North Hurling draws throws up some mouth-watering ties
North Tipperary clubs are able to focus the minds on championship hurling after the draws were made for the divisional senior and intermediate competitions was made last Thursday night.
A big crowd gathered at the Hibernian Inn in Nenagh for the always eagerly anticipated draws for the straight knockout competitions which will be played in the spring window this year which was the preference of the majority of clubs with the group stages of the county championships pushed back until after Tipperary exit the championship.
In the Hibernian Inn Senior Hurling Championship, Roscrea and Newport were the first two names out of the hat and they received byes to the quarter-finals with the remaining twelve teams being drawn together.
Neighbours Ballina and Portroe were the first pairing and it will be the fourth time in the last five years the sides have met in the championship with Ballina having claimed victory on the last two occasions.
For the first time this year, Kiladangan had two teams in the draw with their 'B' team having been promoted from Intermediate last year. The clubs 'A' & 'B' teams were guarded from playing eachother with the defending senior champions drawn against Silvermines while the 'B' team got a tough draw in the form of Nenagh Eire Og.
The tie of the round will see county and Munster champions Borris-Ileigh face off against Toomevara, whom they are also grouped with in the county championship but that game won't be played until August at the earliest.
Kilruane MacDonaghs and Lorrha will renew their age old rivalry while Templederry Kenyons and Burgess will feel their match-up is winnable to get their campaign off to the ideal start.
The first round games will be played on the weekend of 28-29 March with the six winners joining Roscrea and Newport in the quarter-finals on 4-5 April with the semi-finals on 11-12 April. The North final will be played later in the year.
In the Saavy Kitchens Intermediate Hurling Championship, with just four teams involved this year it is just straight semi-finals with holders Moneygall facing Borrisokane and Shannon Rovers meeting Ballinahinch with the games to be played on 4-5 April with the final a week later.