Club Hurling picture becomes clearer

By Shane Brophy

The middle round of the group stage of the Tipperary Club Hurling Championships threw up a number of surprises last weekend as the picture became a lot clearer of who is in good shape to challenge for ultimate honours, and those for whom their battle is about survival.

Senior

Three of the eight quarter final spots in the senior hurling championship have been secured with Mid Tipperary clubs flexing their muscles as defending champions Loughmore/Castleiney, Holycross/Ballycahill and Moycarkey/Borris have all progressed with a game so spare following notable victories.

For all three teams, their final round games are dead-rubbers which affords them the chance to rest players and run their panels, although Moycarkey have to play a Borris-Ileigh side who have a lot riding on that result in terms of progressing themselves or indeed avoiding a relegation battle for the second year in a row.

Lorrha are already facing into that scenario with Loughmore/Castleiney still to play, despite another good performance in the last gasp loss to Drom & Inch last Saturday.

Clonoulty/Rossmore could also be heading for a second relegation battle in three years as they will finish bottom of group 4 following defeat to Toomevara, but they can extricate themselves if they go on and win the county title through the preliminary quarter final route as West champions. If they fail at any stage before then, they will face the relegation playoffs.

The preliminary quarter final route is still open to North & Mid champions Kiladangan and JK Brackens respectively, who might have to use it, if they fail to beat Toomevara and Drom & Inch in their final round games, while Nenagh Eire Og also face a must-win game against CJ Kickhams Mullinahone after a poor performance and defeat to Cashel King Cormacs on Sunday.

Premier Intermediate

Just one quarter finalist is known in the Premier Intermediate Championship with Boherlahan-Dualla confirmed as winners of group 2.

Gortnahoe/Glengoole and Carrick Swan are in good shape to join them, barring a final round calamity while group 3 remains up in the air with Ballina, Upperchurch/Drombane and Moneygall battling it out for the two spots with Burgess out of the hunt.

In terms of relegation, after demotion from senior level last year, Templederry Kenyons are facing another battle to retain their second tier status after the loss to neighbours Silvermines confirmed as bottom of group 2.

Moyne-Templetuohy, Clonakenny and Burgess are the favourites to join them in the scrap to stay up but all three can save themselves if they win their final round games and survive on the head to head rule.

Intermediate

These are worrying times for Newport and Portroe who two years after playing in a premier intermediate relegation playoff, could be battling in the coming weeks to avoid dropping to the junior grade.

After relegation last year, Newport will definitely be involved in another relegation battle after losing to Arravale Rovers on Sunday, meaning they will finish bottom of their group, regardless of how their final game goes against a Borrisokane team who have secured their passage to the quarter finals, as have Knockavilla-Donaskeigh Kickhams from group 2 while Drom & Inch will join Newport in the relegation playoffs.

Portroe can still get out of the relegation mire if they beat Skeheenarinky in their final game, plus the result of Moyle Rovers v Cappawhite goes their way, but the heavy nature of their loss to Moyle Rovers last Sunday was concerning.

North champions Shannon Rovers secured a much needed win over Ballybacon/Grange to virtually secure their survival in the grade with their focus now on progressing to the knockout stages through the group route or a preliminary quarter final if they fail to beat Golden Kilfeacle in the final round.