Senior Hurling - Club of the Week - How it works.

As suspected when it comes to the County Board’s Club of the week competition which is sponsored by the Championship Sponsors JJ Kavanagh & Sons, there appears to be a little confusion as to how the week’s best team is decided and how the overall club is decided.

As someone that attends a lot of games, all be it none yet this year, I am one of the many people that find it very frustrating when some clubs are playing to have to draw lines through a programme to indicate a player is not playing and to write in the name of the person that takes his place. Down the grades this practice is not bad as teams tend to line out as selected, but at senior level, let’s be honest, it can be crazy. And if you are trying to keep notes and forgot to bring something with you to mark changes, then you are in all sorts of problems unless you have a very good memory.

I for one welcome this competition as if clubs start to get competitive towards it and each try and win the overall prize, then it can only improve the presentation of our games.

To decide the weekly and overall results, different criteria are used.

In each round of games, a team can earn itself 45 points.

Each club is given 20 points just for playing the game.

A bonus 15 points are awarded for presentation. Presentation is regarded as all players wearing standard jerseys togs and socks. However, one point is deducted from the 15 points on offer who does not have proper club gear.

Another five points is awarded to teams that line out as per the programme. If a team does not line out as per the programme, then five points is subtracted from what they have collected up to this point.

When it comes to discipline, two points are deducted for each yellow card collected in a game and five points are deducted if a player collects a red card. (Please don’t ask me if it is nine points if a player is sent off if he received two yellows and a red, I don’t know the answer. For the answer maybe ask a county board official).

At the end of the league section of the competition, for any club that does not collect a red card in their five games, they will be awarded a bonus 20 points.

The result of the game is the final criteria used. Five bonus points are awarded for each win in the league section of the championship and three points are awarded for a draw.

At the end of the League Section of the Championship a trophy will be presented to the winning team and a Travel Voucher from the sponsors JJ Kavanagh & Sons.

At the end of weekend one, in group one De La Salle lead the way, with 43 points, loosing just two points after picking up a booking.

2014 champions were second after round one in group one collecting 37 points, followed by Fourmilewater and Roanmore on 31 points, Abbeyside on 27 points and finally Lismore on 26 points.

In group two, after the first round of games, Ballyduff lead the way with 37 points, 1 point ahead of the club they beat in the opening round of games, Ardmore. Ballygunner were third in group two after the first round of games, collecting 31 points, Mount Sion and Tallow both collected 28 points and Dungarvan were the lowest placed team on 23 points.

Games in round two took place this past weekend and we say plenty of movement.

De La Salle again topped group one, collecting an identical 43 points to the 43 collected in round one. Despite defeat to Roanmore Fourmilewater finished second on 35 points, Passage with their second draw in this years championship collected 32 points and despite their excellent win over Fourmilewater, Roanmore finished in fourth place on 31 points, loosing five points for not lining out per the programme and four for two bookings collected in the game. Lismore finished the weekend with 29 points and in group one, it was Abbeyside that finished bottom of the group this weekend, collecting 28 points.

In group two, Ballygunner and Mount Sion picked up a perfect 45 points this weekend, for winning, for no bookings, for lining out as per the programme and also for all players wearing official club colours.

Dungarvan who finished bottom of the twelve teams last weekend finished third in group two this weekend collecting 33 points, Ballyduff Upper finished with one point lea and Tallow finished bottom overall this weekend collecting 24 points.

De La Salle lead group one after two rounds of games with 86 points from a possible 90. Passage have 69 points, three ahead of Fourmilewater who are the groups third placed team with Abbeyside, Lismore and Roanmore all on 55 points.

In group two, Ballygunner lead the way on 76 points. Mount Sion are second place in group two, three behind their cross city rivals, Ballyduff Upper are third on 69 points, 1 ahead of Ardmore, Dungarvan have 56 points and Tallow are bottom on 52.

The overall table for all 12 clubs regardless of which group they are in reads:

1. De La Salle 86 Points

2. Ballygunner 76 Points

3. Mount Sion 73 Points

4. Ballyduff & Passage 69 Points each

6. Ardmore 68 Points

7. Fourmilewater 66 Points

8. Dungarvan 56 Points

9. Abbeyside, Lismore, Roanmore 55 Points each

12. Tallow 52 Points

Please don’t shoot the messenger if you don’t agree with the way the tables are worked out. I am sure everyone has an idea of what points should and should not be given or taken away for. For what it’s worth, I agree with the way things are worked and say well done to whoever came up with the idea.

