New name but same competitive O Riain Cup

By Shane Brophy

A new name in the Premier Intermediate Hurling Championship, but the prize is the same as sixteen teams set out this weekend to win the Seamus O Riain Cup.

The only difference from the most recent vintages of the competition is that the winners will represent Tipperary in the Munster & All-Ireland Intermediate Championship, so as well as being promoted to senior level, there is a huge amount at stage for the clubs involved.

As a competition it has really bedded in nicely in recent years and realistically you can give each team a claim of winning the competition if they hit the ground running and carry some momentum.

Like the senior championship, the top two teams in each group progress to the quarter finals. However, as group 4 contains four clubs that won their divisional championships, there is guaranteed to the two preliminary quarter finals with the third and four placed teams in that group playing runners-up from two of the other three groups. If the fourth placed team goes onto win the County final, they will be exempt from the relegation playoffs with the other three group bottom teams with one team relegated to intermediate at the end of the campaign.

GROUP 1

Newport v St Mary’s in Bansha on Saturday @ 7.00pm.

Newport were semi-finalists two years ago but fell into a relegation scrap last year which shows just how fine the margins are in terms of the competitiveness of the teams in the competition.

Newport were poor in their North Championship loss to Roscrea and will need to find another level if they are to get the better of a St Mary’s side that reached the semi-finals last year. They did lose a South semi-final to Carrick Swan recently but have a deep pool of players as they improve year on year. Verdict: St Mary’s

Sean Treacys v Burgess in Newport on Sunday @ 1.00pm.

These sides have become familiar with eachother over the last year with Sean Treacys winning a relegation semi-final last year while Burgess got some form of revenge in a County League semi-final last month.

Sean Treacys have ended up in relegation trouble in each of their two years since coming up from intermediate and ensuring they aren’t involved a third time win will be a target, and their performance in defeat in the West final to Cashel.

Burgess lost a North semi-final to Portroe but they can take such a lot from it as they were heavily depleted. They should have Michael Ryan, Eoin Grace and Stephen Murray available which will bolster their options. Verdict: Draw

GROUP 2

Moyne-Templetuohy v Silvermines in Borrisoleigh on Saturday @ 2.00pm.

Moyne-Templetuohy return to the second tier competition for the first time since 2015 but they would have hoped to have done so with a full deck as they were down seven of the side that won the intermediate final last year in the Mid Premier Intermediate final loss to Clonakenny. As well as that, they loss Gearoid O’Connor to injury and his scoring will be a big loss.

Silvermines will come into the O Riain Cup with a lot of belief and confidence from their North Championship performances. Two extra time games against Kiladangan and Roscrea will have brought them on a tonne and with Jason Forde in excellent form, he might well be the difference in this encounter. Verdict: Silvermines

Roscrea v Kiladangan in Cloughjordan on Sunday @ 7.00pm.

While disappointed to have lost the North Final to Portroe, the three games in the championship so far will be a huge benefit to Roscrea who are gelling with each passing game, with Shane Fletcher and Evan Fitzpatrick playing to a high level so far.

If you draw a form line through Silvermines who both Roscrea and Kiladangan played in the North Championship, this should be a close game and Kiladangan will come in under no pressure as they won’t be expected to beat Roscrea’s first team. However, their performance against Silvermines was excellent, however, the loss of Conor Byrne and Eoghan Sharkey to the senior team is a blow. Verdict: Roscrea

GROUP 3

Killenaule v Gortnahoe/Glengoole in Littleton on Friday @ 7.30pm.

A local derby between two teams from separate divisions. As long as they are in this grade, Killenaule will always be tipped among the favourites and having got to last years final, it’s one they deserve. However, they didn’t perform against Templederry, which is surprising considering the talent they have available to him. Much focus will be on John O’Dwyer after a free summer with no Tipp involvement and what his state of sharpness is.

Gortnahoe settled in at this level quite well last year, reaching a quarter final but fell the full force of Templederry. This year will be a test as the second year is always difficult for a team, as it shows if they have the hunger to kick on and a fit again Keane Hayes is a bonus. Verdict: Killenaule

Thurles Sarsfields v Ballina in Toomevara on Sunday @ 1.00pm.

Off the back of winning a County Junior ‘A’ Football Championship and reaching a Munster Final, Ballina really need to feed the momentum off that into their hurling team. Even without the injured Steven O’Brien, there is enough talent there to be challenging in the knockout stages but they need to get through the group first which is easier said that done.

Thurles Sarsfields are always competitive at this level but the heavy defeat to Moyne-Templetuohy in the Mid suggests they might be a little off it this year but they’ll play a good brand of hurling. Verdict: Ballina

Group 4

Carrick Swan v Portroe in Boherlahan on Saturday @ 3.00pm.

Respective South and North Championship winners will bring tremendous momentum into this game. Both are guaranteed a knockout game but both will want to get to the quarter finals through the front door.

Portroe’s success this year has a youthful look to it and you suspect they’ll only get better. Carrick Swan won a South final accounting for St Mary’s and a senior side in Mullinahone, and if they bring that focus onto the County Championship, they’ll be hard to beat. Verdict: Draw

Cashel King Cormacs v Clonakenny at The Ragg on Sunday @ 1.00pm.

Another meeting of two divisional champions of the West and Mid. This is also a repeat of a quarter final last year which Cashel won by a point, but a game Clonakenny were in control of for the most part. That is sure to be a motivator for this game, as is building on their wins over Gortnahoe and Moyne-Templetuohy in the Mid Championship. Verdict: Clonakenny