All Ireland Club Hurling Championship 2012-2013

[Slieve Bloom Man]

For me, the provincial and all Ireland club hurling championship is the best hurling competition we have at the moment. Obviously a top interconty match is way above a club match but I think the club championship is much more open (more democratic?), more interesting and has teams more evenly matched playing each other. For the 2013 intercounty championship it is very difficult to see past 3 teams -Kilkenny, Galway and Tipperary. However plenty of club champions will feel they can have a right crack at winning a provincial and the All Ireland club title. This is especially true after the exploits of Loughiel Shamrocks, Coolderry and Na Piarsaigh last year. It is great that TG4 cover the club matches. I have also really enjoyed attending some of these matches the Coolderry games last year, Tullamore and Ballyhale in leinster final few years ago wasn't bad and of course Birr provided us with plenty of exciting moments over the years. Take Coolderry's games last year leading up to the All Ireland Final -Ballyboden in Parnell Park, Oulart the Ballagh in Nowlan Park and Gort in the Gaelic Grounds-there weren't massive crowds but there was always a good atmosphere and bit of excitement. Actually a negative in contrast again to the intercounty scene of the last few years there haven't been that many great finals in the last few years or so whereas we've had a few great All Irelands with Kilkenny - Tipp and drawn Killkenny - Galway game this year. However the games in the lead up to the club All Irelands have been good with the Clarinbridge v De La Salle All Ireland semi-final the real stand-out game of recent years. Obviously we've had some great teams over the last 15 years Birr, Portumna and Ballyhale Shamrocks. The decline of these teams has opened it up a bit-obviously BALLYHALE are still a seious threat this year having reached the Kilkenny county final again. But nearly all clubs entering the foray will have real hopes of making progress.

Munster Championship-This looks set for an enthralling series of matches. Thurles Sarsfields are probably favourites but will have tough competition. They have beaten Kilmallock of Limerick in the first game in Munster by 2-12 to 0-15 - according to a report -seems to have been a good game. Thurles have some very big names Padraic Maher, Micky Cahill and Lar Corbett as intercounty stars already. Aidan McCormack had a great county final, Denis Maher is another dangerous forward while Michael Glesson is a good midfielder. Then of course Redser is there as an impact sub. De La Salle also have a very good side and have won Munster twice over the last few years. Waterford's two All stars this year John Mulane and Kevin Moran are the leading men while Brian Phelan has plenty of experience and Dean Twomney was on the Waterford panel this year. Sarsfields of Cork will be ferociously determined this year having failed to make progress in their 2 previous campaigns in Munster. The Cork county final looked like a good game from the highlights on TG4. I noticed Eoin Quigley’s name appear in the highlights and wondered if it was the Wexford player and turns out it is, another Wexford player Eanna Martin is also playing with them add in Cian McCarthy, Kieran Murphy, Michael Cussen and Tadgh Og Murphy and you have a serious team. I’m sure newly crowned Clare champions Newmarket on Fergus won’t be too bad either with Clare hurling on an upward curve again.

Leinster Championship- Kilcormac Killoughey are on the easier side of the draw and will feel they have a great chance of reaching a Leinster Final. However Rathdowney -Erill , Clonkill and Mount Leinster will feel the same. Providing KK do not underestimate Mount Leinster, then they should win. Rathdowney/Erill and Clonkill will be very tight, the Laois champions might just about do it. Kk will have benefited from that league final win over Seir Kieran last week. A competitive match to break up the celebrations.
On the other side of the draw Oulart the Ballagh(4th Wexford title in a row) will be strong again. They should be too good for Kilmacud Crokes who will have been distracted with their football team playing so many matches in the past few weeks. Fair play to them for reaching both Dublin hurling and football finals but this will impact on their preparations for Oulart. I’m not sure how many are dual players-probably not as many as other clubs. Definitely Ross and Rory O Carroll are dual players and these 2 are vital to the hurling team. Kilmacud also have Ryan O Dwyer and Niall Corcoran in their ranks. Oulart have plenty of players with intercounty experience, the two Jacobs, Keith Rossiter, Paul Roche, Lar Prendergast, Darren Stamp, Dave Redmond and Nicky Kirwin. Then the Kilkenny champions will either be Ballyhale Shamrocks or Dicksboro. At this stage Ballyhale are probably favourites for Leinster but they have to win the Kilkenny final first. TJ Reid is a big loss to them, however Cha should be flying with Michael Fennelly in midfield, while Colin Fennelly should also be smarting having being dropped for All Ireland final. Of course Henry Shefflin is still their main man but he’ll have to be a little tired after his exploits with the Cats.
Ulster Championship- The Ulster Final was played yesterday, Portaferry (Down) 0-12 Loughgiel (Antrim) 2-25. This is 3 in a row of Ulster titles for the All Ireland champions. With the Munster Championship only starting yesterday and Leinster next week this is another example of the lopsidedness of GAA competitions and structures.
Not to speak of the non-existent Connacht championship as the Galway champions head straight into an All Ireland semi-final. Loughrea await the winners of a semi-final replay between Co. Champions Gort and St. Thomas. Great to hear Conor Cooney was flying for St. Thomas yesterday. I felt sorry for him being brought on and then taken off 10 mins later in the drawn All Ireland. No other club will fear facing whoever comes out of Galway.
I could be wrong in this but the only 2 clubs still in contention that have previously won the All Ireland are the 2 Shamrocks- Loughiel and Ballyhale. If Dicksboro could pull off a shock and win Kilkenny it would really open it up.
Here’s hoping Kilcormac- Killoughey will give it a good run.