City Giants De La Salle and Ballygunner top the Groups after two rounds of JJ Kavanagh & Sons County Senior Hurling Championship

With two round of the League Section of this year’s JJ Kavanagh and Sons County Senior Hurling Championship played, we are already beginning to get an indication as to how the championship could pan out.

Roanmore are the surprise package in group one. They followed up their draw against reigning champions Passage last weekend with a two point win over a fancied Fourmilewater side at Fraher Field.

The city side made it very difficult for Fourmilewater throughout the game crowding their own back line while without the ball and then once in control of the ball broke quickly into the opposite end of the field.

Gavin O’Brien was his sides best player on the day and will have caught the eye of any Waterford inter county selector in the stand.

Roanmore leas 1-7 to 0-3 at the break, the goal coming from Shane Nolan mid way through the half after he reacted quickest to a short puck out which was never properly dealt with by the Fourmilewater defence.

Jamie Barron was to again finish as top scorer for his side, hitting nine points in a 1-9 to 0-10 defeat for his side to the seventeen he scored at the same venue a week earlier.

Fourmilewater are only team not to have raised a green flag in this years championship something that they will be hoping to rectify when the championship resumes after a break to allow Derek McGrath and his charges prepare for the upcoming Munster Championship game with Cork.

De La Salle top group one after they recorded a second win in this years championship.

County Minor Hurling Captain Shane Ryan hit a first half goal for the three time champions at Walsh Park but it was not to be enough to give them the lead at the turn around as Abbeyside went to the dressing rooms holding a 0-9 to 1-4 advantage.

The teenager struck a second goal on thirty nine minutes which gave his side a 2-7 to 0-9 lead, but the Village side refused to throw in the towel and they hit a late goal of their own, Patrick Hurney getting the final touch to a long Mark Ferncombe delivery to leave just one between the sides heading into the closing phases of the game (2-10 to 1-12) but a late point from Kevin Moran ensure that De La Salle would end the weekend with their perfect start to this years championship still in tact.

Reigning champions Passage recorded their second draw in this year’s championship when they drew with Lismore at Fraher Field.

The side from the Heritage town started without Maurice Shanahan had an excellent start to this game when David Prendergast hit an early goal, and it proved to be the difference between the sides at the break as Lismore retired holding a 1-7 to 0-9 advantage.

For the second weekend running the champions depended on Owen Connors for the bulk of their scores and his contribution despite a second Lismore goal from, David Prendergast on forty seven minutes gave them a 0-18 to 2-11 advantage with just three minutes to play. But come the hour cometh the man, in the final minutes Maurice Shanahan who was introduced to the Lismore team at the break hit a point which earned his side their first point of this year’s championship.

In group two, Ballygunner top the group after two rounds of games on score difference over Mount Sion after both of the big city sides won their opening games of the season.

On Friday evening, Mount Sion proved too strong for Ballyduff Upper at Fraher Field.

At the break, the winners held a 1-8 to 0-7 advantage, Stephen Roche’s early goal proving to be the main difference between the sides.

In the second half, Richie Roche hit a hat-trick for the Monastery Men, to which Ballyduff Upper had no response, and at the end of the hour they found themselves behind on a 4-18 to 0-15 score line.

At Walsh Park Ballygunner proved far too strong for last years Intermediate Champions Ardmore.

The city side had a 3-11 to 1-4 advantage at the break. Brian O’Sullivan hit their first goal just past the half way mark in the opening half. Ardmore goalkeeper Clinton Hennessy beat a three man Ballygunner wall from a penalty soon afterwards, but Stephen Power put a 20 metre free in the Ardmore net and before the break Barry O’Sullivan struck for a third Ballygunner goal.

Stephen Power had the ball in the Ardmore net for his second and Ballygunner’s fourth goal on thirty six minutes which ended the game as a contest.

The Gunners had Philip Mahony helped from the field during the course of the game with a leg injury. The extent of his injury is not fully known, but early indications are that it could be a serious one which will be a concern to Derek McGrath just three weeks from Waterford’s Munster Championship game with Cork as indications are that he could well be without a number of other players for the game.

Dungarvan are in third place in the table after they recorded a 2-20 to 2-12 win over Tallow at Lismore. Cathal Curran and Bob McCarthy swapped first half goals as the winners ended the half holding a 1-8 to 1-3 cushion.

