Waterford are 60 minutes from potential All-Ireland Glory

A big day for Waterford Camogie is just twenty-four hours away.

Waterford and Derry do battle at the at the St Peregrine’s club in Blakestown (Dublin) on Saturday afternoon at 2pm.

The county has seen a great increase in the level of interest in the game in recent years but it is 11 years now since the county last won a underage All-Ireland final, when Lismore’s Laura Buckley lofted the Under 16 ‘B’ All-Ireland Trophy when they beat Armagh in Portlaoise on a 6-11 to 1-4 score line.

A number of that team have gone on to represent the county at a higher level, winning different honours at adult level and no doubt many of the players in the current panel will be looking to go on in the coming years to replicate and better what the ‘Class of 03’ have achieved.

It’s not for me to decide what way different championships are ran off. That is a matter for those charged with running the Association to do, or for a club or county to come up with a different format to what is currently in use, but is possibly fair to say that maybe not all are happy with the way the current championship is run off.

Four teams were drawn together in group one of this years ‘B’ Championship and three teams in group two. When Westmeath withdrew from group one it meant that there was three teams in both groups giving each county two games, which is hardly sufficient if the game is to be promoted and players developed.

Would for example we be better off in the future seeing the six or seven teams all grouped together and they play each other once, meaning that the players would have a minimum of five or six games each year in the All-Ireland Championship.

However, such a proposal is for someone else to look at on another day.

Waterford’s first game in the championship was to have been against Westmeath back on February 22, but after the midland county withdrew from the competition, it meant that Waterford had to wait till March 16 for their first game, an away game to Dublin who had lost to Derry 3-7 to 2-4 in the first round of games.

Waterford won that game 2-11 to 2-6 and with Derry getting a walk over from Westmeath the same weekend, it meant that their third round game on March 22 was in effect a dead rubber game as both had qualified for the semi finals in advance of the game, with the two sides battling it out just to see which of the two would top the group and get what would be perceived to be the easier semi final.

The Oak Leaf County won the game with Waterford, but it was close, as they ran out winners on a 3-7 to 4-3 score line.

Group two of the championship proved to be a very close affair, with Antrim, Down and Kildare all recording one win each from their two games.

This meant that the three sides had to play off again to see which two of the three would advance to the semi finals along with Derry and Waterford as score difference was not used to decide placing’s after the sides finished level.

Down and Kildare were the sides that advanced to the semi finals with Waterford paired with Down who were deemed group winners and Derry played Kildare.

Waterford made the journey to the Blakestown venue last weekend for that game and emerged victors on a 2-15 to 2-5 score line, while in the other semi final Derry had a very comfortable 6-6 to 1-6 win over Kildare.

While Waterford will go into this game without much collective competitive match time at their backs, they will however be well prepared for this game as manager Shane ‘Shiner’ Ahearne will have left no stone unturned.

A number of the side were involved with the Waterford Presentation School team that contested the recent Junior All-Ireland Final against Mercy School from Roscommon in Nenagh. Others were involved with Lismore in their recent All-Ireland Intermediate Club win over Ballyhale Shamrocks in Clonmel while many others will be involved with their club sides in the county leagues which started recently.

The team will be picked by and large from last years under 16 team that won the Munster Final against Cork but later lost the All-Ireland to the same opposition. Standing to be corrected on it, 17 of last years under 16 panel are involved in this years minor panel. The panel also includes some slightly older players in the likes of Johanna Houlihan who stared for Lismore earlier this year in the All-Ireland Final run; Labhaoise Dunbar from Saint Anne’s who captain’s the team, Sara Judge from Gaultier. and Lorraine Bray who is part of the Counties Intermediate set up with the past two seasons. 

From last years Under 16 panel, Beth Carton, Courtney Healy and Brianna O’Regan played a major part in helping Presentation Convent to reach their All-Ireland final while others including Bronwyn Grace, Rachel Donnelly, Sibeal Harney, Taylor Murray, Caoimhe McGrath, Niamh Ahearne, Catherine Hahessey, Sarah Geoghegan, Elizabeth McGrath, Molly Curran and Iona Heffernan could all have vital rolls to play.

