O’Callaghan scoring the goal after a Kelvin Coady Byrne run. They were three up after 57 minutes, but Eoghan Crowley’s injury-time goal put Valley Rovers 1-15 to 1-14 ahead. On the last play, Coady Byrne set up corner-back Dylan Healy for the winning goal.
Side by side
Aghabullogue are the common opponent. Ballincollig beat them by four in the group, and Dungourney needed extra time to get past them by a point. The two sides also met in last year’s semi-final, which Ballincollig won 3-13 to 0-17.
Who lifts the cup on Sunday? Tickets are on sale at www.gaacork.ie/tickets.
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Meet the Match Officials for Sunday’s County Finals
Co-Op Superstores Cork Premier Intermediate and Premier Senior Hurling Finals Sunday 18 October · SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh
Niall Fahy of Brian Dillons will referee the Premier Intermediate Hurling final between Ballincollig and Dungourney at 2pm. Wayne King of Banteer takes charge of the Premier Senior Hurling final between Glen Rovers and St Finbarr’s at 4pm. Here are the officials for both games.
Premier Intermediate Final: Ballincollig v Dungourney (2pm)
Referee: Niall Fahy (Brian Dillons)
Niall began refereeing in 2022, after finishing up playing. He credits the Seandún divisional board and a number of referee administrators for their encouragement, and says he had great examples to follow in his own club.
His highlights so far include the 2024 Intermediate A Hurling final and the 2024 Seandún Junior A Hurling final. This year he also took charge of a Munster championship game in Semple Stadium.
Premier Senior Final: Glen Rovers v St Finbarr’s (4pm)
Referee: Wayne King (Banteer)
Wayne refs in Duhallow and in Cork county competitions, and works as a transport manager at Howard Farms. He is a father of three adult children and a grandfather of three. On Sunday it is a family affair: his son Richie is one of the umpires.
Wayne refereed Glen Rovers’ round 3 win over Fr O’Neill’s in Carrig in September. He has handled county finals at almost every level, in Cork and in Clare.
Refereeing highlights
Tickets for Sunday’s finals are on sale at www.gaacork.ie/tickets.
Glen Rovers v St Finbarr’s: The Path to the Final
Co-Op Superstores Cork Premier Senior Hurling Championship Final Sunday 18 October · SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh · Throw-in 4pm · Tickets: www.gaacork.ie/tickets
Both finalists lost on the opening weekend. Glen Rovers were caught by 14-man Blackrock at Páirc Uí Rinn, and St Finbarr’s were beaten by eight points by Midleton the night before. Ten weeks later they meet for the Seán Óg Murphy Cup. Here is how each of them got there, game by game.
Glen Rovers: backed into a corner, then four in a row
Group 1, Round 1: Blackrock 1-22 Glen Rovers 1-20
Saturday 1 August · Páirc Uí Rinn
The Glen led 0-11 to 0-6 when Blackrock’s Fionn Coleman was sent off in the 26th minute, but the Rockies outscored them 1-16 to 1-9 the rest of the way. Alan Connolly pounced on a loose clearance for the goal and finished with 1-10. Dean Brosnan’s point had the Glen 1-20 to 1-19 up in injury time, but Niall Cashman levelled and Connolly won it at the death. Patrick Horgan scored 0-6 and Michéal Mullins 1-2.
Group 1, Round 2: Glen Rovers 3-20 Kanturk 1-24
Sunday 23 August
A must-win game, and a three-goal first half. Simon Kennefick and Eoin O’Leary struck early goals and the Glen led 3-9 to 0-14 at the break. Kanturk came back through Brian O’Sullivan, who scored 1-15 including two penalties, and led 1-21 to 3-13. The Glen finished stronger: Robert Downey forced a turnover, Kennefick edged them ahead, and after a Dave Noonan block O’Leary hit the winner. O’Leary finished with 2-3, Horgan 0-7 and Kennefick 1-4.
Group 1, Round 3: Glen Rovers 1-24 Fr O’Neill’s 3-12
Sunday 6 September · Carrig
The Glen were 1-14 to 1-4 up at half-time, after a run of seven straight scores. Fr O’Neill’s hit 2-3 in the closing stages, two of the goals from Jason Hankard, to cut a 12-point lead to six. Horgan scored 0-10 and O’Leary 1-2. The Glen finished second in the group behind Kanturk, and Blackrock went out.
