League points at a real premium as clubs return to action

After the opening two rounds in the hurling league, there was a much deserved break for clubs around the county last weekend.

The short break in games arrived before a relentless period of fixtures with the final three rounds of the league taking place over successive weekends, with the league and shield finals following a week later.

Keeping players fit will be a lot easier said than done ahead of crucial championship games but that’s kind of the lay of the land with the way the season is currently structured.

Senior

There have been a number of notable performances in the St Canice’s Credit Union Senior Hurling League over the last few weeks with new boys Thomastown, county champions O’Loughlin Gaels, Tullaroan and Graigue-Ballycallan all holding a 100% record with two wins from two.

At this early part of the season, Thomastown are among the most notable performers as they are already on the cusp of sealing safety on their return to the top tier.

Wins for Noel Doherty’s side over James Stephens and Bennettsbridge has certainly sent out a warning call to the rest of the clubs in the senior championship. They will be more than a match for much of the main contenders over the next few weeks.

Of those other main contenders, O’Loughlin Gaels have only added to their burgeoning reputation if anything with two very impressive wins over Clara and Mullinavat. A place in the league final and, more importantly, the championship quarter-finals is within sight for the senior All-Ireland finalists.

The other two unbeaten teams are coming off contrasting 2023 seasons with Tullaroan still reeling from losing out to a Liam Blanchfield-inspired Bennettsbridge in round one of last year’s championship but the opening two league games has shown plenty of positive signs.

Gearoid Dunne and Mossy Keoghan have looked very sharp in attack and their goalkeeper Paul Buggy was the reason they grabbed a victory over Dicksboro.

The next game is with Thomastown and that fixture will tell a lot with the winners then in pole position to advance to a league decider.

Graigue-Ballycallan are the last of the back-to-back winners and while they are on the supposedly easier side of the draw, they will be delighted at how they’ve started. With Tipperary’s Declan Browne now in charge wins over Shamrocks and Clara have them in a great spot.

The likes of Aaron McEvoy, Billy O’Neill and Jeff Neary have continued where they left off in 2023 and with Kilkenny star Billy Ryan only returning to the fold off the bench in the win over Clara, the boys in blue look primed for another good season.

While those four teams firmly have their eyes fixed on making the championship quarter-finals, there are a further four sides who are very much looking over their shoulders.

James Stephens, Glenmore, Erin’s Own and Clara are all still searching for their first points of the year. Glenmore and the Village are probably most in need of getting results as they are both involved in what looks like the tougher Group A.

Thomastown manager Noel Doherty has seen his side make a great start to life in the senior ranks

Like the Village, the likelihood as it stands is that Glenmore will be in the bottom two but they still have one or two players to come back into the fold.

Manager Maurice Aylward will still be a bit concerned at the manner of those losses to Tullaroan and Bennettsbridge in rounds one and two. An improvement in performance levels will be required .

In the other group, it’s Erin’s Own and Clara who occupy the bottom two spots. For ’Comer it’s very much familiar territory as they’ve been battling at the bottom end of the championship over the last few seasons including defeating Danesfort in the 2023 relegation final.

The more often you hover around the trapdoor, the more likely you are to drop through, but with a huge number of players on this year’s Kilkenny minor squad, there is a talented crop of players on the way.

Clara did enough to qualify for the first round of the championship last term and their first two performances against O’Loughlin Gaels and Graigue Ballycallan suggest that they have enough about them to get a couple of wins on the board in the next few weeks.

The last four sides in the senior grade all have a win and a loss so far and they will be relatively happy with their lot.

Among them are defending league champions Dicksboro who are currently without a number of experienced players but there’s such an array of talent from recent underage sides in Palmerstown that the city team still look in good shape as proved against James Stephens in round two.

Bennettsbridge lost out to Thomastown in a recent big local derby but they were much too good for Glenmore before that. With the Blanchfields looking in fine fettle, you’d expect to see them battling towards the top of the group table come the end of it.

Mullinavat are a notoriously difficult team to overcome when it comes to championship as they’ve shown when running O’Loughlin’s to two points in last year’s quarter-finals. This weekend’s clash with Graigue-Ballycallan will go a long way to determining if they remain in contention for a place in the top two spots.

Last, but certainly not least, are the Shamrocks. Of all the clubs in the senior grade, they will be the ones where you take their form with a large pinch of salt.

Even when winning their five county titles in a row, the Ballyhale side never really performed to their maximum in the league.

Wherever they end up in the coming weeks, they will be primed when the championship comes around - and nobody will want to face them.

Intermediate

Like the senior, there are notable early front runners in the intermediate grade with Lisdowney, Danesfort, Tullogher-Rosbercon and Young Irelands all winning their two games to date.

As we’ve previously mentioned, Thomastown’s promotion to the top tier has given the competition a real open look. All four of these clubs, as well as a few others, will feel that they have the potential to secure ultimate honours in October.

Danesfort manager Niall Bergin

Fresh from an All-Ireland Junior success, Tullogher have eased to big wins over Fenians and Blacks and Whites and they will be hopeful of continuing winning ways against St Martin’s this weekend.

Danesfort lost all seven games at senior level last year but they look primed to make an impact with youngsters like Ben Whitty and Anthony Ireland Wall coming to the fore for Niall Bergin’s side.

Lisdowney and Young Irelands both lost out in the knockout stages of last year’s championship but will feel they can beat anyone on their day and they’ve started the league in fine form.

Mooncoin, Conahy Shamrocks, Rower-Inistioge and St Martin’s occupy the midway mark of the groups after winning one game apiece but the most pressure is on the four who are still winless.

Carrickshock and Fenians were in a relegation battle last year and they currently occupy the same position less than 12 months on while Blacks and Whites and, maybe a bit surprisingly, Dunnamaggin are also involved in a battle to get some points on the board.

All to play for still as the battle for crucial league positions heats up with the return of hurling action this weekend.