Portumna's woes set to tip balance in Thomas' favour
Date Published: {J}
STEPHEN GLENNON
ALL-Ireland champions Clarinbridge will have it all to do when they face Mullagh in what should be a humdinger of a county senior hurling quarter-final at Kenny Park, Athenry on Sunday.
The Bridge will need little reminding that when these two sides last met – coincidentally, in the 2009 quarter-finals – Mullagh convincingly won on a scoreline of 3-17 to 1-12. The reigning champions will also have noted Mullagh’s 1-19 to 2-8 victory over Liam Mellows in the preliminary quarter-final last Saturday.
In the other quarter-finals, Portumna – minus suspended duo Joe Canning and Andy Smith – will lay their title aspirations on the line when they face a youthful and exuberant St. Thomas’ outfit, who accounted for Tynagh/Abbey-Duniry on a scoreline of 2-9 to 0-11 on Sunday.
Gort and Loughrea will meet in what promises to be another high octane quarter-final fixture. In recent championship meetings, Gort have enjoyed the upper hand, recording a 3-16 to 2-11 victory over the same opposition in the group stage, while they also won their previous meeting – the 2008 semi-final – on a scoreline of 2-11 to 0-11.
In the final game, Craughwell and Carnmore will meet in another intriguing battle. Carnmore topped their group but Craughwell showed a lot of spirit and backbone when, reduced to 14 men for three quarters of their preliminary quarter-final, they came from behind to account for Sarsfields – 1-16 to 0-16 – last Saturday.
Meanwhile, there are a number of other mouth-watering fixtures down for decision this weekend, with Killimor and Moycullen pairing off in one intermediate quarter-final at Kenny Park on Saturday (3pm) and Killimordaly and Oranmore/Maree clashing in another in Loughrea on Sunday (12noon). Already, Cappataggle and Meelick/Eyrecourt have qualified for the semi-finals.
In the junior ‘A’ hurling final, Ballygar – who last year were competing in the intermediate ranks – will be strong favourites to account for Athenry, having already defeated them 0-18 to 1-10 in the group stages. That decider goes ahead in Ballinasloe at 1:30pm on Sunday.
For more, read this week's Galway City Tribune.