Quarter-final: Glen Rovers 2-22 Charleville 1-20
Sunday 20 September · Mallow
Charleville led 0-8 to 0-4 after 13 minutes. Kennefick’s shot came down off the crossbar and over the line for the first goal, then Horgan finished a Luke Horgan delivery for the second. Eight unanswered points either side of half-time put the Glen in control. Conor Buckley’s late goal for Charleville made it close, but the Glen reached a Premier senior semi-final for the first time in five years. Horgan finished with 1-12.
Semi-final: Glen Rovers 2-20 Midleton 1-18
The Glen led 0-10 to 0-9 at half-time. Michéal Mullins scored both goals, one early in the second half and the second in the 54th minute. Paul Connaughton replied for last year’s finalists, and Horgan missed a late penalty, but the Glen held on. Horgan scored 0-11.
“We kind of backed ourselves into a corner… this has now become a team.” — Glen Rovers manager Tomás Mulcahy, who called the defence “magnificent” and Mullins “a revelation”.
St Finbarr’s: slow start, strong finish
Group 3, Round 1: Midleton 0-25 St Finbarr’s 0-17
Friday 31 July · Páirc Uí Rinn
Midleton, last year’s beaten finalists, led almost all the way. Wind-assisted, they were 0-13 to 0-9 up at half-time, and two quick Conor Lehane points pushed them seven clear early in the second half. Ben Cunningham’s long-range goal attempt from a free was saved, and Midleton pulled away to win by eight. Cunningham scored 0-8 (0-7 frees).
Group 3, Round 2: St Finbarr’s 3-21 Bride Rovers 1-18
The Barrs got off the mark despite losing Jack Cahalane (hamstring, 18 minutes) and Brian Hayes (ankle, half-time) to injury. Seven up at the break, they scored three goals: two from Ben Cunningham and one from John Wigginton Barrett. Cunningham finished with 2-4 and William Buckley hit 0-7 from play.
Group 3, Round 3: St Finbarr’s 1-18 Newcestown 0-21
Enniskeane
The teams were level nine times. Newcestown led 0-11 to 1-5 at half-time, with Ricky Barrett’s goal, set up by Cunningham, keeping the Barrs in touch. Goalkeeper Shane Hurley came up to score the late equaliser. Combined with Midleton’s win over Bride Rovers, the draw sent the Barrs into the quarter-finals.
Quarter-final: St Finbarr’s 1-24 Imokilly 1-13
Sunday 20 September · Midleton
William Buckley hit three points in the first 69 seconds. Conor Cahill’s goal had Imokilly 1-4 to 0-5 up after 22 minutes, but Damien Cahalane answered with a long one-handed strike from out on the wing. The Barrs led 1-9 to 1-6 at half-time and won the third quarter 0-10 to 0-3 to pull clear, despite 17 wides. Buckley scored 0-7 and Cunningham 0-4.
Semi-final: St Finbarr’s 1-27 Kanturk 1-22
Páirc Uí Chaoimh
The Barrs trailed in-form Kanturk by four points with 14 minutes left, then outscored them 1-9 to 0-3. Ethan Twomey’s goal sparked the comeback, and he finished with 1-3 from midfield plus two assists. Shane Hurley made three saves, and Kanturk did not score after the 56th minute.
“We always know there is serious potential in the squad… thankfully, we ground it out.” — Ethan Twomey
Side by side
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Free webinar for club managers and coaches on creating high-performance teams
Cork GAA, in collaboration with High Performance Coaching, is inviting club managers, coaches, selectors, senior players and club leaders to take part in a free online webinar on Creating High-Performance Management Teams on Saturday, November 14.
Delivered by Dave Dorgan of High Performance Coaching, the webinar will run from 9.30am to 10.30am and will explore the key elements involved in creating high-performance sporting environments at club level.
The session will introduce four key areas: Self, Culture, Organisation and Game, examining how leadership, team standards, preparation and decision-making can contribute to improved performance.
The webinar will provide an introduction to a more practical two-day programme planned for February 2027, with sessions scheduled for February 6 and 13.
