Senior Hurling Championship down to the last four.

The biggest weekend of club hurling within the county up to now is upon us.

On Sunday, the two county senior hurling semi finals are due to take place at Walsh Park. Mount Sion and Passage play in the first game which has a 2pm throw in and ninety minutes later it is the turn of Abbeyside and Ballygunner to do battle.

Strangely, the semi final pairing of this years championship are the second meeting of the competing sides as the four sides all came through from group two of the league stages of this years championship.

To reach the semi final stages of the championship, all four sides have wrapped up some impressive statistics.

Abbeyside for example have hit the most goals in the championship of the four remaining sides, fourteen in total, ten of which have come from the stick of full forward Patrick Hurney.

Ballygunner at the back, are without doubt have the meanest defence, conceding just four goals.

When it comes to giving away overall score’s Abbeyside are the tightest defence, giving away just eighty three scores, while Abbeyside and Mount Sion have jointly kept the umpires busy hitting one hundred and eleven scores each in their five games. Its worth noting that all four teams involved in this weekends games have all hit one hundred or more scores in their six games in the championship.

Up to this stage of the competition, Mount Sion has the best record. The Monastery men have won five of their six games

They began the year in fine fashion beating Ballygunner by three points in the opening game of this year’s championship back on the 3 of May at Walsh Park. This was followed up with another three point win over Abbeyside at Fraher Field and another three point victory followed in the third series of games on June 9 when they beat Dungarvan at Walsh Park.

Three points separated the sides again in Mount Sion’s fourth game but this time it was not a victory for Mount Sion, but a defeat against this weekends opponents Passage who won 2-15 to 2-12 at Walsh Park.

Mount Sion however got back to winning ways in the final round of games in the league section of the championship when they easily accounted for Roanmore at Kill.

In the quarter finals they were paired with Tallow in the first of three games to be played at Fraher Field.

The sides had met three times in the last few years resulting in one win each for both sides and a draw, meaning that most were expecting a close battle between the two.

However, those expecting a close battle were to be left disappointed as the city side easily accounted for the men from the far west of the county, putting up a very impressive score in the first half despite playing against a very strong wind.

Passage too has qualified for this weekend’s games with an impressive record.

Like Mount Sion, they have lost one game in the six games they have played but they dropped another point in the league section when they drew with Dungarvan in a rescheduled second round game.

Peter Queally’s charges began this year’s championship with a very impressive win over Abbeyside in Fraher Field and then had a four point win over Roanmore at Walsh Park.

Passage’s round two game was played on July 30 when they played Dungarvan at Walsh Park, a game which ended eighteen points a piece.

Passage in round four had a three point win over Mount Sion at Walsh Park and they finished the league section of the competition by going under to their great rivals Ballygunner by eleven points.

In their quarter final game against Ballyduff Upper at Fraher Field, a goal just before the half time having played against a very strong wind gave them much hope in the second half. In the second thirty minutes they played much better than they had in the first half and in the end ran out winners by five points.

Both of these sides have some very good players to choose from, meaning that a good game could well be fought out.

It is well documented that Mount Sion are understrength this year, but the players that have come in for those that have missed much of the year have acquired themselves well and wont let the side down here.

In the likes of Eoin McGrath, John O’Leary, Tony Browne and Ian O’Regan they have very experienced players, but they also have some very good young players coming through such as the Roche brothers, Eoin Whelan and of course Austin Gleeson.

Passage are not to be out done. In former Mount Sion man Eoin Kelly they have a player of unquestionable ability. Noel Connors over the past few years have established himself as one of the finest defenders in the game. Conor Carey for a while a few years back was involved with the Waterford senior hurling panel while Killian Fitzgerald and Mark Wyse were involved this year. Through in the likes of Eddie Lynch, Jason Flood and Joseph Upton and they have side that cannot be underestimated.

Abbeyside will be heading to Walsh Park this weekend at a time when they looking to be about to peak.

They did not have the best of starts to this year’s championship loosing their first two games against Passage and Mount Sion by a collective thirteen points.

However since then a remarkable transformation has been seen.