No All-Ireland is won easily (few of them anyway) and this one is going to be no different.

Derry may go into the game as the favourite’s haven beaten Waterford already in the championship and also going on the margin of victory they had in their semi final against Kildare.

However, the previous game between the two sides should be forgotten about this weekend.

Regular readers of this blog and those who read what I might have to say elsewhere will know that I have a theory that when two teams clash in close proximity, the team that lost the first game often has a slight advantage for the second game, as the winners of the first game have a psychological thing telling then that they won that they will again the second day, but it often works in reverse as the team that looses the first day should have something telling them that they have to do better than they did in the first game and it often works.

Some facts after two rounds of games in Waterford Senior Football Championship

Eleven games are played in this year’s JJ Kavanagh and Sons County Senior Football Championship. Of the eleven games, Eight of the sides that were in front at the break went on to win the game.

Kilrossanty’s Joey Veale was the first player to score in this year’s JJ Kavanagh and Sons County Senior Football Championship.

Ardmore’s Seamus Keating scored the first goal of this year’s JJ Kavanagh and Sons County Senior Football Championship.

Sean Barron from Ardmore was the first goalkeeper to score in this year’s JJ Kavanagh and Sons County Senior Football Championship. He put over a forty-five against Ballinacourty in round two.

Another first for Ardmore, Declan Prendergast was the first player to be sent off in this year’s JJ Kavanagh and Sons County Senior Football Championship. He received two yellow cards in the opening game of the championship against Kilrossanty.

The Nire’s Shane Ryan is the top scorer in the JJ Kavanagh and Sons County Senior Football Championship after two rounds of games. He has scored 3-8 for his side.

De La Salle’s Stephen Dalton was the first player to receive a Black Card in this year’s JJ Kavanagh and Sons County Senior Football Championship.

Saint Saviours after two rounds of games in the JJ Kavanagh and Sons County Senior Football Championship have the least about of different scorers. Just three players have scored for them so far.

Ballinacourty on the other hand have the most different scorers in this year’s JJ Kavanagh and Sons County Senior Football Championship. Eleven different players have scored for them, one more scorer than what The Nire has.

Another first for the Ballinacourty club in the JJ Kavanagh and Sons County Senior Football Championship, they are the first team where all six forwards that started the game scored in a game. The six starting forwards all scored against Ardmore at Bushy Park.

Clashmore have used the most players after two rounds of games in this year’s JJ Kavanagh and Sons County Senior Football Championship. They have used twenty-four players.

An Rinn have used the least amount of players in this years JJ Kavanagh and Sons County Senior Football Championship. They have used just seventeen players, but they have only played one game. Of the sides that have played two games, Ardmore and The Nire have used eighteen players. Kilrossanty have also used eighteen players but like An Rinn they have played just one game.

 

In Eleven games, eight different referees were used in this year’s JJ Kavanagh and Sons County Senior Football Championship. Martin Curran, Alan Kissane and John ‘Bomber’ Condon are the most used. They have refereed two games each

Can Passage get senior hurling championship defence underway with a victory?

The 2013 JJ Kavanagh and Sons County Senior Hurling Championship in Waterford had an exciting finish, when Passage came from seven points down with as many minutes to go plus stoppage time to beat Ballygunner by three points, and in doing so won the championship for the first time in their history.

The 2014 championship starts this weekend and it promises to be another exciting one.

Although Passage won the title last year, the competition in the past few years has been dominated by De La Salle and Ballygunner and the early indications are that the two city sides will once again be the teams to watch this year, but hot on their heals are a host of other clubs who wont be too far behind them.

Since 2007, the county champions at senior level have had red in their jerseys and the question is will it happen this year again or will we see one of the eight clubs that does not have red on their shirt come out on top.

