Defeat for Some this weekend Could end SHC hopes for 2014.

Round two of the JJ Kavanagh and Sons County Senior Hurling Championship take place this weekend.

Seven of the twelve competing sides in this year’s championship picked up points last weekend which gives them a little advantage going into this weekend’s game’s, but for the five sides that failed to pick up anything last weekend, the importance of not falling further behind the early pace setters in both groups cannot be spelt out enough.

The first game of the weekend takes place this evening (Friday) when two sides that won last weekend clash.

Ballyduff in the opening round of games had three points to spare when beating Ardmore while at the same venue and same evening Mount Sion had five points to spare when beating Tallow.

The side from the village which borders the North Cork border last weekend had most of their scores come from the stick of Michael Kearney. The teenager who was part of the Waterford minor panel that won last year’s All-Ireland Final hit 2-9 of their 2-13. They will know that if they are to have a run in the championship this year they cannot depend of the teenager to keep the scoreboard ticking over and they will have to find scores from elsewhere to ease the pressure on the talented teenager.

They good news for them is that they have to players to do so in the likes of Cian Leamy, John Twomey, Stephen Molumphy, Jamie and Shane Kearney as well as Kevin Casey amongst others. Their problem however might be to getting them all on fire in front of the posts on the one day.

If Ballyduff depended on Michael Kearney for scores last weekend, the same could be said of Lismore. In their win over Tallow, they raised fifteen white flags, of which thirteen came from efforts from Tony Browne and Austin Gleeson and of these thirteen scores, ten were from placed balls.

Like Ballyduff, they have the fire power to put up a good score on any given day. We all know about the likes of the two Martin O’Neill’s, Eoin McGrath and Richard and Stephen Roche. They all know where the posts are and will put up good scores before the Monastery Men’s interest in this years championship ends.

Having both won their first round games, a defeat this weekend would not be the end of the world. Mount Sion get the nod to collect a second brace of points but don’t rule out Ballyduff’s chances too easily.

Five games are down for decision on Sunday. Two each will take place at Fraher Field and Walsh Park with the final game down for decision at the Castle Grounds in Lismore.

The first of the games that takes place at Fraher Field will see a battle of the dark blues and the light blues, when Fourmilewater take on Roanmore.

Last weekend, Roanmore almost pulled off a result that few if any could have seen when playing reigning champions Passage and for this, they deserve great credit.

They have a great talent in Gavin O’Brien who can always be relied upon for his quota of scores. David Barrett is another player that knows where the posts are as does Daniel Murphy and last weekend Stephen Grant who entered the game as a sub for Paul O’Sullivan hit a crucial goal for them and will be looking for a place in the side from the start this weekend. If Roanmore will be able to call on a full strength side they can be a match for most. Sadly for them however, in recent years they have not been able to call on a full strength panel as often as they would have liked.

Last weekend Fourmilewater put up a very good score on the score board against Abbeyside. Of their tally of twenty-one points inter county star Jamie Barron was their scorer in chief as he hit an outstanding personal tally of seventeen points. They also had good showings from Shane Walsh, Conor Gleeson as well as Liam and Seamus Lawlor.

That win will give them plenty of confidence going into the remainder of their games, as it was a game that most favoured Abbeyside to win, but Fourmilewater came out on top with seven points to spare.

Roanmore will have got sides to sit up and take notice of them last weekend, but it is hard to see them overcome the challenge of Fourmilewater in this game who with another win should secure their place in the quarter finals.

The second game at the Shandon Road venue will see Passage take on Lismore.

The current champions began their campaign with a draw against a Roanmore side that most fancy to be more involved in a relegation battle than to be challenging for the championship.

Eoin Connors was their hero last weekend hitting 1-10 of his side’s tally of 1-13, the goal coming late in the game. Passage were missing a number of players that helped them to the championship last year and they may have to get them back into the team sooner rather than later if they are to win a second title. However, it would appear that many of their missing players last weekend will not be available to Peter Queally either this weekend and that will be a blow to their chances.  

