Pressure weekend for some in County Senior Hurling Championship

The County Senior Hurling Championship resumes in Waterford this weekend after a break of a number of weeks to facilitate the county senior hurlers and their efforts in the Munster and All-Ireland Championships.

Heading into this weekend’s round of games, only Passage will go into them safe in the knowledge that they have qualified for the quarter finals as they currently top group two with six points from their opening three games.

The current leaders in group one Tallow while not guaranteed their last eight spot at this point, it would be a massive surprise if they were not to claim one of the four available spots from the group as they have won two and drawn one of their opening three games.

For most teams therefore this penultimate round of games in the group stages of the competition it is make or break as few if any will want to leave their qualifications hopes go to the final round of game where as we have seen in the recent past anything could happen.

Four of the six games down for decision this weekend are down to be played at Fraher Field on Saturday and Sunday evening with the remaining two games taking place at the Kill venue on Saturday and Sunday as Walsh Park is out of bounds this weekend owing to the staging of the Tony Forristal Tournament at the Keane’s Road venue this weekend.

While its great to see some of the games taken out of the County Grounds, it is a little surprising that the two games at Kill did not form a double header on Saturday evening.

In group one, current leaders Tallow will play Fourmilewater at Fraher Field on Sunday evening in the first game of a double header.

Tallow has surprised many this year and will know that if they avoid defeat in this game they will book their place in the last eight of the championship.

On paper Tallow have players that are as good as in any club in Waterford. Players like Thomas Ryan, Aidan and Paul Kearney and the O’Brien’s will need no introduction to hurling supporters.

Three years ago Fourmilewater were somewhat unlucky not to have reached the County Senior Hurling Final. Their involvement in both senior codes (Nire) eventually caught up with them as their players were been tossed between hurling and football week in week out with little time for recovery between games.

Like Tallow they have some excellent players. Jamie Barron, Shane Walsh, Brian Wall, the O’Gorman brothers and Liam Lawlor are amongst their big guns. So too is rising star Conor Gleeson, but he has not featured in The Nire’s most recent two Football games and it remains to be seen if he will feature here.

Fourmilewater were involved in a relegation play off last year and wont want to be involved in one this year.

They have the players to win this one, but before the break all the momentum was with the Brideside Club. It will be interesting to see what the lay off has done to them.

If Conor Gleeson and Liam Lawlor who did not play last weekend do not play this weekend it will come as a big blow to the Ballymacarbry based clubs. You can never write out the side in Blue and White, but going on form before the break you have to fancy the side in Blue and Gold for this game.

Ballygunner currently fill the second place in group one. They only fill that position on score difference over this weekend’s opponents Abbeyside. Both have four points from their opening three games, meaning that whoever comes out on top in this game at Kill on Sunday afternoon will advance to the quarter finals.

Both sides lost their round three games, Ballygunner lost to De La Salle which was hardly a shock result while Abbeyside lost out to current group leaders Tallow.

The 2014 champions will go into this weekends round of game without the services of two of that Championship winning side.

Wayne Hutchinson has transferred his club playing to a side in Dublin while Pauric Mahony as we all know is still recovering from a serious injury sustained in the club championship earlier this year.

Normally to be missing players of the ability of these two would be a huge loss to most clubs but they play for Ballygunner who are with a long number of years are producing some top quality players. Its not long back that we were asking how would the fair without the services of the likes of Fergal Hartley, Stephen Frampton and Paul Flynn, but they have brought on players that are as good as they were and they will survive for now without the likes of the missing pair from last years winning side, even if they are a huge loss.

They will for this game be calling upon the likes of Stephen O’Keeffe, Philip Mahony, Harley Barnes, Shane O’Sullivan, Brian and David O’Sullivan, Barry Coughlan and Stephen Power all of whom are excellent hurlers.

Abbeyside in recent years have made steady progress. They have got some excellent hurlers in the likes of John, Patrick and Gary Hurney, Mark Ferncombe, Sean O’Hare, Conor Prunty, Mark Fives and of course Richie Foley.

The winner of this game as already pointed out already will qualify for the knockout stages of the championship, but the good news for the side that misses out this weekend (if there is a looser) is that they too should qualify for the knockout stages of the championship.

Ballygunner even without the services of Pauric Mahony should win here, but it could be close and if Abbeyside were to come out on top don’t be too surprised.

If there is a potential mismatch to take place this weekend it is in the remaining group one game between Ballyduff Upper and De La Salle in the second game at Fraher Field on Saturday evening.

Ballyduff have found the going tough in the championship so far loosing all three of their opening games in the league section of the competition.

Don’t get me wrong, I am not writing off the chances of Ballyduff going into this game.

They have some excellent games in the likes of Tom Feeney who helped Waterford reach the All-Ireland Minor Final back in 1992 against Galway, Cian Leamy and Mikey Kearney who helped Waterford win the 2013 Minor All-Ireland and Stephen Molumphy who for a number of years shun for the Waterford senior under Justin McCarty, Davy Fitzgerald, Michael Ryan and last year for Derek McGrath.

However, while every Ballyduff player will always give it his all, they come up against a side this weekend that have players who could find a place in any side.

Its so good to see Stephen Daniels return to hurling in the last few weeks after a long lay off with an injury picked up in a challenge game with Waterford in 2013 and Eddie Barrett who is also returning from an Injury.