When the draws were made for the championship were made earlier this year, its possibly fair to say that the fixtures committee did not have to think too long about what game should be the one that will get this years championship under way.

De La Salle who have won three championships since 2008 and Lismore who have not won the championship since 1993 but who are never too far away when it comes to finding a home for the Waterford News and Star Cup is clearly the stand out game on paper.

De La Salle could well be without a number of players for this weekend. Stephen Daniels is still not ready to return to the side after picking up a serious knee injury while playing a challenge game with Waterford against Offaly last year, and there is some that are suggesting that he may not make many appearances this year in the white and red shirt.

They are also set to start without Eoin Madigan and Jake Dillon if recent reports prove correct and if this is the case then for the Gracedieu Club minus the three-o then it will be a big ask.

However, they have a host of quality players in their team and we could see the likes of John Mullane, Kevin Moran, Shane McNulty, Eddie Barrett, Shane Ryan, Paudie Nevin etc. upping their game a gear or two to make up for other absences in the team.

If De La Salle could be set to start without established players, so too could Lismore.

Maurice Shanahan picked up an injury with Waterford in the National League and it remains to be seen if he is fit to line out this weekend. If the towering Lismore forward is not available, then it will be a blow to the Heritage Town sides chances.

However, they have started without Maurice Shanahan in the past and while they may not have won every game he missed, many of their other players really upped their game in his absence.

Players like Ray Barry could well step up a gear or two if Maurice Shanahan does miss out, and in Shanahan’s older brother Dan in the side, you can always expect him to do something special if supplied with good ball.

Lismore are without Chris O’Gorman this year after he transferred to neighbour’s Ballysaggart, but they will be able to call upon the likes of Paudie and John Prendergast as well as Seanie and Stephen Barry.

They are under the guidance of Sean Prendergast this year. He as everyone knows has a wealth of coaching experiences and has been a success where ever his travels took him in recent years and some are saying that he would not have taken on his own club side if he did not think they could be up there challenging.

If Maurice Shanahan does line out in this game, and De La Salle are missing the three players mentioned above, then Lismore are in with a good chance of winning this game. If Shanahan does not start, then the pendulum will be swinging in De La Salle’s favour even if they do start without the players that are mentioned that could be set to miss.

Two games are down for decision at Fraher Field on Saturday evening.

Mount Sion and Tallow get the ball rolling at 6-30pm and it is followed by the clash of Ballyduff and last years Intermediate champions Ardmore at 8pm.

Anthony Kirwan was in charge of the Monastery Men last year when they reached the semi finals and he is in charge again this year and they will be hoping that they can go a step further.

The two sides have met a number of times in recent years and in these games there has been different outcomes each year, with one year the sides having to settle for a share of the spoils.

Tallow appeared in the county final in 2011 where they lost to Ballygunner in Walsh Park. They are a side that are hard to make a prediction about from week to week as you can never tell what side will show up. In recent years we have seen players that many would regard as backs playing in attack and players you would regard as forwards playing in defence.

Last year the players did appear to be playing in their best positions and they made the quarter finals of the championship, even if some would suggest it was done so controversially.

They will be looking to former inter county players in the likes of Thomas Ryan, James Murray, Aidan Kearney and Paul O’Brien for much of their guidance this year but will also be looking to some of the younger players coming through.

I am sure that for Mount Sion when Tony Browne is involved in his first play of the evening he will be acknowledged for his contribution to Waterford hurling over the past twenty three years by all inside the ground.

They will be looking to the likes of Ian O’Regan, Eoin McGrath, Sean Ryan, Stephen Roche, Peter Penkart and Martin F O’Neill for much of their guidance. Reports suggest that Martin O’Neill has not fully recovered from an injury picked up last year and it remains to be seen if Ian Galgey who also picked up an injury last year will play any part in the early games of this years Club Championship.  

Results in previous years between these two sides would suggest that this game could go either way, but Mount Sion get the nod to start the year with a win.