Cormac Curran added a second goal for Dungarvan which gave his side a 2-12 to 1-7 advantage, but Bob McCarthy hit a second goal fro the Bride-siders to close the game to five points.

JJ Kavanagh & Sons Senior Hurling Championship – Group One

De La Salle      2          2          0          0          4

Roanmore       2          1          1          0          3

Fourmilewater            2          1          0          1          2

Passage           2          0          2          0          2

Lismore           2          0          1          1          1

Abbeyside        2          0          0          2          0

JJ Kavanagh & Sons Senior Hurling Championship – Group Two

Ballygunner     2          2          0          0          4

Mount Sion      2          2          0          0          4

Dungarvan      2          1          0          1          2

Ballyduff          2          1          0          1          2

Tallow             2          0          0          2          0

Ardmore          2          0          0          2          0

Waterford come from behind to set up League Final Spot.

Waterford qualified for this years Division 3 Ladies National Football League Final next weekend by virtue of a hard fought victory over Leitrim in the semi final last weekend in Birr.

When the sides met in the met in the league section of the competition, three clear goals in Waterford’s favour separated the sides at full time but in truth this gave a false indication as to the gulf between the two sides.

As regular readers on here will know I have a theory that when two sides meet in close proximity I often tend to favour the loosing side for the second meeting of the two sides, but going into last weekend, I had a inkling that Waterford would come out on top, and so it proved but it was close, maybe too close for comfort for the Waterford side.

For much of the hour it looked as though Leitrim would advance to next weekend’s final against Armagh, but a large surge of late scores by Waterford was good enough to see them over the finish line.

Waterford played with the aid of a strong wind in the first half but as we all know that while the wind does not win you any game but to have it at your backs is a help. Despite playing against the wind in the first half Leitrim retired at the break holding a two point lead, but in the second half, and especially in the last quarter, as Waterford manager Pat O’Brien was able to spring experienced players from the bench to freshen up the Waterford team as players began to tire, it proved to be the winning of the game.

Despite playing into the wind, Leitrim stranded the game brightly. Roisin Fowley had an effort put out for a ’45 which was taken short to Áine Tighe and the Leitrim sharp shooter made no mistake from in front of the posts in dissecting them.

The same player put over two more points before Waterford hit their first of the game when Michelle Ryan put over a free.

Waterford hit the uprights twice in quick succession before they scored again, Michelle Ryan added to her earlier effort and Elaine Power also got in on the act.

Michelle Heslin put Leitrim back in front following some good work by Roisin Fowley and Claire Owens, and in soon got even better for the Connacht side as sisters Áine and Niamh Tighe combined well to set up Roisin Fowley for the first goal of the game.

Waterford hit back with a brace of scores from Linda Wall but one of them was to be cancelled out with an Áine Tighe effort four minutes from the break to leave Roisin Fowley’s goal separating the sides.

Time remained however for plenty of more action and Waterford put over points from Linda Wall and Michelle Ryan which left one between the sides with time ticking down, but Leitrim would go in at the break leading 1-6 to 0-7 after Áine Tighe registered her fifth point of the game.

Leitrim began the second half playing with the wind at their backs by kicking an early point through Sarah McLoughlin.

Waterford however were soon on level terms as the Wall sisters Aileen, Mairead and Linda all linked up with a delightful move which finished with Linda rattling the Leitrim net with the help of the crossbar.

Leitrim however hit back in the best possible way as their leading scorer Áine Tighe put over three points in a row, two of them coming from frees and one a great score from distance.

Waterford now had to call upon all their experience picked up in recent years. Michelle Ryan further reduced Leitrim’s advantage and when substitute Hannah Landers pointed soon afterwards the sides were level for the third time in the game with the third quarter drawing to a conclusion.

The game was now entering a crucial period and every score was going to be important, and should any side go on to raise a green flag it was going to be the winning and loosing of the game.

The ever reliable Áine Tighe looked as though she would her side back in front as she shaped up to take a free, but her effort came back off the upright. For Leitrim however Michelle Heslin was in the right place at the right time and at the second time of asking within second she made no mistake in putting the ball over the Waterford cross bar.

The sides were level once more when Mairead Wall pointed which was followed up with an effort from the impressive Michelle Ryan which gave Waterford the lead for the first time.

Leitrim now had to respond and this they did through Áine Tighe who put over a free to level matters for the second time and those at the game were beginning to wonder would the game need more time than the allotted sixty minutes to decide who would play Armagh in the final.

