Shane Stapleton and Fintan O’Toole of The 42 reflect on Glen Rovers beating Erin’s Own and Blackrock seeing off UCC, a first Cork final meeting between the old rivals side 1978, and any players that will have caught the eye of county manager Kieran Kingston.
Blackrock are the most successful team in Cork hurling history, and saw off UCC in their semi-final this past weekend to return to the final.
Glen Rovers, who are second to the Rockies in the roll of honour with 27 titles compared with 32, will go in as slight favourites.
Having their attack led by the inimitable Patrick Horgan largely explains the general leaning towards the Glen, but Blackrock’s tally of 3-26 against the College will not have gone unnoticed.
The Rockies last won the county title in 2002 and have lost two finals since, yet the feeling is that they are primed for glory here.
Fintan O’Toole of The 42 has watched a number of their games this season, and explained how underage success and the impact of Covid-19 might have combined to give them their strongest panel in some years.
“Blackrock had four or five lads planning on going to America on J1s but, the way things panned out, everyone is around,” says O’Toole.
Horgan scored 0-14 — including four from play — for the Glen as they saw off a spirited Erin’s Own in their semi-final, with Simon Kennefick also contributing well.
Richie Kelleher is hoping to win his third Cork title as manager, with the previous crowns having been landed in 2015 and 2016.
O’Toole also talks about double-jobbing goalkeeper Dylan Desmond, who played 160 minutes of hurling plus a penalty shootout over the weekend.
Cork SHC semi-finals results
Blackrock 3-26 UCC 0-34 AET
Glen Rovers 0-22 Erin’s Own 3-10
Cork SHC final
Glen Rovers v Blackrock, Sunday 4pm
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