LET’S meet the four teams in the running for the All-Ireland junior hurling championship title.

KILBRITTAIN

Here in West Cork, we know more than most about the Black and Amber than most – the first Carbery hurling team to win a Munster championship. In what is their first campaign outside the county bounds, Joe Ryan’s side have won all of their championship games this year, between county and province. Their top scorer is Mark Hickey with 1-56, while Philip Wall, Bertie Butler and James Hurley are just a few other standout performers. Cork are the only county that have had an All-Ireland JHC winner in the past that have a representative this year. Ballygiblin (2023) were the last team from Lee-side to win it.

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DAVIDSTOWN-COURTNACUDDY

The Wexford club will be Kilbrittain’s opponents in the semi-final and have hit an astonishing 31 goals in 12 games on route to the last four. Sides to fall to Wexford boys include Clane from Kildare, Barrow Rangers of Kilkenny and Westmeath’s St Brigid’s. Davidstown won the intermediate A championship in their home county, the third tier of Wexford hurling. Standout players include the Doyle’s in Joe, James and Pauric, former inter-county star David Dunne, Brian Smith and Oisin Hayes.

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EASKEY

The Sligo club are arguably the most experienced out of the last four. The Connacht side appeared in an All-Ireland junior final back in 2023 where they fell to Ballygiblin (1-16 to 0-11). After winning their sixth Sligo senior title in a row, they navigated Cluainin Iomaint of Leitrim (3-22 to 0-5) and Galway’s Ballinasloe (2-17 to 2-15) to win their fourth Connacht championship in succession. They have Sligo sharp-shooter Andy Kilcullen in their ranks too; he scored 7-81 for the Yates County in 2025.

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BURT

Donegal senior champions in 2024, Burt were beaten in the senior grade’s semi-final by eventual champions Setanta this year. This club has, in fact, won 40 Donegal senior championships, showing that they are one of the main hurling clubs in that part of the world. In Ulster, they saw off Castlewellan of Down (3-26 to 0-14), Antrim club Glenravel (1-15 to 1-9) and Derry club Lavey (0-20 to 1-16) before an All-Ireland quarter-final win over London’s Thomas McCurtains (1-15 to 0-17). Inter-county forward Liam McKinney has scored 1-43 since the start of the provincial championship.