PHILIP Wall understands why Kilbrittain’s run to the Munster junior hurling final can be viewed as bonus territory, but he doesn’t necessarily agree with it.

After conquering Cork, one of the rewards for the county premier junior champions was entry into the provincial series. An extra bonus on top of promotion to intermediate A for 2026, perhaps?

‘I’ve heard a fair bit about this being bonus territory,’ Wall mused as he accepted a West Cork Sports Star monthly award as the captain of the county-winning Kilbrittain hurlers.

‘It's something that I agree with in part, in that your objective at the start of the year is to win a county. Your objective is to get out of the grade – that's the most important thing.

‘We've quite a young team this year and the main thing is to get up the grades so they can continue to progress, hopefully.

‘But at the same time, I don't see it as a bonus in the sense that we won our championship and we deserve to be in this Munster campaign, same as Kilrossanty, same as Knockaderry, same as The Banner, and Kenmare and Cahir.

‘When you win your championship, a by-product is getting into the Munster championship. It is a bonus in one sense, but Kilrossanty deserve to be in the Munster final, and we'd like to think we're the same.

‘We're not going to be looking at it as bonus territory on Saturday – we have a job to do, and that’s what we are focused on.’

Award winner Philip Wall with his family; from left, Michael, Jamie, Sheila and Jim. (Photo: Martin Walsh)

Kilbrittain’s approach to Munster is to treat it as a new campaign, completely separate from the county championship. The glorious victory over Glen Rovers on October 17th was the culmination of one journey – a first adult county hurling title since 2010. Now it’s new territory and the quest for Munster glory. The next stop is Mallow this Saturday for a final showdown with Waterford champions Kilrossanty (1pm).

‘This is all new for us as players, for the parish, for everyone,’ Wall said, reflecting on the away semi-final against Limerick club Knockaderry. There’s a novelty to this for supporters, but Wall insists the players know they have a job to do.

‘The numbers that travelled to Knockaderry were unreal. We brought three buses, as well as all the people who made their own way. We had tremendous support there, and they really are getting behind us.

‘In terms of us, and I know this is a cliché, but we really are just focusing on Kilrossanty. With the break between the county and Munster, it was very much a reset. It’s a new campaign now.

‘The county was unbelievable, but that was the last campaign. We are in a new one.’

The recent West Cork Sports Star awards presentation at the Celtic Ross Hotel in Rosscarbery was a chance to dip back into those wonderful memories of winning the county title. For Wall, it was also a chance to reflect on his own journey in the Black and Amber. When he was just 17 in 2017 – his first year as an adult hurler – he made the same trip to the Celtic Ross Hotel to support his older brother Jamie, who was receiving a monthly award. The roles were reversed this time, as Jamie travelled down from the city to support Philip.

He’s at a stage in his journey where he appreciates a season like this. There have been setbacks along the way, like losing the 2021 county final and not reaching the knock-out stages last season, but this group kept believing. And look at them now: county champions, and in a provincial final.

Philip Wall with his brother Jamie who won a monthly award in 2017.

‘It’s something I joke about with our full forward Luke Griffin, who’s in his first year and is having an unbelievable time of it. I’ve told him that he hasn’t gone through the pain that a lot of us have!’ Wall quipped.

‘People might look at a year and see it in isolation, but it’s not in isolation at all. I would say since the restructuring of the grades in 2020, we've been perennial contenders, bar last year which really did spur us on.

‘After we lost in penalties in 2023 (quarter-final v Glen Rovers), it really did feel like “oh God, is this ever going to happen?” So to get over the line is really brilliant, and the bit of the heartache does make it a bit sweeter.’

So, was the feeling at the final whistle in the county final what Wall expected?

Kilbrittain captain Philip Wall lifts the Jimmy Mahoney Cup after their victory in the Cork Premier JHC final.

‘It's surreal reliving it, but you hear it often: when teams who have been trying to win something finally get over the line, it's a complete release, it's a relief. Your predominant emotion is relief.’

This Munster campaign is different. Kilbrittain have no baggage or battle scars. Instead, it’s a group determined to hit a new high and create more magical memories along the way. They have earned their spot in the Munster final, and now they want to win it.

‘Anything less than our best won’t cut it,’ Wall added.

‘We played very well in patches against Knockaderry, but Kilrossanty will be the best team we’ve played all year. We need to improve, but this group is capable of rising to the occasion.’