A quiet Christmas and a lively January. That is the Watergrasshill wish list as articulated by Adam Murphy earlier this week.
Murphy, in his first year back with Watergrasshill after a stint with Bandon, has been one of the key jigsaw pieces in their transformation from annual group fallers to Cork Premier intermediate and Munster intermediate champions. He top-scored in both of those final wins, contributing 1-12 in the latter.
A quiet Christmas and a lively January would be a rather common experience for the junior and intermediate sides to emerge out of Cork. It certainly wouldn’t be the exception. Watergrasshill and Russell Rovers are striving to carry on that tradition this weekend.
Russell Rovers go first. They contest the All-Ireland Junior Club semi-final, against Derry’s Ballinascreen, on Saturday lunchtime (The Downs, 1pm). Watergrasshill meet Carey Faughs of Antrim on Sunday lunchtime (Páirc Tailteann, 1pm).
This weekend last year, Castlelyons and St Catherine’s won their respective All-Ireland semi-finals. It meant double Cork involvement at Croke Park on the evening of the All-Ireland junior and intermediate finals in mid-January.
It was the fifth time since 2006 that Cork teams featured in both the junior and intermediate deciders.
Watergrasshill and Russell Rovers are attempting to make that six. Russell Rovers are attempting to secure a return to Croker.
After winning the county junior championship in 2019, they cleared every fence to get themselves up the motorway and onto the long tunnel underneath the Cusack Stand. Conahy Shamrocks made sure the journey back home wasn’t as enjoyable.
The Cork championships were restructured the following season, with the county’s junior representatives now coming from the Premier Junior competition, rather than the junior championship the men from Ballycotton/Churchtown/Garryvoe/Shangarry won five years ago.
And so here they are. One hour from a second All-Ireland final appearance. Same as they did for that 2019 campaign, Josh Beausang and Brian Hartnett continue to pull the attacking strings.
But there are new faces on the scene, very notable ones at that. Beside Hartnett in the full-forward line is 2010 All-Ireland football winner Ciarán Sheehan. On the line is Donal Óg Cusack.
A quiet Christmas and lively January for both camps.
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