In the second game on Saturday evening is another that could go either way, but at the end of the day I can see Ballyduff Upper come out on top.

Ardmore are back in  the senior grade after a number of years playing in the Intermediate grades. They won a brilliant western final last year beating neighbours Clashmore and then went on to beat Dunhill who were relegated from the senior ranks a year previous. The final score on the score board on that day told a false story as the gulf between the sides was much bigger than what the score board suggested. They then went on to fight out a close battle with Youghal in the Munster Club Quarter Final, but had to settle for second best.

They have played two games in the senior football championship in recent weeks loosing both.

While Ardmore have some good young hurlers coming through, they will once again be looking to Seamus Prendergast for the bulk of their scores again this year while at the other end of the field, younger brother Declan will be key.

Clinton Hennessy has not played any football game for Ardmore yet this year and it remains to be seen if he will be available to the hurlers. If he is not between the posts, then it could prove to be a long hard year for the Round Tower men.

Ballyduff will have Stephen Molumphy back in their colours again this year after missing much of last year due to work commitments and he will prove to be a major plus for their hopes. Whether Adrian Power will be available to them for any of their games remains to be seen.

Minor stars from last year Mikey Kearney and Cian Leamy will also prove to be vital to the village side’s hopes, as will the Kearney’s, Kevin Casey and the ever green Tom Feeney.

On Sunday afternoon, two games will be played at Fraher Field and one in Walsh Park.

Abbeyside and Fourmilewater meet in the first game, a repeat of a quarter final last year where Abbeyside emerged victors rather comfortably.

There is some that are suggesting that Abbeyside will come out on top again this weekend, but Fourmilewater will have a big say in this.

Fourmilewater have Shane Walsh back in action after missing much of the action in the National Hurling League games and from what we have seen in The Nire’s two games in the football championship over the past two weekends he looks to be back to the Shane Walsh of old.

Liam Lawlor played in the win over Ballinameela in the football championship but missed last weekend’s win over Saint Saviours and it remains to be seen if he will be involved this weekend.

Jamie Barron and Conor Gleeson will also be key to Fourmilewater’s chances as could well be the likes of Thomas and Maurice O’Gorman and Justin Walsh.

For Abbeyside as the championship progressed last year they got better and better, but came unstuck at the semi final stages.

They will be hoping to put together a run of wins from as early as possible this year as they wont want to leave it to the last game in the league as they did last year when had to beat Dungarvan.

Patrick Hurney was outstanding for them in many of their games last year and they will be hoping he can repeat this again this year.

Don’t write out a draw in this game, but for me Abbeyside should come out on top, but Fourmilewater as we have seen when wrote off in the past are able to pull off a result and if they were to do so here, it would not be the surprise some would suggest it would be.

Ballygunner and Dungarvan clash in the main game on Sunday.

These two sides have appeared in the last two county finals but both had to settle for second best on the day.

When they met at the quarter finals of last years league part of the championship, Pauric Mahony was in inspired form. The looked to be coasting to victory at the break, but they pulled up somewhat in the second half and in particular the last quarter which allowed the Old Boro to come back at them. A brace of late goals for Dungarvan on that occasion but a gloss on the score board in so far they were concerned (1-19 to 2-13).

Ballygunner will be the early favourites in the eyes of many to lift the Waterford News and Star Cup in October and with the Mahony’s, the two Stephen O’Keeffe’s, the Hutchinson’s, the O’Sullivan’s etc. to choose from its easy to see why many will see them as favourites.

Dungarvan have James O’Connor over them this year and he will be hoping to bring to them the experience he picked up coaching teams in Cork.

Jamie Nagle will be their big name player this year, but Ryan Donnelly has started the year well and he could have a big year for them. Others that could have big parts to play for them this year will be the Curran Brothers, Gavin Crotty, Shane Kearney and Darren Duggan. Michael Kiely has also joined them from Saint Mary’s this year. He impressed in the yellow and maroon shirt in the past two years but there is a big step up from Junior to senior so it awaits to be seen how he will fair with his new club.

