Rathgormack can still reach the last eight while De La Salle have a relegation play-off ahead of them.
GROUP ONE
The Nire v De La Salle (conceded by De La Salle)
The 2013 County Intermediate Champions have conceded a walk over to last year’s County Senior Champions who move level on points at the top of the table with Clashmore who have a game in had but who top the table by virtue of winning the head to head between the two.
De La Salle will be involved in a relegation play off against one from Saint Saviours, An Rinn or Brickeys.
Ballinacourty v Clashmore
(date and venue not
confirmed at press time)
What a game this could prove to be. Clashmore go into the game topping the group and will look to finish the group stages with a 100% record.
The 2013 County Senior Champions go into the game currently in third place on six points from a possible eight after they lost to The Nire last time out.
Should Ballinacourty win this game it will mean that Clashmore, Ballinacourty and The Nire would all finish on eight points from a possible 10.
A win for Ballinacourty would also see them finish the group with the best score difference of the three.
But with The Nire not getting to play De La Salle and improve their score difference after the fourth series of games it could mean that a series of play off games would have to be played to see who which of the three top the group and get what would be perceived to be one of the easier last eight clashes.
With Abbeyside now out of the SHC, the club’s focus is now solely on ootball while Clashmore are still involved in the Western Intermediate Hurling Championship.
At this stage of the year most clubs find it difficult to put their eggs into two baskets so despite going into this game on top, Ballinacourty even without players like Shane Briggs who has left the country get the nod to win here.
Ardmore v Rathgormack
(date and venue not
confirmed at press time)
Another game where there is a lot to play for with both sides go into this fixture with just two points each from a possible eight.
Both sides will have no worries about relegation heading into this game after De La Salle conceded their last league game to The Nire.
There is a big prize on offer however for who ever comes out on top in this game as they will win a place in the quarter finals, where they will play Stradbally who have topped Group Two.
A share of the spoils in this game would see Round Tower side advance to the quarter finals as there score difference is far superior to that of the side from under the shade of the Comeragh Mountains.
Like the meeting of Ballinacourty and Clashmore, this game will see one side still involved in the Hurling Championship.
Ardmore are due to play Modeligo in a mouth watering Western Intermediate hurling semi final shortly while Rathgormack’s sister club Clonea have bowed out of the Intermediate Hurling Championship after their Eastern Final loss to neighbours Portlaw.
It remains to be seen how Ardmore will be laying out their eggs. Free of hurling commitments, Rathgormack gets the nod here but it could be a close one.
GROUP TWO
Saint Saviours v Brickey Rangers
(Sunday, Fraher Field, 7pm)
Over the past few years, Saint Saviours, with limited resources have done remarkably well to retain their senior status despite playing in a number of relegation play-offs.
They reached the quarter-finals in the past two years but they go into this game bottom of the group with just one point from a possible eight after drawing with Gaultier, yet they retain an outside a chance still of getting to the last eight this year.
The Brickeys too have had many a flirt with relegation in the last number of years before losing their senior status in 2014 but they came back up to the senior grade at the first time of asking last year.
Saint Saviours, down through the years, have had a habit of pulling off one big win and with that not achieved yet this year, could it happen here. Brickeys would advance to the quarter-finals with a win here.
Saint Saviours need a five-point win here and then hope that Gaultier lose to An Rinn. Brickeys go into this game on the back of a good but close win last time out against An Rinn and they get a tentative nod to win here.
An Rinn v Gaultier
(Sunday, Stradbally, 7pm)
This is another huge game this weekend. The Barony men go into the game the better place of the two having three points from eight as opposed to two from eight for An Rinn.
Gaultier will know that they only have to avoid defeat and they will qualify but An Rinn know they too must go for the win to ensure their qualification.
An Rinn have appeared in the last two County semi-finals, losing heavily to Stradbally in 2013 and narrowly losing out to The Nire last year who went on to win the title.
To get to a semi-final of any competition you have to be a good side and good sides do not become bad sides overnight.
An Rinn were missing players for part of this year which, it could be argued, cost them a game or two along the way.
But if they can put out as near as full strength side as is possible in this game, you would expect them to win out.