[Slieve Bloom Man]

I left out Pa Bourke for Thurles who scored 1-05 against Kilmallock

[Slieve Bloom Man]

Roll of Honour
Hurling All Ireland Senior Club Championship
Ballyhale Shamrocks (Kilkenny) (5) - 1981, 1984, 1990, 2007, 2010.
Birr (Offaly) (4) - 1995, 1998, 2002, 2003.
Portumna (Galway) (3) - 2006, 2008, 2009.
James Stephens (Kilkenny) (3) - 1976, 1982, 2005.
Athenry (Galway) (3) - 1997, 2000, 2001.
Blackrock (Cork) (3) - 1972, 1974, 1979.
Loughgeil Shamrocks (Antrim) (2) – 1983, 2012
Glen Rovers (Cork) (2) - 1973, 1977.
Sarsfields (Galway) (2) - 1993, 1994.
St.Finbarr’s (Cork) (2) - 1975, 1978.
Clarinbridge (Galway) (1) - 2011
Midleton (Cork) (1) - 1988
Roscrea (Tipperary) (1) - 1971
St.Joseph’s Doora-Barefield (Clare) (1) - 1999
Sixmilebridge (Clare) (1) - 1996
Glenmore (Kilkenny) (1) - 1981
Kiltormer (Galway) (1) - 1992
Castlegar (Galway) (1) - 1980
Midleton (Cork) (1) - 1988
Buffer’s Alley (Wexford) (1) - 1989
Kilruane McDonaghs (Tipperary) (1) - 1986
Kiltormer (Galway) (1) - 1992
Castlegar (Galway) (1) - 1980

[TheGreatGame]

Good stuff Slieve Bloom Man. As someone who will be supporting Rathdowney/Errill on Sunday it's a super opportunity for one of the "lesser knowns" to make a Leinster final. After their maiden win in Offaly, K/K will be favourites to come through the easier side, but if they take Mount Leinster Rangers for granted they could easily be dumped out of it.

[timber]

Well lads, I gave ye good warning last week that a St Pat's win was very likely over Rhode and it was no real suprise that is how it turned out albeit with some very dubious decisions going against the Rhode men.

Now back to the hurling. KK finally made the breakthrough and it would be hard begrudge them it. I do feel that things worked out well for them in the latter stages of the championship and what would slightly worry me is their form in struggling and being quiet lucky to beat Brosna gaels and likewise Shamrocks in early rounds. That would be a concern. If that KK team turns up in that frame of mind they wont just be beaten by the Carlow champions they will be hammered. But if a focused and well prepared KK turn up and can match Mount Leinsters intensity I think they have the hurling to get through by a few points.

Mount Leinster hurling has been very strong in Carlow in recent years. They have contested the last 8 consecutive finals and won 5 of them. Last year they were in the Leinster club intermediate championship and won the title beating Celbridge but more impressively beating Danesfort of Kilkenny team in the semi final. They went on to win the All Ireland intermediate championship after that.

So make no mistake about it Mount Leinster rangers have got into a winning habit. They have a large following and home advantage will play a part. They will see the draw as a great opportunity to get to a Leinster final. Which KK team turns up will be the big deciding factor. If they are fully focused and motivated for this then the better hurlers should see them through but anything less and they will struggle.

[SearingDrive]

Think you have summed the position on both games very well Timber.

[Plain of the Herbs]

Good summary alright. As another Offaly hurling team face into another banana skin. And Coolderry’s defeat by Raharney two years ago wasn’t the ‘blip’ many would like to think it is.

