Cork SHC: Glen and the Barrs reach decider

Co-Op Superstores Cork SHC semi-finals

St Finbarr’s 1-27 Kanturk 1-22

Glen Rovers 2-21 Midleton 1-18

By Stephen Barry at SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh

For the first time since 1988, St Finbarr’s and Glen Rovers will face off in the Cork senior hurling final.

The city rivals met in a series of famous finals across the 70s and 80s, but haven’t crossed paths on the biggest day in recent decades.

The Barrs will be seeking to equal the Northsiders’ 27 titles on the roll of honour, while the Glen are bidding to cap a rapid response from their 2023 relegation with a first title in a decade.

In the first game of this SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh double-header, St Finbarr’s brought Kanturk’s fairytale 2026 hurling campaign to an end with a late turnaround.

The North Cork side were aiming to become the first-ever club from their Duhallow division to make the Cork senior final and they weren't headed from the fifth minute until the 59th.

But as they began to labour down the stretch, the 2022 champions kept up the pace with seven unanswered points in the last seven minutes.

Ben Cunningham had three, bringing his tally to 0-11 (six frees), Ethan Twomey ended with 1-3, and Hurler of the Year Brian Hayes clocked 0-5.

The 1-27 to 1-22 result brought heartbreak for Kanturk, who must dust themselves down for a second-tier Senior A football semi-final against Carbery Rangers next Sunday.

The Barrs remain on for a Premier Senior double, meeting Clonakilty in Saturday’s football semi-final.

Kanturk had the better of an intense first half, 0-14 to 0-13, where Alan Walsh scored 0-2 and was fouled for four pointed frees. Their free-taker Brian O’Sullivan ended with 0-9 (seven frees).

They would come to regret their goal chances not taken as Shane Hurley made some top-class saves, stopping Liam O’Keeffe and diverting a Walsh piledriver over the crossbar in the first half.

Walsh found the roof of the net moments after the break, but Hurley’s third save from the full-forward’s close-range rocket would prove critical.

From the puck-out, the ball fell into Twomey’s path and he skittled a low shot to the net.

Even as Cunningham began to find his groove, Kanturk moved two in front through Daniel O’Connell, Colin Walsh, and Conor Noonan. But the Barrs had more in reserve.

Glen Rovers were deserving victors in their semi-final against last year’s runners-up Midleton, earning a 2-21 to 1-18 win.

They were only one ahead, 0-10 to 0-9, having played with the wind, relying primarily on Patrick Horgan’s frees.

The game came to life after the break with a Micheál Mullins goal cancelled out by Paul Connaughton’s acute finish.

Connaughton almost had a second only to flash over the crossbar and it was Mullins who doubled his account with a 54th-minute bouncer to the far corner.

A defensive blunder handed Horgan a penalty, which he skewed wide, but the star forward still finished on 0-11 (nine frees).

Conor Lehane (0-7, three frees) and Connaughton (1-3) led the way for Midleton, who had Tommy O’Connell sent off.