The online session is free to attend, but registration is required.
Webinar details
Club managers, coaches, selectors, senior players and club leaders are encouraged to register and take part.
Ireland beat Kazakhstan in SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh
If they beat Poland over two legs in late November/early December, the Girls in Green are going to Brazil. That will not be straightforward.
Match report Courtesy of Anthony Pyne in SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh via RTE.ie
But be warned: during League A qualification for Euro 2025, Poland lost twice to Austria, only to prevail 2-0 on aggregate when the countries later collided in the play-offs. They have form when it comes to peaking at the right time.
The play-off final will be a nerve-shredder, but tonight, there was no jeopardy. Ireland completed the formalities without breaking a sweat.
The visitors were rattled by the nature of their first-leg defeat and took an ultra-conservative approach by the River Lee. Reminiscent of Italy’s ‘no-ruck’ tactic against England in the 2017 Six Nations, they simply refused to engage in a midfield battle, retreating en masse to create a blue defensive wall that frustrated Ireland for most of the opening half.
Kazakhstan were also more robust and streetwise. They strung six players across the back line and stationed a bank of four ahead of them.
Ireland owned the ball, but they found it hard to find cracks in such a heavily populated rearguard.
There were chances of course. O’Sullivan swung in a teasing cross from the right that grazed the fingertips of Angelina Portnova and fell to McCabe, who lashed a first-time effort into the stands.
The natives howled for a penalty when O’Sullivan was squeezed out by Aida Gaistenova and Karina Zhumabaikyzy in the 20th minute, but Czech referee Michaela Pachtová was unmoved.
Anna Patten’s tame header looped into Portnova’s hands; then Patten skied a half-volley miles over. It was one long attack versus defence drill.
Ireland largely toiled, but O’Sullivan was bright throughout. She played a neat one-two with Patten after the half-hour mark, then squared it to Abbie Larkin who smacked a firm shot into Portnova’s legs.
Emily Murphy then drifted in from the left flank and whipped in a dipping effort that Portnova clawed around the post.
In the 40th minute, the breakthrough finally came. Patten’s cross from the right was inviting, Stapleton’s swooping header was excellent, a brave and controlled effort that whizzed into the corner of the net.
Ireland were slicker on the turnaround. Just three minutes into the second half, Murphy crept past a couple of challenges before feeding McCabe just outside the area. The Chelsea star caressed a lovely low strike past the sprawling Portnova.
Marissa Sheva, brought on for Shanade Hopcroft at half-time, clipped the outside of the post from a tight angle after gliding through on goal as Ireland kept pushing.
It was disjointed fare for the most part, but Lucy Quinn’s goal 20 minutes from time was a welcome moment of quality. Tyler Toland did well to skip down the left side of the area and pick out Quinn, who killed it with a sweet first touch before sweeping home a nice finish.
In the 73rd minute, the crowd got the moment they’d craved. Sheva’s low cross caused havoc, and hometown favourite O’Sullivan was in the right place at the right to smash in the third from six yards out.
It was a professional job from Ireland against poor opposition.
Now, they head towards much more challenging terrain as a teak-tough Poland wait in the long grass.
Republic of Ireland: Courtney Brosnan; Aoife Mannion (Lucy Quinn 62), Hayley Nolan, Anna Patten (Tyler Toland HT), Jessie Stapleton, Katie McCabe (capt); Megan Connolly, Shanade Hopcroft (Marissa Sheva HT), Denise O’Sullivan; Abbie Larkin (Amber Barrett 62); Emily Murphy (Kyra Carusa 81)
Kazakhstan: Angelina Portnova; Alexandra Burova, Anastassiya Nizamutdinova (Leila Sadykova 63), Bibigul Nurusheva, Anastassiya Vlassova; Yekaterina Babshuk (capt), Karina Zhumabaikyzy (Kazyna Norbayeva HT), Asselkhan Turlybekova (Kristina Shustova 79); Aida Gaistenova; Amina Bibossynova (Tomiris Rakhatzhan 88), Fatima Satygaliyeva (Valeriya Popova 63)
Referee: Michaela Pachtová (Czech Republic)
Attendance: 10,334