All-Ireland Club Championships lie of the land in hurling and football
The race for the All-Ireland club titles is starting to take shape with both champions exiting the race over a dramatic weekend.
The ultra-competitiveness of the club championships came into sharp focus at the weekend with both All-Ireland holders failing to get out of their own counties.
On Saturday, hurling kingpins St. Thomas succumbed to Cappataggle in the Galway semi-final, highlighting the cut throat nature of the local championship in the county.
The following day Glen surrendered their county, provincial and All-Ireland titles, as surprise packets Newbridge defeated them in the Derry final at Celtic Park in a stunning finale.
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Last year’s beaten All-Ireland hurling finalists, O’Loughlin Gaels, also exited the race at the weekend, brushed aside by Thomastown in the Kilkenny final (0-18 to 0-7).
The other All-Ireland finalist from last January, St. Bridgid’s, are long gone, losing out to Padraig Pearses after extra-time in the Roscommon quarter-final.
Of the other four sides that reached last year’s All-Ireland semi-finals, three are still standing as county champions - Cushendall (Antrim hurling), Ballygunner (Waterford hurling) and Castlehaven (Cork football). The other, Kilmacud Crokes, lost the Dublin final to Cuala.
The bookies have gone back to the future with Corofin (7/2) and Kilcoo (11/2) - the 2020 All-Ireland finalists - listed as favourites for All-Ireland football glory. Next up are Cuala (15/2), Dr. Crokes (8/1) and Scotstown (9/1).
Corofin achieved a remarkable first with an All-Ireland three-in-a-row (2018-20), while Kilcoo landed the 2022 title and Dr. Crokes were champions in 2017.
IN HURLING the betting is: 2022 All-Ireland champions Ballygunner (7/4), Loughrea (5/1), Thomastown (8/1), Doon (10/1) and Na Fianna (10/1).
But Ballygunner and Doon face off next weekend in a real heavyweight encounter, after the Limerick side deservedly ousted Na Piarsaigh in last Sunday’s County Final.
Their turnaround time after landing a first ever Limerick title is very unfair, and could hit their Munster hopes.
The winner of Doon/Ballygunner faces a remarkable Loughmore-Castleiney club, who could be hampered by their provincial dual commitments, after landing the Tipp senior hurling and football titles.
The other Munster semi-final sees Cork’s Sarsfields face Clare’s Feakle. This year the Munster champions will face the Ulster winners - either Cushendall (Antrim), Slaughtneil (Derry) or Portaferry (Down).
Loughrea haven’t won Galway (they face Cappataggle in the final), but with no Connacht Championship they are only three wins away from an All-Ireland so are listed at 5/1.
The Galway champions will face the Leinster champions in the last four, with Thomastown and Na Fianna the favourites to come out of the province, but don’t rule out Offaly’s Kilcormac-Killoughey.
IN FOOTBALL, it's likely that Munster will be straight forward enough. The winners of the Dr. Crokes/Castlehaven (holders) quarter-final will be hot favouties to take the title. They will face Waterford's Rathgormack in the semi-final. The other side of the draw features Eire Og (Clare), Fr. Caseys or Adare (Limerick) and Loughmore-Castleiney (Tipperary).
Connacht was supposed to be Corofin’s last year, before St. Brigid’s shocked them in the final.
The Galway side have a tough draw though, facing a battle hardened Padraig Pearses side, the 2022 Connacht champions, in the quarter-finals, with the winner meeting Limerick’s Mohill.
Ballina have a less taxing draw, facing the London winners and then the Sligo champion (St. Molaise Gaels or Coolera Strandhill).
After going back to back in Mayo they will be keen to avenge last year’s Connacht defeat by Corofin if the opportunity arises.
They have plenty of quality too with David Clarke, Sam Callinan, Ger Cafferkey, Frank Irwin, Evan Regan and Conor McStay.
Corofin look formidable though, an uncompromising outfit, who can kick points from everywhere, backboned by Liam Silke, Dylan McHugh and Gary Sice.
Ulster still looks daunting, despite Glen’s surprise defeat.
The preliminary round tie alone says as much with Enda McGinley’s Errigal Ciaran (Tyrone) - featuring the Canavan brothers and Peter Harte - facing St. Eunan’s Letterkenny, with Antrim champions Cargin awaiting the winner.
Cargin shocked Glenties (Donegal) in 2022 but haven’t delivered in Ulster despite dominating Antrim. The other game on that side of the draw is Clann Eireann (Armagh) versus Newbridge.
Newbridge have Derry star Conor Doherty and his brother Mark, while Lurgan outfit Clanns have All-Ireland winners Conor Turbitt, Barry McCambridge and Tiernan Kelly. Anyone could emerge from these five sides to make the final.
The other side of the draw may be more straightforward with a Scotstown/Kilcoo rematch looking likely in the semi-final.
Scotstown will be expected to dispose of the Fermanagh champions - Enniskillen Gaels or Erne Gaels - while Kilcoo should turn over Cavan holders Crosserlough.
In Leinster, the competition looks wide open with Kilmacud Crokes, who had won three Leinster titles on the bounce, beaten by Cuala in the Dublin final.
Cuala’s progress in Leinster could be dependent on whether they get Con O’Callaghan’s red card overturned, ahead of their crunch quarter-final away to Naas on November 9.
Also, it was Cuala’s first Dublin football title, so it may be difficult to get refocused again, but any side with O’Callaghan and Michael Fitzsimons are likely to be well grounded.
Naas have come up short against Kilmacud Crokes in recent years. They’ve tended to leak goals or simply find themselves overpowered.
They’re a year older now and with forward talent like county men Alex Beirne and Darragh Kirwan they should be targeting a provincial title after completing a Kildare four-in-a-row at the weekend.
Tullamore felt they should have beaten Meath’s Summerhill last year and the back to back Offaly champions are a strong outfit with rising stars in Cormac Egan and John Furlong.
You’d fancy Portarlington (Laois) to defeat Tinahely (Wicklow) to set up a derby quarter-final with Tullamore. Naas or Cuala await in the last four.
The other side of the draw is also loaded, highlighted by the preliminary round meeting of Westmeath’s St. Loman’s and Meath’s Dunshaughlin.
Whoever emerges here would be favourites to defeat Castletown (Wexford) and make the semi-finals.
St. Mary’s (Louth) are fancied to defeat Abbeylara (Longford) and Rathvilly (Carlow) to make the last four, but there are no guarantees at this time of year.
With Louth forwards Ciaran Downey, Ciaran Keenan and Liam Jackson, as well as Donal McKenny on board, Ardee outfit St. Mary’s, who ran Kilmacud Crokes close last year, could be one to watch.
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