Back in June they accounted for Ballygunner on a 1-21 to 4-6 score line but the margin of victory could be much higher but for the fact that they conceded a number of late goals.

Against Roanmore at Walsh Park in Round Four, Patrick Hurney put in a five star performance hitting five of his sides six goals, and in the final round of games in the league section, they accounted for last years beaten finalists Dungarvan, a side that most expected to prove too strong for their neighbours across the Harbour.

In the quarter finals, Abbeyside were paired with Fourmilewater a side beaten in last year’s county semi final and who were expected to prove too strong for Abbeyside.

Fourmilewater on the day won the toss and opted to play against a very strong wind in the first half. The Ballymacarbry based outfit on the day greatly disappointed and at the break the game was as gone from their grasp and when Patrick Hurney added a third goal for Abbeyside, there was no way back for Fourmilewater.

Ballygunner like Abbeyside disappointed in the earlier rounds of this years championship, but just like Abbeyside we have seen the sides luck turn in recent games as they got players who were not fully fit or away for the earlier games back into the side and are now approaching their best.

The Gunner’s began their year by loosing to Mount Sion back in may. A win over Roanmore followed but this was followed up with another defeat this time against Abbeyside.

Heading into their last two games, Ballygunner knew that they failed to win their last two games in the league section of the competition they could well find themselves out of the championship before the quarter finals stages take place.

They did not disappoint, putting in a very good performance against Dungarvan and following it up with a win over Passage.

In the quarter finals, they needed to hit a late point to send the game to extra time against De La Salle but in Extra time they proved far too strong for the 2012 champions eventually running out winners 1-21 to 0-15.

Like the Mount Sion and Passage game this game could prove to be a lively encounter.

Abbeyside have some quality players within their ranks. Patrick Hurney is in the form of his life in recent weeks. Older brothers John and Gary have some inter county experience to call upon from their days involved with the senior hurlers.

Sean O’Hare, Stephen Enright, Mark Ferncombe, Mark Gorman are all fine players. Gavin Breen provides experience while Richie Foley is showing signs of returning to his best after suffering his share of injuries.

Ballygunner are a side that most will know about. The talent they have available to them is well known about.

Stephen O’Keeffe is as good as goal keeper as there in the whole country. Pauric Mahony is back to his best after a spell out with injuries. Older brother Philip is another player with plenty of inter county experience having played for Waterford up through the grades.

Barry Coughlan was involved with Waterford this year and with the form he is in of late he could win himself a place in the starting team next year. Shane Walsh, Alan Kirwan, Wayne Hutchinson are also players we know a lot about and at the opposite end of the field David and Brian O’Sullivan and JJ Hutchinson amongst others could prove to be their scoring hopes.

For me, Mount Sion even though they are short the services of some key players look as though they should be strong enough to come through the game. Most of the statistics would indicate that they will win, however Passage are not without hope as they have hit nearly twice the amount of goals that Mount Sion have hit in the championship up to now.

The other game to me is slightly harder to call. In my days involved with Bord na nÓg Ballygunner and Abbeyside were always in contention for the top honours in division one.

Many of the players that were involved in these games are now key to their clubs senior sides.

Up along through the age groups both sides have won their quota of finals. Those involved with Abbeyside have also done it in football. Many of there players have won every honour within the county that is possible with the exception of the senior hurling championship.

Could 2013 be the year that the Waterford News and Star Cup make its way to the Village? While most would be happy to see Abbeyside win their first title, there would also be some sadness attached to the final that two of the clubs greatest servants, Tony Mansfield and Seamus O’Brien will not be present to see them win, following their deaths earlier this year.

It will be interesting to see how being involved in both the senior hurling and football championship will affect them. To be successful in both codes at the business end of the championship and to find the right formula to balance things is difficult. Abbeyside/Ballinacourty as well as Nire/Fourmilewater have come close to fining the right balance in recent years, but not have perfected it yet.

For me, Ballygunner’s experience in winning titles at senior level will have to count for something on Sunday and they get the nod to advance from this game, meaning that the sides that played in the opening game of this year’s championship would also be playing the last.