Waterford however would finish the game the stronger of the two sides.

Substitute registered Waterford’s second goal of the game late in the game which was followed up with an Aileen Wall point which gave Waterford a 2-13 to 1-12 advantage.

Sarah McLoughlin pulled back a point for Leitrim. Time was now almost up and had Waterford conceded again, then there was the possibility that the game would need more than the sixty allotted minutes to find a winner.

Waterford need not have any fears however as Michelle Ryan slammed a late third goal for Waterford to ensure Waterford would advance to next weekends final against Armagh after she reacted quickest to her own effort from a free coming back off the post and the Déise lady’s rounded off the scoring with the last score of the game from Shauna Dunphy.

Waterford: Amy Jordan; Nora Dunphy, Grainne Kennelly, Mary Foley; Louise Ryan, Karen McGrath, Megan O’Connor; Michelle McGrath, Elaine Power; Linda Wall, Michelle Ryan, Mairead Wall; Liz Devine, Mags Revins, Aileen Wall. Subs: Shona Curran for Louise Ryan, Grainne Enright for Megan O’Connor, Hannah Landers for Liz Devine, Shauna Dunphy for Mags Revins.

Scorers: Michelle Ryan 1-5, Linda Wall 1-3, Shauna Dunphy 1-1, Aileen Wall 0-2, Elaine Power, Hannah Landers, Mairead Wall 0-1 each.

Leitrim: Michelle Guckian; Mary Farrell, Sharon Kerrigan, Finnuala Bohan; Claire Owens, Lorraine Brennan, Anna Conlan; Sarah McLoughlin, Alanna Bohan; Claire Beirne, Niamh Tighe, Aine Heslin; Roisin Fowley, Aine Tighe, Michelle Heslin. Subs: Grainne O’Malley for Claire Beirne, Ciara McPartland for Niamh Tighe, Enya McWeeney for Alanna Bohan.

Scorers: Áine Tighe 0-10, Roisin Fowley 1-0, Sarah McLoughlin 0-2, Michelle Heslin 0-1.

Referee: Pat Kehoe (Carlow)

Waterford’s Camogie heroines are back in action this weekend

One week on from winning the All-Ireland Minor ‘B’ Camogie Title where they beat a fancied Derry side, Waterford’s latest sporting heroines are out again this weekend where they will be hoping to add a Munster Shield Final medal to their medal collection.

Saturday 26 April 2014 is a day that will long live in the memories of those involved in the victorious Waterford Camogie team.

There would have been some that were making Waterford underdog for the final against Derry, and they possibly were, having lost to the same opposition less than a month previous in the league section of the competition, a game that was in effect a dead rubber game as both had qualified for the semi finals.  Both sides were effectively going through the motions, to see which of the two would top the group and in turn, get what some would perceive to be the easier of the semi finals, but as we all know when it come to the knockout stages of any competition, there is no such thing as an easier game as time and time again we have seen the side perceived to be the weaker team come out on top.

But with many years, I have a theory that when sides clash in close proximity in the same competition, the advantage is often with the side that lost the first game in the second meeting of the two sides.

I pointed this out last week and thankfully the Waterford team proved me correct with my line of thinking which is that the winner the first day often believe having won already against a team they will beat them again and could well go into the second game a little cocky.

I am not saying that Derry went into last weekend’s game with Waterford a cocky side. What I would say is that Waterford went into that game with a point to prove. That point was that although a point separated the sides in the previous clash, they would have believed that they could do better against the Oak Leaf County and this is exactly what they did.

Right from the off Waterford were always on top. At the back Waterford were brilliant.

Regular readers of what I have to say on here will know that I greatly admire the skills of Lismore and Waterford Camogie player Aisling O’Brien as a goalkeeper. To play between the posts is not easy. Every mistake is instantly seen. Bigger mistakes can be made further out the field, but they are often forgotten about or overlooked, but the Lismore Club Player makes playing between look so easy at times.

However, she is not the only fine keeper within the county. One of those hot on the heels of the Lismore player and one that will have eyes on the white number 1 shirt in the near future is Brianna O’Regan.

The De La Salle shot stopper is fast gaining a reputation for herself and will be around for sometime to come. And having players challenging hard for a position like in goal can only be good for Waterford in the long term.

