And so we’ve arrived at the last four. No surprises, really, with the line-up. Save for the Barrs falling early, there’s been a predictable air to this Cork hurling championship.
That's not a complaint, mind. Predictable, yes, but still leaving space for the odd success story. Fr O’Neill’s were absolutely one of those.
A first Premier Senior victory. A first quarter-final appearance. The same for Kanturk on the latter front.
They were the one team to really close the gap on those up front. For the four up front, they will relish Sunday’s first run-out of the year at Páirc Uí Chaoimh. There’s not a team among them who won’t thrive in the open spaces and on the new sod.
This is a double-header, fingers crossed, that shouldn’t disappoint. Blackrock v Imokilly Fatigue and busy schedules have caught up with Imokilly in recent seasons. Lads lining out on a Sunday still sore from having played with their club the evening previous.
With that in mind, Imokilly boss Denis Ring must have been doing cartwheels when he saw the reworked fixture schedule. No Watergrasshill or Lisgoold in action on Saturday, as was initially the case. A third of their quarter-final team - John Cronin, Diarmuid Healy, Dáire O’Leary, Sean Desmond, and Adam Murphy - now coming in fresher to Páirc Uí Chaoimh.
Blackrock’s quarter-final win at Fermoy, a venue more suited to opponents Kanturk, offers proof they are close to properly clicking. And I know it was two months ago now, but i.