Local derbies will decide line-up for final of Tipperary senior hurling championship

Westside brought to you in association with AAL

Semi-finals weekend brings the cream to the top in all the major championships. The final four still standing in each grade are there on merit. They’ve battled their way through the various stages, have shown keen survival instincts, and now sit on the cusp of making final day.

Engaging contests are promised across the board in championships that so far have failed to produce any major upsets.
In the media age that we inhabit, our sporting world has become riddled with clichés. All those after-match interviews are so boringly banal; it’s a case of say nothing and keep saying it.

So, don’t be surprised at the weekend if you hear some mentor, manager or player spouting the following script: “we knew coming down here that team so-and-so would be a tough challenge, they’re a great side and we were under no illusions, we knew we’d have to bring our A game if we were to have any chance … I’m particularly pleased with the attitude shown by the players, their workrate was great and they battled away to the end, etc., etc. and etc”.

And here comes probably the silliest cliché you’ll ever hear: “semi-finals are there to be won”. How about that for a blinding insight! Here was I thinking that all these championship games are there to be won but no, it’s only the semi-finals for some reason. I’d wager a little bet that you’ll hear that one at some stage over the weekend.

Of the four Dan Breen semi-finalists, Toomevara are probably the surprise package. Not a major surprise, mind you, but still if you were predicting likely semi-finalists pre-championship, the Greyhounds probably wouldn’t be on the list.

They’ve got to this stage unbeaten. In a group where Kilruane proved a major flop, Toomevara were steady throughout. They then backed up that form in the quarter-final versus Clonoulty, where the revelation on the day was substitute Adam Hall. His 2-3 brought that extra dimension that I suspect Clonoulty hadn’t anticipated.

Ken Dunne as manager has assembled a fit and focused group, which has done well in the series and won’t be shy about having a pop at the near neighbours Kiladangan. Darragh McCarthy is an upcoming talent that many are watching – and not just for his free-taking, which has been essential to their progress. Rory Brislane has impressed as goalie and I think overall they’re a steady, even outfit rather than a spectacular one.

It’s fifteen years since the club won the last of its 21 county titles in 2008. That’s a significant gap for a parish that sits in second place on the roll of honour behind Sarsfields. They’re the outside bet of the four semi-finalists, so it will be a surprise if they end Kiladangan’s season.

For Kiladangan this is familiar territory. Their breakthrough year was 2020 but they’ve failed to follow-up that win since then, losing last year’s final in a replay to Kilruane MacDonaghs. This generation of hurlers from Puckane won’t wish to have 2020 as a standalone item on their record. It needs a partner to consolidate their status as a champion club.

They strike me as a team that has the potential to do the job if they can hit the required form in the run-in to the final stages of this campaign. Encouragingly, Billy Seymour appears to be back in the groove this year and there’s no shortage of experience in the side from goalie, Barry Hogan, through the Gallaghers, Flynns and company. They did just enough to see off Holycross in the quarter-final so something better is needed to justify their position as second favourites to Sarsfields for ultimate honours.

Thurles Sarsfields are the undisputed favourites to regain the Dan Breen. A slow start has given way to a really strong push in recent games in the championship. They demolished Borris-Ileigh in their last group game, outstayed Nenagh Eire Og in a lively preliminary quarter-final and emphatically dispatched Drom/Inch in the quarter-final proper.

It’s an impressive form line, which has them deservedly positioned as favourites to return to a podium they last graced back in 2017. Theirs is a free-scoring team. Their goal-getting isn’t particularly impressive, averaging just one per game, but their points’ tallies tend to be in the twenties. They won’t blow you away with a sudden wave of goals but the steady stream of points, from multiple sources, is difficult to match.

Paudie Maher, as manager, has certainly brought a competitive edge to the team, which has physicality in central positions and is high on workrate and movement. Free-taking was a problem the last day and they’ve tended to clock up a lot of wides in some games. Overall, though, they look well set for the final stages of this campaign.

Loughmore/Castleiney have been knocking about this stage of the championship for many years now, regularly pencilled in as one of the front runners. They’ve come through unbeaten thus far, though they were lucky to pip Holycross in their group round and struggled to see off Roscrea in the quarter-final.

They’ve been heavily reliant on John McGrath for scores and have tended to concede big totals. Templederry hit them for 4-18 in their opening game, Holycross shot 3-20 past them and even Roscrea hit 2-22 in their one-point defeat. Against free-scoring Sarsfields that must be a worry.

They’ve been without John Meagher and Noel McGrath, apparently, was injured going into the Roscrea game and was eventually substituted. Against that Ciaran Connolly is back. Remember his impressive contribution in 2021, their last hurrah when beating Sarsfields in a final replay.

It’s two local derby games then in the semi-finals, which will mean an inter-divisional final. On recent evidence Sarsfields and Kiladangan will be fancied to make the decider.

The preliminary intermediate deciders won’t lack for appeal either at the weekend. Killenaule are the bookies’ favourite to take the honours in this championship but only marginally ahead of Lorrha and Cashel KC in that order. Sarsfields’ B side is the outside bet so the south senior champions will be fancied to progress in their semi-final.

Cashel and Lorrha looks a finely balanced affair, one that could go either way depending on the mood of the day. Perhaps the recent good form of the King Cormacs will see them edge this one. Both west and south divisions are struggling at the moment, so adding a senior side to one of the regions would be a personal preference.

The intermediate semis carry their own fascination. Amazingly three of the four come from Group 3 of the championship, with Golden/Kilfeacle from Group 2 completing the quartet.

When Moneygall and Boherlahan met at group stage it ended all-square. It was a strange game, with Boherlahan outstanding in the opening half – probably the best spell of hurling they’ve produced all year. If they’d taken their goal chances, they could have been home and hosed by half time.

However, Moneygall took control of the second period as the mid side faded badly. A Tossy Ryan goal rescued Boherlahan, who got a draw at the end. It left one wondering about the true merit of both sides.

This time Boherlahan are without Brian Og O’Dwyer, which is a major loss, one that perhaps swings the pendulum Moneygall’s way.

In the other semi-final Golden/Kilfeacle are the surprise package, staring relegation in the eye at one stage and then one game turned the season. Kilsheelan will be slightly fancied here.

All in all then a weekend of endless hurling entertainment – and I haven’t even referenced relegation and the junior grades.