Ballygunner get the nod to win here, but Dungarvan will make it tough for them.

The final game of the weekend sees the Champions Passage take on Roanmore in Walsh Park.

The city side has struggled since they came up from Intermediate and were closer to a relegation battle than to winning a place in the quarter finals.

Last year they beat An Rinn in a relegation play off, and the early suggestions are that they could well end up in a similar battle this year.

Gavin O’Brien is their top tallies man but can they continue to rely on him to see them over the line. David Barrett is also a score getter for the city side but they will need more players putting up good scores in every game they play or their stint as a senior club will sooner rather than later come to an end.

Passage will be able to call on the panel that won them a first ever title last year again this year. Noel Connors and Eoin Kelly may be their marque players but they have the likes of Eddie Lynch, Jason Roche, Mark Wyse, Killian Fitzgerald, Eoin Connors and Conor Carey again to call upon while Sean Hogan who was a panel member with the Waterford minors last year and who came into the Passage team as a sub a number of times last year, getting some crucial scores, including an important goal in the county final will be a year older this year and could be a regular in the side.

The champions should open with a win here, but Roanmore could make them work very hard for that win.

 

Weekend Fixtures:

Lismore V De La Salle on Friday at 7pm in Fraher Field

Abbeyside V Fourmilewater on Saturday at 6-30pm in Fraher Field

Ballyduff V Ardmore on Saturday at 8pm in Fraher Field

Abbeyside V Fourmilewater on Sunday at 2pm in Fraher Field

Dungarvan V Ballygunner on Sunday at 3-30pm in Fraher Field

Passage V Roanmore on Sunday at 7pm in Walsh Park

Waterford and Leitrim do battle for League Final Spot

Sunday next is a big day for Ladies Football in Waterford and Leitrim as the two sides clash in Birr in the semi finals of this year’s Division Three Tesco home-Grown National Football League, where the winners will earn the right to play a hotly fancied Armagh side or Tipperary who are reported to have an unhappy camp in the final.

Both sides clashed recently in Fraher Field. On that occasion Waterford came out on top, winning 6-8 to 3-8, but it was not as easy for the home side as the final score line might suggest as for a great portion of the game, the visiting sides put it up to the hosts.

Both sides went into that game in need of a win. Waterford had lost their previous game away to Sligo who had lost to Leitrim in the opening round of games, so Waterford knew they always were going to face an up hill battle.

It was no surprise that the opening exchanges proved to be nervy. Neither side wanted to make any mistakes, and when a chance to open the scoring did arrive on five minutes, Margaret Revins hit the post but the quick thinking Old Parish Club Player followed the ball after striking it and when her initial shot came back off the post she was in the right place at the right time to finish to the net at the second time of asking.

Áine Heslin opened Leitrim’s account with a point, and they followed it up with a Michelle Heslin goal soon afterwards.

Waterford looked as though they had turned the game on its head around the mid point of the first half with the Wall sisters, Linda, Aileen and Mairead playing a major part in the turn around.

Aileen and Linda first combined to set up Margaret Revins for her second goal of the game on twelve minutes and then Mairead and Aileen combined to set up Liz Devine for a third Waterford goal moments later.

Michelle Ryan further stretched Waterford’s lead with a point, but this was to prove to be their last score of the half as the visitors finished strong with Áine Tighe putting over four points and Áine Heslin one to leave their side trailing 3-1 to 1-6 at the brake.

Mairead Stenson added a second Leitrim goal at the start of the second half and Sarah McLoughlin added a point turned Leitrim’s two point defecate at the break into a two point lead.

The Ballymacarbry pair Linda Wall and Louise Ryan kicked points for Waterford before Deirdre Ward struck Leitrim’s third goal of the game just before the three quarter point in the game, and they could have hit a fourth soon afterwards when Áine Tighe got inside the Waterford backs and looked as though she was going to raise a green flag and she would but for the brilliance of Aimee Jordan to keep her effort out.

