Munster club championships get underway
With a few county finals still to be played - there are two down for next weekend - the AIB Munster Club Championships start and two Cork champions are on the road, while in camogie St Finbarr’s will enjoy home advantage in their semi-final.
The respective county junior hurling and football championship also continue along with the under 21 grade.
Munster Junior Football QF
Buttevant v Shamrocks (Waterford) on Saturday at Fraher Field at 1.30pm
Kilmurry’s success in winning this championship last year finally ended Kerry’s dominance of this grade and Buttevant will be keen to keep the title on Leeside.
Based on their impressive Cork campaign and the clear gap in standards between the counties at this level, they will be hot favourites to win this game.
It is the 2nd time in 4 years that Shamrocks have won the Waterford Championship, and in their 1st Munster campaign they were defeated by Castlemahon from Limerick 1-18 to 2-12.
They defeated Butlerstown 2-10 to 0-11 in the Waterford final, with Billy Hynes picking up the POTM award with 1-7, who along with Adam Crawford featured with the Waterford senior team this year.
In the immediate aftermath of their county final win, Buttevant manager Joey Hanlon said: “There is a lot more in this group and after a few days celebrating, we will do our homework on Shamrocks, treat them with respect and prepare for the game and hope we can extend our season.”
There is a very nice balance to the North Cork side and in Conor O’Hanlon they have a quality forward 0-11, including 3 2-pointers in the win over St Nick’s.
Mark Linehan, David Hanlon, Michael O’Neill, Aaron Trimm and Ben O’Connor had good and consistent campaigns.
It’s hard to see Buttevant losing this one and that win will set up a home semi-final against Ahane.
Munster Intermediate Football QF
Aghabullogue v Thurles Sarsfields on Sunday at Templetouhy at 1.30pm
The big question here is which of these now dual senior clubs in 2026 will have recovered sufficiently from their celebrations following their victories on Sunday to focus on this game.
Of course they are right to celebrate, after all they are amateur players but no doubt they will quickly switch the mind and body for this match.
It is a busy time for Aghabullogue because irrespective of the result they are back in action on Sunday week in the Intermediate Hurling Final with a fair share of dual players, so a busy time ahead but to their credit they operated comfortably at both codes in recent years.
Fair to say both of these clubs would be more renowned for their hurling exploits but that should not lessen their approach to this encounter.
Thurles defeated Rockwell Rovers 0-17 to 0-14 after extra-time that had everything, black cards and two pointers thrown in for good measure.
Lorcan Cummins made a few great saves including a penalty, Liam McCormack, Kieran Costello, Conor Stapleton, Paddy Creedon, Matthew Kelly and Kevin Bracken were all key men in that win.
Thurles are managed by Peter Creedon who knows the Cork scene well and now just 2 years after winning the Junior Championship they are heading to the Senior grade and with it momentum going into Sunday.
Of course Aghabullogue are in a very similar position and the manner in which they won last Sunday’s excellent final against their near neighbours will have boosted confidence.
Not for the first time Paul Ring was outstanding deservedly named POTM, Luke Casey after a hectic week delivered big scores, as did Matthew Bradley and captain John Corkery.
Adam Murphy hit brilliant 2 pointers while at the back along with Ring, Shane Tarrant, Conor Smyth, John Buckley and Paul Dilworth were very effective.
Both clubs will probably say this is ‘bonus territory’ but as Aghabullogue Manager Ray Keane said afterwards: “We will celebrate tonight and then early next week focus on the Munster Championship as they do not come around that often.”
Cork clubs have a good record at this grade against teams from the other counties, with Kerry the exception, and it is one I would see Aghabullogue maintaining.
The Limerick champions will travel to the winners in the semi-final.
AIB Munster Camogie Semi-final
St Finbarr’s v Newcastle-West on Saturday in Togher at 1pm
A historic Saturday afternoon in Togher where for the very first time, a Munster Championship game will be played at that splendid complex.
It’s been a few weeks since the ‘Barrs retained the Cork title and after a disappointing campaign last year, they will be determined to improve on that this time round and especially with home advantage.
The Limerick girls do have the benefit of a QF where they defeated Clare champions Inagh-Kilnamona 1-10 to 0-9 in a game in which Roisin Mann, Karen O’Leary, Hazel Horgan, Grace Lee and Mia Smith played well.
Barr’s impressed in the Cork championship and when St Catherines looked like causing an upset in the final, they had the capacity and key players to get them over the line.
Sorcha McCartan was their leading player and with Meabh and Orlaith Cahalane despite having played a football final that went to extra-time the day before, Keeva McCarthy, Stephanie Punch, Kate Wall, Nicole Olden and Ciara Hurley doing the hard graft to secure the win.
Despite Cork’s standing at inter-county level, the record in recent years in this championship has not been good. Milford were the last team from the county to make an impact, but the Barr’s look well equipped to win this one.
Thurles-Sarsfields and De Le Salle Waterford meet in the other semi-final.
County Junior Championship
There are quarter-finals in both hurling and football this weekend. In football, Glenville at 3pm on Saturday will see Charleville play Ballygarvan beaten by Inniscarra in last year’s final by a last minute goal, with West Cork champions Kilmacabea await the winners in the semi-final.
Nemo Rangers and Donoughmore are the other semi-finalists in this grade.
On Sunday, Ballinora after their dramatic draw in football last week turn their attention to hurling when they play the Seanie McGrath-trained Belgooly in Carrigaline at 2pm, the winners here will play Cobh in the semi-final.
Newmarket and Kilshanning meet in the other semi-final.
Under 21 Championship
The second semi-final of the A football sees Beara - beaten in last year’s final - play Douglas who had a narrow win over Ballincollig in the quarter-final. Ibane Gaels will play the winners in the final.
2pm on Sunday for this game with the venue to be confirmed.
There’s a big Seandun Under 21 Hurling Final on Sunday morning in Ballinlough at 11.30am between Glen Rovers and Blackrock who were surprising but deserved winners over a fancied St Finbarr’s side in their semi-final.
Glen Rovers thanks to a brace of points by goalkeeper Ben Heffernan got the better of Douglas in a very tight contest - Sunday’s final should be another tight affair.
Munster Senior Football Championship
The Munster Council having a few months ago voted to seed Cork and Kerry in the draw, now following further consultations between all counties have altered this and the proposed changes will not now come into effect until the 2027 Championship.
The draw will then be determined on where the counties finish in the 2026 National Football League and while the prospect of a Cork v Kerry final was been welcomed, the new proposal on balance would appear to be much fairer.
Apart from Kerry in D1, Cork in D2, the other 4 teams are in Division 3 and 4, so if Cork are promoted, they will be seeded for the 2027 draw it would then require Limerick or Clare gaining promotion to D2 and Cork being relegated, for that to change.
So Kerry and Clare go to the semi-final, with Cork, Tipperary, Limerick and Waterford in the QF draw, the semi-final draw will be an open draw.
The actual draw will take place in Croke Park on Thursday 27 November.