In what is undoubtedly the game of the round, De La Salle and Ballygunner clash in the first of this year’s SHC quarter-finals at Walsh Park on Saturday – and what a cracker it should prove to be.
The reigning champions had a great start to the SHC league section, winning their first four games of the competition against Ballyduff Upper, An Rinn, Fourmilewater and Lismore but they came unstuck last time out when they lost away to Tallow.
On that day however, De La Salle were without a host of players that helped them win the News & Star Cup 12 months ago, and while they’ll be without Stephen Daniels for this game, they hope to have the majority of the players that missed the game on Brideside back in their starting 15 this Saturday.
In contrast Ballygunner had a very indifferent run in Championship thus far, but it must be acknowledged that when it was most required, the black and reds impressively got their act together. The Gunners started with a loss against Mount Sion, the same side that knocked them out of last year’s Championship in the last eight.
They followed up that opening reversal with a win over Roanmore but suffered another reversal next time out against Abbeyside before recording must-win victories over Dungarvan and Passage in the last two games.