This was the wake up call that Waterford needed. They were going to have Armagh next in the league, and if they were to get nothing from these two games, then there was a chance that Waterford could miss out on a place in the semi finals.

Waterford controlled the final quarter of this game. Margaret Revins completed her Hat-trick thirteen minutes from time. Shona Curran who had replaced Megan O’Connor hit a point before Michelle Ryan and Liz Devine struck further goals for Waterford.

Another inspired substitution by Pat O’Brien then made an impact as Shauna Dunphy who had replaced Liz Devine struck a sixth Waterford goal after which Linda Wall put over two points and Margaret Revins hit one to give Waterford what was a hard fought but deserved victory.

The final result of that game will play little significance into this weekend’s game.

Waterford go into this weekend’s game off the back of a heavy defeat to Armagh at Ardmore while Leitrim will be on some what of a high having beaten Tipperary in their last game.

Leitrim have a number of players that Waterford will have to look out for as given the chance they will cause the Waterford defence many problems.

Against Tipperary Áine Heslin had a quite game when it came to raising umpire flags, but she has kept them busy in other games and will be anxious to have them busy this weekend.

Other players that Waterford will have to look out to will include Deidre Ward, Michelle Heslin, Roisin Fowley and the brilliant Áine Tighe.

The treat that Leitrim will pose to Waterford will be well known to all involved with the team, but what might not be known to all is that they beat Tipperary last time out without Mary Farrell and Sharon Kerrigan missing from their full back line for a time after they collected yellow cards.

To date Pat O’Brien and his fellow selectors have given each available member of their panel their fair share to impress and to stake a place in the team for the championship which will begin in the coming weeks.

Its possibly fair to say that when they sit down to pick their team for this weekend they will be putting out their strongest fifteen.

This will mean that Aimee Jordan could start between the posts, Nora Dunphy and Mary Foley will start in the full back line and Louise Ryan and Karen McGrath will start in front of them.

The other places in defence could well be filled by the likes of Ciara Dunphy, Megan O’Connor, Roisin Tobin and maybe Grainne Kennelly who is back in contention now after a year away from the game and being involved with the Lismore Camogie team in their All-Ireland Final run.

Michelle McGrath and Elaine Power should again prove to be Waterford’s centre field pairing.

In attack the Waterford selectors could well have plenty of options open to them. Michelle Ryan, the Wall sisters and Margaret Revins would all look certain to start for Waterford with the final place in the team likely to be fought out between amongst others Hannah Landers, Liz Devine and Shona Curran who like Grainne Kenneally is again available after assisting Lismore to All-Ireland glory in Camogie.

This is a game that could well prove to be very close. Nine points separated the sides in Fraher Field when the sides last clashed, but there is something telling me that this game could well prove to be much closer.

When sides meet twice in close proximity it’s often the case that the result of the first game is often reversed. Hopefully as a supporter of Waterford teams, this weekend’s game won’t be one of these occasions.

Leitrim do pose a serious treat to Waterford, but Waterford are the more experienced team. Pat O’Brien will have available to him a number of very experienced players, players that are part and parcel of Waterford teams now for some time. He also has some exciting new young players brought into the set up this year. Many of these players have come off successful underage teams and will be anxious to show that what they have done in underage football they can now do at a higher level.

This experience should stand to Waterford. Named above is a great deal of Waterford panels. In giving what could well prove to be the Waterford starting line up, over fifteen players names are given. Only fifteen of them can start, meaning that in addition to putting out a potentially experienced starting fifteen, Waterford could have an experienced bench to choose from.

Waterford should win this game, but it could be close, maybe too close for comfort, with Armagh despite only beating Tipperary by two points in their previous game strongly fancied to come out of the other semi final.

The Big Three record second wins in Senior Football Championship.

