Full-scale Eastern Intermediate Hurling programme this weekend
Despite the ultra attraction posed by the weekend’s All-Ireland hurling qualifying games, the domestic scene is highlighted by a packed programme of adult championship matches under the auspices of the East Waterford Board.
Pride of place unequivocally rests with the Intermediate Hurling Championship and this week the halfway point in the group stages will be passed when a full round of six more matches are decided. It’s getting mighty close at the top for most of the leading aspirants, and given a certain amount of results, some major changes are envisaged by this time next week.
In Group A table toppers St Molleran’s – one of the favourites to go all the way this time round – take on De La Salle this Friday evening at Walsh Park, with the city club in with more than a shout of reaching the play-offs.
With a number of former seniors, plus a few of their more promising underage players on board, De La Salle look well capable of getting the right result here and with their nearest challengers Tramore not in action this week, it could very well be Ballygunner’s turn to go joint top when they play Ballydurn the same evening at Fenor.
In dire need of a win at this point in time, the ‘Blues’ have been badly hit with injuries of late, but are hopeful of fielding as close to full strength for this crucial showdown with the Gunners.
Despite some terrific performances this season, St Saviour’s are looking like they might lose out on securing a play-off place, but they should account for relegation threatened Kill at Portlaw this Friday evening. Still, their fate will depend a fair deal on favourable results elsewhere.
The Group B section is still very much wide open with both Roanmore and Clonea reasonably assured of quarter-final places, with the city outfit strongly tipped to pick up a further brace of points on Sunday afternoon at the expense of bottom of the table Ferrybank.
Both Dunhill and Erin’s Own have it all to play when they cross camáns at Fenor on Sunday evening, with the former fancied to win and in so doing cement a place in the last eight.
Shades of hurling days past will surely be recalled with the meeting of Portlaw and Mount Sion at Walsh Park, where the first mentioned get the vote to win, despite the Monastery team’s improved showing of late.
NB: See tables elsewhere this page. The top four teams in each group to play off in quarter-final knock-out series, and the bottom team in each group to play for relegation.