In front of her team Captain Laoibhse Dunbar from Saint Anne’s flanked by the Lismore pair of Sarah Coughlan and Sarah Geoghegan make up a water tight full back line. Further out the field the Waterford half back line, often the most crucial in any sector of the field had Cappoquin’s Roisin Cahillane play between Courtney Healy of De La Salle and Bronwyn Grace from Saint Anne’s in a teak like unit.

In the middle of the field there was the experienced duo of Iona Heffernan from Ferrybank and Lorraine Bray from the Cappoquin Club link up together. These are two players that we could well see more of in the near future with the Cappoquin Club player playing in a number of National League Games for the county over the past two years and is a player that is be looked out for in the coming years.

In attack, there was an all West Waterford (even if correctly no such divides occur in Camogie or Ladies football for that matter) half forward line, made up of Jessica Glavin, Caoimhe McGrath and Joanna Houlihan.

Jessica Glavin from the Cappoquin Club hit Waterford’s third goal in their 4-6 to 0-2 victory just before the break. Caoimhe McGrath from the Brickeys scored two points in the course of the game, while Joanna Houlihan who is having a twelve months to remember, having won a County Senior League, a County Senior Championship, a Munster Intermediate Club Championship, an All-Ireland Intermediate Club Championship, A Munster Intermediate Inter County and now an All-Ireland Minor ‘B’ Camogie medal while she did not get her name on the score sheet on the day, she played a major part in Waterford’s win and assisted in some of Waterford’s scores.

In the inside forward line, De La Salle’s Beth Carton made all the headlines striking 3-1, she was ably assisted by Molly Curran from the Brickeys and Orla Flynn from Clonea who assisted in helping Caoimhe McGrath in getting one of the scores of the game towards the end of the opening half.

Clare in the All-Ireland Championship played in Division One. They finished bottom of their group loosing heavily to Tipperary in their opening game and then to Galway by eight points before recording their best display a 3-4 to 2-7 draw with Wexford and then suffered another heavy loss this time to Kilkenny in their final league game.

Despite these losses, they will travel to The Ragg between Thurles and Borris-Ileagh on Saturday afternoon in a confident mood and will be anxious to bring Waterford down to earth with a bang after their All-Ireland victory last weekend.

They will be able to call on the likes of Lauren Solan, Aoife Keane, Ria Flannagan, Emma Kavanagh, Kate O’Gorman and Emma O’Connell for this game.

Camogie in the Banner County is on a high right now. Their senior side will be contesting the Division One league final on Sunday against Kilkenny at Thurles, a game which will be played as a curtain raiser to the National Hurling League Final between Tipperary and Kilkenny.

The County will be looking to get the weekend off to a good start with a win over Waterford. In addition to the players already mentioned they will be able to call upon several members of the Saint Flannan’s Senior Side that won the Munster ‘A’ Colleges Camogie title earlier this year where they beat Laurel Hill College from Limerick and also from the Junior Saint Flannan’s side which lost the Munster Final to Charleville also earlier this year.

The ‘Three Wise Men’ over Waterford Shane ‘Shiner’ Ahearne, Dan Geoghegan and Maurice Cahalane are unlikely to make many changes to the side that won last weekend’s All-Ireland Final. Even if change at times can spruce things up, if a thing is not broken then why try and fix it.

If changes are to be made, then the selectors have plenty of options open to them. Catherine Kelly and Sibhel Harney are both from the Saint Anne’s Club, Dawn Power and Taylor Murray are members of the Dungarvan Club, Sarah Judge and Doireann Flynn come from the Gaultier Club, Niamh Ahearne from Ferrybank, Elizabeth McGrath from Butlerstown/Tramore, Hayley Cox from De La Salle, Emily White from Portlaw, as well as the quartet of Hannah Murphy-Nix, Cadhla McGrath, Rachel Donnelly and Catherine Hahessey from the Brickeys all started as subs last weekend and will be more than ready to come into the team and do a job for the side if asked.

Both sides will be looking to win this game. Clare as pointed out will want to begin the weekend with a win; Waterford will want to back up last weekend’s great win with another. But only one side can win.

On Saturday evening, after an hour’s camogie, the winner’s trophy will head in one of two directions, one towards Nenagh, the other towards Thurles.

Clare may have played at a higher standard in the recent All-Ireland Championship which will have benefited the players game, even if they did not win any game, but Waterford are on a high now and the momentum gained last weekend should see them through in this game.

However complacency will have to guarded against because as we have seen before when a team are on a high, there is nothing the opposition would like to do more than to bring them down a peg or two.

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.