Elsewhere in the team they will be able to call on players like Kevin Moran who is in with a chance of winning an All-Star this year, Jake Dillon, Shane McNulty and one John Mullane to name but a few.

The 2008, 2010 and 2012 champions did not have the best starts to this years championship but they did have an excellent result last time out when they beat Ballygunner.

It’s hard to see past De La Salle winning here and move nearer to claiming a quarter final spot, but they could have to work a little harder than most expect for the win.

Group two leaders Passage put their 100% record on the line when they take on Mount Sion in Kill on Saturday evening.

Passage won the championship for the first time in 2013 and are good enough to win a second this year.

They have impressed a lot this year beating Roanmore, Dungarvan and Lismore and will look to keep their unbeaten record in tact this weekend.

Mount Sion have just one win from their opening three games, that coming in their first game against Cappoquin but lost to Roanmore and Dungarvan since.

They head into this game without the suspended Austin Gleeson and Michael Gaffney which will make their task a little harder.

They like many other clubs had players in the states during the summer and will be hoping to have them back and raring to go in this game as a win is an absolute must.

In Owen Whelan, Eoin McGrath, Bill Walsh, Ian O’Regan, the two Martin O’Neill’s, Christopher and Sean Ryan they have some good players but they will come up against quality players in this games in the likes of Noel Connors, Eoin Kelly, Pa Walsh, Killian Fitzgerald, Tommy Connors, Eddie Lynch etc.

Passage were going well before the break and it will be interesting to see has Peter Queally allowed any rustiness set in over the past few weeks. Going on form before the break you would have to favour Passage and they get the nod to win here again.

The game between Cappoquin and Dungarvan is likely to attract some considerable support to the Fraher Field venue on Sunday evening.

The 2014 County and Munster Intermediate Champions have had a mixed championship up to now beating neighbours and rivals Lismore but loosing out to Roanmore and Mount Sion.

However, they are looking forward to this game with some time and they feel it is one that they can win.

They may be short the services of some of last years team this year, but in the likes of Shane and Donal O’Rourke, Andy Molumby, the O’Sullivan brothers, the Looby’s, Paul Murray and Keith Landers they have some very good players.

In underage hurling, Cappoquin have beaten Dungarvan many times down the years which will give them confidence this weekend, but its worth remembering that there is a big difference between underage hurling and senior hurling.

Dungarvan have been playing senior hurling with a number of years now and have established themselves at this level.

They reached the county final in 2012 loosing to De La Salle with a team whose average age was about 21 and now three years on, many of that team are still around while the average age of the team has not gone up all that much in the mean time as they have introduced the likes of Patrick Curran and Darragh Lyons to a team that contains three other members of the Curran family, Gavin Crotty and Jamie Nagle while they have also gained valuable additions in the likes of Kieran Power and Michael Kiely and also a quality coach in James O’Connor.

Cappoquin may fancy their chances of pulling off a second win in this years championship in this years game, but I for one would not be surprised to be proven wrong.

The final game down for decision this weekend sees Roanmore take on Lismore at Fraher Field on Saturday evening.

The two sides are having contrasting years.

The side from the west have lost all three games played up to now and another loss could mean that they would have to be involved in a relegation play off in a few weeks time.

Roanmore have recorded wins over Cappoquin and Mount Sion but lost out to Passage.

Since they came up to the senior grade a few years back they have been more often been run closer to loosing their senior status than a place in the knockout stages of the championship but they have an excellent chance of putting that right this year.

They currently sit in second place in the group table and one more win would win them a place in the knockout stages of the championship.

Lismore have disappointed in the last few years. They are no longer the side they were a few years back when they ran Ballygunner very close in a county final, loosing after a replay at Walsh Park.

They have some very good players but their problem seems to be in getting them all to click on the one day.

Maurice Shanahan had an excellent championship with Waterford this year and has an excellent chance of winning an All-Star in a few weeks time.

If he can transfer the form he showed in a white and blue shirt this year to a yellow and black one and others in the same colour shirt and play to their potential then the side from the west of the county has an excellent chance of achieving a first win in this years championship but it would count for little if they did not win their last game in the group stages.

This is a game that could go right to the wire, with little separating the sides at the end of the hour, but something tells me that cheers of the Lismore supporters will be heard loudest at the end of the game.

 

Fixture Details:

Group One

Ballyduff Upper V De La Salle at Fraher Field on Saturday at 7-30pm

Abbeyside V Ballygunner at Kill on Sunday at 2pm

Tallow V Fourmilewater at Fraher Field on Sunday at 5-30pm

Group Two

Lismore V Roanmore at Fraher Field on Saturday at 6pm

Passage V Mount Sion at Kill on Saturday at 6-30pm

Cappoquin V Dungarvan at Fraher Field on Sunday at 7pm

 

Group One
Tallow	3	2	1	0	5
Ballygunner	3	2	0	1	4
Abbeyside	3	2	0	1	4
De La Salle	3	1	1	1	3
Fourmilewater	3	1	0	2	2
Ballyduff Upper	3	0	0	3	0
Group Two
Passage	3	3	0	0	6
Roanmore	3	2	0	1	4
Dungarvan	3	2	0	1	4
Mount Sion	3	1	0	2	2
Cappoquin	3	1	0	2	2
Lismore	3	0	0	3	0