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Irish Examiner

Cork GAA weekend previews: Glen back in the big time with a point to prove

TODAY Cork Premier SHC Group 1: Glen Rovers v Erin's Own, Páirc Uí Rinn (M Maher), 5.30pm Welcome back to the big time, Glen Rovers. If they are to mark that return with return to the knockout stages, these are two points they simply have to bank. League form was good, the Glen narrowly missing out on a place in the Division 1 decider. This evening's fixture should mark Micheál Mullins' championship debut in Glen colours, the Cork panelist having transferred from Whitechurch earlier in the year. Conor Lenihan, Peter O'Shea, and Robbie O'Flynn will drive Erin's Own bid to return to the knockout stages after failing to do so the last two summers. 'We all have experience of being at this level before, but we kind of just need to re-establish ourselves,' says Glen half-forward Dean Brosnan, himself a veteran of seven Cork senior hurling finals. And yet despite that deep bank of experience and his membership of many fine Glen teams over the past decade and a half, including the back-to-back class of 2015 and '16, he believes the current group to be the deepest he's ever lined out with. 'I think it's probably the strongest panel I've been part of in the Glen,' the 34-year-old continues. His is a statement heavily weighted in the fact that the club has won three of the last four county minor titles. 'From last year to this year, we've gotten three or four minors, who were very successful. We've Adam O'Donovan after coming back from Canada and the addition then of Micheál [Mullins]. 'Then, we've got the fellas at 21, 22, who are really after kind of driving it on. Inside in training and in league games, we have options that we never had before. Picking the team now isn't going to be as easy as it once was.' Against Erin's Own today. They're chasing a first top-tier victory since the scarcely believable date of August 28, 2022. 'Now that we're there, like every competition, we want to go and win it. That's our aspiration going into the year, each game we play, we'll be looking to win. Obviously, it's a very competitive group that we have, so we have to take that in mind that each team can beat each other.' Verdict: Glen Rovers Group 2: Midleton v Newtownshandrum, Páirc Uí Rinn (S Stokes), 7.15pm Repeat of last year's quarter-final which Midleton won by eight. Midleton arrive into the championship arena with a Division 2 League crown achieved minus the assistance of Conor Lehane and Tommy O'Connell. Newtown lived with Midleton for 44 minutes of the aforementioned quarter-final. Have they the conditioning and the hurling to go further now? Verdict: Newtownshandrum Group 3: Blackrock v Kanturk, Mallow (P O'Driscoll), 7.30pm Another 2024 quarter-final repeat. The Rockies raising three green flags to their opponents' none was the difference. The goal threat again sits with Blackrock. Fionn Coleman fired five in the League, and is now joined by Alan Connolly and Robbie Cotter. Kanturk have lost Aidan Walsh. Ryan Walsh could well be absent too with the injury he picked up in their football opener last weekend. Their League ended in relegation from the top tier. Verdict: Blackrock Cork Senior AHC Group 1: Carrigtwohill v Fermoy, Rathcormac (C Walsh), 7.30pm Neither reached the 2024 quarter-finals. Carrigtwohill have a new management ticket headed up by renowned sportswriter Denis Walsh and former Cork U20 hurling coach John Dwyer. Carrigtwohill, through Seán Walsh, James Mulcahy, and Mark O'Connor, held on in Division 1, Fermoy couldn't hold on in Division 2. Verdict: Carrigtwohill Group 2: Ballyhea v Inniscarra, Mourneabbey (K O'Sullivan), 5.30pm Inniscarra shaded by three points their group