The big three in the Waterford Senior Football championship have virtually secured their places in the quarter finals of this years competition after they all recorded their second win of the campaign over the past weekend.

Champion’s Ballinacourty inflicted a second defeat in successive weekends when they easily accounted for Ardmore at Bushy Park.

Ballinacourty at the break lead 3-7 to 0-4 at the break their goals coming from Shane O’Donovan, Gary Hurney and Mark Gorman.

Ballinacourty pulled up somewhat in the second half, and Ardmore did manage to come more into the game. David Gartland hit a goal ten minutes after the restart for Ardmore but it was cancelled out by an effort from Jason O’Brien just over ten minutes later.

Rathgormack had their first win of the campaign when they beat Clashmore at Fraher Field who are still looking for a win after two games.

Rathgormack turned around at the interval holding a two point advantage, but at the end of sixty minutes they trailed 0-10 to 0-9, but no game is over till the final whistle sounds and in added time, Jamie Kirwan struck the games only goal for Rathgormack to help them to a 1-9 to 0-10 victory, one that could prove to be crucial after three more rounds of league games in this years competition.

The third game in group one of this years championship over the weekend between Kilrossanty and An Rinn was called off as a mark of respect to Noreen Prendergast who died over the weekend.

In group two, the ‘big two’ both won.

The Nire recorded their second easy win in successive weekends when they beat Saint Saviours 2-10 to 1-3.

The winners lead 0-8 to 0-0 at the break in Fraher Field.

In the second half they continued to prove to be the better of the two sides as Shane Ryan who is in fine form of late struck two goals for his side.

Saint Saviours registered their first score just before the three quarter stage mark when Brian Power put the ball between the uprights. They missed a penalty taken by Joey Phelan ten minutes from time but he made amends when he struck a consolation goal in added time.

Stradbally also recorded a second win of the campaign but they did not have it entirely their own way against the 2013 Intermediate Champions De La Salle at Walsh Park.

With ten minutes played the city side lead 0-4 to 0-2, but the Cove Men recovered and retired at the break leading 0-8 to 0-6.

With ten minutes of the second half, Stradbally lead 1-8 to 0-6, Stradbally’s goal coming from Robert Ahern, but the city side refused to bow to their more experienced opponents at this level.

They added a goal from Stephen Dalton inside the last ten minutes but it was not to be enough as Stradbally held out for a 1-12 to 1-6 win, but from what we have seen of De La Salle this year, they could well not just retain their senior status for 2015 but also win for themselves a place in the last eight of the competition come the autumn.

The game between Gaultier and Ballinameela proved to be a scrappy affair with both sides conceding a huge amount of frees.

At the break Gaultier lead 0-6 to 0-4 but for much of the second half, they had to give second best to the western side.

With time almost up, it looked as though Ballinameela would secure a first win of this years championship, but a pointed free from JJ Hutchinson just before the end of the game meant that the two sides had to settle for a share of the spoils.

Weekend Results:

Ballinacourty   4-10     Ardmore          1-8

Rathgormack   1-9       Clashmore       0-10

Gaultier           0-12     Ballinameela    0-12

Stradbally        1-12     De La Salle     1-6

The Nire          2-10     Saint Saviours 1-3

League Tables:

Group 1:

Ballinacourty   2          2          0          0          5-19     1-17     4

An Rinn          1          1          0          0          2-17     0-7       2

Kilrossanty      1          1          0          0          0-11     1-4       2

Rathgormack   2          1          0          1          1-18     1-19     2

Ardmore          2          0          0          2          2-12     4-21     0

Clashmore       2          0          0          2          0-17     3-26     0

Group 2

The Nire          2          2          0          0          5-32     1-5       4

Stradbally        2          2          0          0          1-25     2-13     4

De La Salle     2          1          0          1          1-20     1-16     2

Gaultier           2          0          1          1          1-19     0-25     1

Ballinameela    2          0          1          1          0-14     3-34     1

St. Saviours     2          0          0          2          1-7       2-24     0