Lismore last weekend lost to De La Salle. Maurice Shanahan hit 1-8 of his sides 2-9 in that game. If they are successful they will have to find a scorer from someplace other than Maurice Shanahan. No side should be relying on the one player for the bulk of their scores, and if they do they will be in serious trouble if that player was to have an off day which happens to everyone every now and again.

Shanahan limbed off injured after the game last weekend. The extent of his injury was not known straight away and the club will be hoping that he will be available to them this weekend.

With neither side winning last weekend, it is important that there is no slip up this weekend. It appears that Passage will be short again this weekend while it remains to be seen if Shanahan will play for Lismore.

If Lismore can find someone other than Maurice Shanahan to put up a good score on the score sheet then they have a good chance of winning. If they don’t, then Passage could collect first brace of points.

The first game at Walsh Park on Sunday afternoon sees last years beaten finalist Ballygunner take on last years Intermediate champions Ardmore and for most, there can only be one winner in this game.

Ballygunner last weekend had a good 2-21 to 2-15 win over Dungarvan at Fraher Field.

At the break they looked comfortable as they lead 2-12 to 0-6 with six different scorers sharing their fourteen scores.  In the second half as they did twelve months ago, they allowed the Old Boro come back into contention conceding two goals, but they were always able to keep their noses in front.

Ardmore playing in their first game in this grade in a number of weeks put it up to Ballyduff Upper.

However, they once again needed Seamus Prendergast to register the majority of their scores. He hit 1-9 of the 1-13 they put on the score board. While they may have got away with Seamus hitting most of their scores in the intermediate grade, at this level they will need more players to chip in with their quota and also have to realise even if they do get the majority of their scores from Seamus Prendergast, he wont hit the huge tallies playing against more experienced players that he did in recent years.

Ballygunner will go into this game as favourites and if they fail to win here, it will be one of the biggest upsets in this year’s championship.

The main game of the day at Walsh Park on Sunday see’s De La Salle who were knocked out of last years championship at the quarter final stages of the championship take on Abbeyside who reached the semi final stage of the competition.

Both of these sides had contrasting results last weekend, and both will be looking for wins this weekend.

A win for De La Salle would almost copper-fasten their place in the quarter finals of the championship, but a win for De La Salle would also mean that for Abbeyside they would have it all to do if they were to reach the quarter finals of the championship.

John Mullane looked impressive last weekend for De La Salle hitting both of his sides goals in a 2-17 to 2-9 victory over Lismore, which had some suggesting that he could return to the inter county set up to help a side that has struggled in recent times to find the net. Shane Ryan also impressed in that win as did Eddie Barrett and their side will be looking for a repeat performance this weekend.

Abbeyside last weekend welcomed Richie Foley back into their side as a second half sub which has to be good news both for Club and County. He went on to register three points in that second thirty minutes to the game. He will be hoping to get more game time under his belt this weekend and with another week of training at his back, he could well be in the team from the start.

The champions of 08, 10 and 12 get the nod to record a second win in the championship this weekend but Abbeyside could make it difficult for them.

One of the best hurling surfaces in the county can be found at the Castle Farm in Lismore. Sadly however over recent years the ground is under used by the different boards but in more recent times this is been put to right.

Dungarvan and Tallow make their way to the Heritage Town for the final game of the weekend on Sunday evening and with neither of these sides winning last weekend so it is vital for both that they win this game.

Dungarvan were the second best team on view against Ballygunner in the first half, but while they put in a better thirty minutes hurling in the second half, they had left themselves with too much to do at the break in order to get something from the game.

When Tallow play it’s hard to know what side will show up. When the Bride-siders are good they can be very good, but when they are not at their best they can be a poor side. There can be no disputing that they have ability within their side, but the problem is to get every player to show that ability over a period of time.

Tallow last weekend hit just eight scores and at this level of hurling, that is not a good enough tally to win a game. They will know that they will have to considerably up their game this weekend.

Dungarvan on the other hand hit 2-15 a tally that would have won many games. It would have won then three of the other games played last weekend and a share of the points in another. If they can put up a similar score this weekend, then they can collect a first brace of points in this year’s championship at the expense of Tallow.