stage clash on this very weekend last year, though both ended up outside the top two. Andrew McCarthy and Padraig Holland steered Inniscarra to Division 4 League silverware at Bandon's expense, Ballyhea fell short in the Division 5 decider. Verdict: Inniscarra Bishopstown v Castlelyons, Blarney (B Barry Murphy), 7.30pm Glen Rovers immediately bounced back up following Premier Senior relegation. The expectation surrounding Bishopstown to perform the same act is considerably less. This might well prove their toughest group encounter against the Spillanes, O'Learys, and Alan Fenton. Verdict: Castlelyons Cork Premier IHC Group 1 Ballymartle v Éire Óg, Ballinhassig (W Wallis), 7.30pm Verdict: Ballymartle Group 3 Lisgoold v Valley Rovers, Carrigaline (R Whelan), 7.30pm Verdict: Valley Rovers Cork Intermediate AHC Group 2: Sarsfields v Youghal, Cloyne (N O'Neill), 7.30pm Verdict: Sarsfields Cork Premier JHC Group 3: Ballygarvan v Milford, Killavullen (J Smiddy), 5.30pm Verdict: Ballygarvan Argideen Rangers v Tracton, Bandon (J Ryan), 7.30pm Verdict: Tracton TOMORROW Cork Premier SHC Group 2: Charleville v Newcestown, Grenagh (W King), 3pm Newcestown's Division 3 League status, even with promotion secured, won't have been ideal preparation for the step up in quality they will encounter from tomorrow on. Still chasing a first championship win since securing their Premier Senior return in late 2023. Charleville finished in the top half of Division 1. The likes of Jack Meade, Robert Carroll, and Seán Bresnan carry in strong form, allied with the return of on-field leader Darragh Fitzgibbon. Verdict: Charleville. Cork Senior AHC Group 1: Killeagh v Na Piarsaigh, Midleton (P O'Mahony), 7.30pm Killeagh's flagship side is finally able to call on the talented bunch of U19s that only their junior team could access as U18s 12 months ago. Among that bunch is Cork U20 Barry Walsh, who hit 1-14 last month to help the club clinch promotion to the League's topflight. Na Piarsaigh were fortunate to hold in the same division. Verdict: Killeagh Group 3: Courcey Rovers v Watergrasshill, Páirc Uí Rinn (A Hyland), 1.15pm Watergrasshill arrive into the second tier with momentum and little fear. They'll be driven by Sean Desmond, Daire O'Leary, and Adam Murphy, a trio of performers who've already survived and thrived at a level higher in Imokilly colours. Under new manager Michael O'Sullivan, Courcey Rovers will count on the usual suspects including Sean Twomey, Richard Sweetnam, and Tadhg O'Sullivan. Verdict: Watergrasshill Blarney v Bride Rovers, Páirc Uí Rinn (C O'Regan), 3pm The latest chapter in this intense rivalry, although last year's semi-final saw a one-sidedness 11-point Blarney win. Adam Walsh, Conor Barry, and Louie Roche were the chief contributors during Rovers' recent Division 3 League final win. A repeat and more is required here to prevent a third straight championship defeat to Blarney. Verdict: Blarney Cork Premier IHC Group 1: Carrigaline v Cloyne, Cobh (P Lyons), 3pm Verdict: Carrigaline Group 3: Dungourney v Mallow, Castletownroche (D Daly), 3.30pm Verdict: Mallow Cork Intermediate AHC Group 1: Mayfield v Midleton, Riverstown (D Twomey), 2pm Verdict: Midleton Bandon v Russell Rovers, Riverstick (A O'Connor), 3pm Verdict: Bandon Group 2: Aghabullogue v Blackrock, Ballincollig (A Long), 2pm Verdict: Aghabullogue Group 3: Aghada v Kildorrery, Caherlag (N Hayes), 2pm Verdict: Kildorrery Ballygiblin v Erin's Own, Castlelyons (B Coniry), 6.30pm Verdict: Ballygiblin Cork Premier JHC Group 1: Glen Rovers v St Catherine's, Lisgoold (M O'Mahony), 1.30pm Verdict: St Catherine's Meelin v St Finbarr's, Ballygiblin (A O'Regan), 1.30pm Verdict: St Finbarr's Group 2 Nemo Rangers v Cloughduv, Ballyanley (B Murphy), 1.30pm Verdict: Cloughduv