Premier Intermediate Hurling Championship preview

By Shane Brophy

Saturday, 14th September

Thurles Sarsfields v Cashel King Cormacs in Holycross @ 2.15pm

Off the back of winning the preliminary quarter final last Sunday, Cashel’s “reward” is a quarter final against last years defeated finalists Thurles Sarsfields. The Mid side have been hugely impressive in the group stage with wins over Newport, Clonakenny and Boherlahan-Dualla, so there is a form line to go on between the two sides with Sars having beaten their Mid counterparts by six points, so a close encounter is expected.

The Sarsfields team is broadly similar to the one that fell just short last year but the addition of Pa Bourke adds another element of class while Michael O’Brien has been given a starting role.

It took a long time for Cashel to get the upper hand on an injury hit Boherlahan with Ross Bonnar proving to be the hero with 1-4 from play, but they certainly have the firepower to go with Sarsfields with Devon Ryan and Ronan Connolly in good form at the moment. An interesting aspect will be where they play Cathal Quinn who was more influential on Sunday when at centre-back. Verdict: Thurles Sarsfields

Eire Og Annacarty/Donohill v Upperchurch/Drombane in Kilcommon @ 4.00pm

Arguably the tie of the round between the two sides that have been relegated from senior in the last two years. Only one will have their dream of returning there still intact come Saturday night.

Eire Og Annacarty have been hugely impressive in winning a group containing Cashel, Gortnahoe/Glengoole and Moyne-Templetuohy. They are playing a lovely brand of hurling and in Darragh Kelly they have one of the bright young forwards in the game.

Upperchurch/Drombane are most peoples favourites to make an immediate return to senior, but we haven’t seen them at their best yet, and they’ll have to be to get the better of Eire Og with these two sides a virtual mirror of each other. Verdict: Eire Og Annacarty

Sunday, 15th September

St Mary’s v Gortnahoe/Glengoole in Clonoulty @ 2.15pm

These sides have been regular foes in recent years, starting in 2017 when they met in the intermediate final with St Mary’s emerging victorious. It took Gortnahoe/Glengoole another three years to get back to the final where they beat Moyne-Templetuohy, and since then have slipped past St Mary’s in the pecking order, beating them in the 2022 premier intermediate quarter final as well as last year’s preliminary quarter final.

The Mid side appear back to their 2022 form when they got to the final, but St Mary’s have arguably been the team of the championship so far, winning all three group games with Burgess, Killenaule and Sean Treacys, despite being down key players in Seamus Kennedy and James Morris. However, the deeper in the competition, the more felt those losses will be. Verdict: Gortnahoe/Glengoole

Carrick Swan v Burgess in Clonoulty @ 4.00pm

A battle of two divisional champions with the souths best up against the north. It hasn’t been smooth sailing for Burgess since their North final success, but they are in the knockout stage and have Johnny Mulqueen back from suspension which is a huge addition against a Carrick Swan side that always play with a strong physicality but have fine hurlers to boot in the likes of Gavin O’Halloran and up and coming Callum Lanigan. However, Burgess are experienced at this level and in a tight game it might just get them over the line. Verdict: Burgess

Sunday, 15th September

Premier Intermediate Hurling Relegation Semi-Finals

Sean Treacys v Silvermines in Dundrum @ 2.00pm

There is a small area in Keeper Hill where these clubs are next door neighbours, and this is a game with a lot of pressure involved. Jason Forde was relocated to defence in their last group game with a view to this relegation battle, but one wonders if they struggle up front, could it be a case of robbing Peter to pay Paul. Verdict: Silvermines

Moyne-Templetuohy v Newport in Dundrum @ 3.45pm

These sides met at the very same stage last year with Moyne-Templetuohy emerging 0-23 to 1-14 winners. The Mid side find themselves back at the same point again but arguably have performed better this year with nothing to show for it. However, they could be vulnerable if they read too much into last year where Newport, albeit arguably weaker, have the ability to put a big one together. Verdict: Moyne-Templetuohy