K-K’s attitude will be key. The only clue we have as to K-K’s state of mind is Danny Owens’ interview with Martin Breheny in today’s ‘Indo’. For me, Owens is saying the right things and for this reason I expect K-K’s attitude will be fairly right.

K-K have been busy since their County Final win. First they had the Junior football win, then they had a Senior league Final win over Clareen to complete the Senior double. In a brief but informative preview, The Carlow Nationalist’ tells us K-K played Sarsfields (Cork) in a challenge match last weekend, a match watched by Tom Mullally and Christy Kealey of the MLR management. It’s four weeks now since K-K win the county Final (think it’s three weeks since MLR won theirs) so there has been plenty of time to refocus on hurling. K-K’s physical strength will be a great asset in Leinster too. As we know they are not a typical Offaly team.

I note Timber’s reservations regarding K-K’s early form. I wouldn’t worry on that score – K-K were looking to peak in the knockout stages (which they did) and anyway, there’s nothing to be gained by handing out record beatings to teams. Look where that got Coolderry.

Timber is right that MLR are in a winning groove. As well as winning the Carlow Senior title again this year, the men from Borris, Rathanna and Ballymurphy also won the minor title and their Intermediates were beaten by a single point in a replayed Final. Whoever gets the better start will win. I expect K-K to 'face her for Mount Leinster' and to hit the ground running here.

[KillougheyGoBragh]

Fantastic write-ups again lads and lassies.
I don't know if TG4 will cover this game? Are they showing games live?
Will Midlands Radio 3 be covering this game?
Any help greatly appreciated.

[SearingDrive]

Fantastic write-ups again lads and lassies.
I don't know if TG4 will cover this game? Are they showing games live?
Will Midlands Radio 3 be covering this game?
Any help greatly appreciated.

TG4 are showing the Kilmacud v Oulart game, as for Radio3 I guess they will cover the Erril/Rathdowney v Clonkill game live.

[KillougheyGoBragh]

Thanx for the reply SearingDrive.
Don't know what KCLR96 are like for GAA coverage.
They have a Carlow coverage option after hitting the "listen live" button.
So will try that station closer to throw-in.

[townman]

best of luck to K/K today will head over to Carlow to give them a shout, if they hurl to their best they should come through.

[King Kev]

It's been a while since I've been on this forum, The best of luck to kk today a tricky assignment in store. Also belated congratulations on winning your first county final. It can only be a good thing for offaly hurling and with all there recent underage success it looks like there going to be a force in offaly for the forseeable future .

[KillougheyGoBragh]

Yes live on the KCLR96

[kingscounty]

Kilcormac/ Killoughey 1-11 Mount leinster Rangers 0-09. Heard a bit of the game on midlands 103 , Ciaran Slevin scored 1-10 not sure how many was from frees but bit worrying that only one other player scored. The conditions were described as terrible so maybe it was hard for the forwards to get scores or maybe they were well marked , someone who was at the game will fill us in im sure. Home game in 2 weeks where they face the laois champions who had a good win over clonkill today so another tough game for K/K , but hopefully the county will get out and support them .

[townman]

Good win for the double K'S in their first steps in leinster club hurling, yes Conditions were poor for hurling with the wind and rain that fell
in the second half plus the cold it was hard on the players with alot of players slipping but the pitch wasn't to bad after the football game
before hand with Pascal Kellaghan's Monastervin getting the better of Carlows fighting cocks great name for a club.

as for the hurling yes Ciaran Slevin stole the show again today scoring 1-10 he got 1-2 from play the rest from place ball's, it was all square at
half time 0-7 each, James Gorman got the other point soon after he left the field as he took his place in the stand for the second half must have
been a hamstring or something as he was doing alright up to that.

i though Dan Currams and Connor Mahon were off their game today and hope the can lift it for the next day even doe Curram's made the goal and was fouled for a few frees in the first half but both can hurl alot better than they showed today.

the K/K'S back line were very good and gave nothing away with the two Healion's doing well and Peter put in to big hits today there was no one going to walk in through them today anyway.

besides Slevin i would have gave Brian Leonard man of the match he had a might 60 minutes was strong on the ball and cleared a mountain of ball
for K/K. Alan McConville also had a fine game at corner back.

i think its a home view for the next day again Rathdowney/Erill will be another battle but the K/K forwards besides Slevin will have to step up to the mark if they are to get to the leinster final, but everything is a bonus for K/K now after winning their first county final and their is no pressure
on them, and i think with a good home crowd behind them the next day i think they can get to the final they have the players to do it when on form.