Driven Loughmore seeking Ballygunner redemption

GAA: AIB Munster Club Championship Semi-Finals Preview

By Shane Brophy

Senior Club Hurling Semi-Final

Ballygunner v Loughmore/Castleiney

Walsh Park, Waterford

Sunday, 17th November

Throw-in @ 1.15pm (E.T.)

Referee: Ciaran O’Regan (Cork)

Having played fifteen games in seventeen weeks, Loughmore/Castleiney come off a four-week refresher as they get back into action against defending champions Ballygunner in the Munster Club Senior Hurling Championship semi-final on Sunday.

Ballygunner are going for a four-in-a-row and a seventh Munster final appearance in a row, only interrupted by the fact there was no championship due to Covid in 2020. The last team to beat Ballygunner in Munster were another Tipperart team, Borris-Ileigh in the 2019 final, and Loughmore/Castleiney certainly have the mindset, stubbornness, and quality to get the better of the Waterford side.

Ballygunner defeated Limerick champions Doon in a high quality quarter final to get to this stage and in many respects Loughmore/Castleiney would have been privately hoping it would be the Waterford side that they would be facing as it gives them an opportunity to avenge the 2021 semi-final defeat (2-11 to 0-12) in a controversial game where both Noel & John McGrath were sent off, the latter subsequently having his red card rescinded.

Loughmore/Castleiney rarely need a cause to focus them for any game but coming off a four week break since the county football final win, they cannot afford a sluggish start and let Ballygunner get the upper hand.

The rest and recovery from a demanding county championship double will have been welcome, and they have been further booted by the return of John Meagher to the fold. The former underage star has been in Australia for the last two years but has returned in recent weeks to aid the clubs ambitions of a senior Munster title in hurling, their first coming in 2007, while they are also in a Munster football semi-final against Eire Og Ennis on Sunday week.

Unlike the meeting three years ago which was played in wet and windy conditions in Dungarvan, the unseasonably dry and mild late autumn should provide ideal conditions for a cracker where Loughmore have the skillset to frustrate Ballygunner, but also use the ball to its fullest with their footballing ability, particularly at this time of the year where possession is so important.

Ballygunner will be a lot better for the test from Doon so if Loughmore/Castleiney hit the ground running, another marquee win for the Tipperary champions wouldn’t be a surprise.

Intermediate Club Hurling Semi-Final

Abbeydorney v Cashel King Cormacs

Abbeydorney

Sunday, 17th November

Throw-in @ 1.15pm (E.T.)

Referee: Nicholas Barry (Waterford)

Cashel King Cormacs have previously been a Munster champion at senior level so their tradition in this competition will be help as they go in chase of a final spot in the intermediate championship on Sunday.

On the face of it, they should be favoured against a Kerry team, but Abbeydorney are the senior champions in the Kingdom, but are allowed compete in the intermediate championship. They cannot be discounted and that they beat Waterford champions Brickey Rangers in the first round, after extra time, is an indication of their quality with Kerry senior Micheal O’Leary their key player but in Oisin Maunsell and Jack Sheehan they have plenty of scoring threat.

Plus, they are also playing this semi-final at home, but Cashel will be well prepared for that as they also had to go into the backyard of Limerick champions Newcastlewest in their quarter final, and came away one point winners with a strong second half performance.

Since the redesignation of the premier intermediate champions going forward to represent Tipperary in 2022, there hasn’t been an immediate change in fortune for the county champions with Roscrea getting to a Munster final in 2022, losing out to Monaleen who went onto win the All-Ireland final. Last year, Lorrha were defeated by Corofin of Clare in the first round.

Like Loughmore/Castleiney, Cashel King Cormacs are also on a double quest as they will play in a Munster junior football semi-final the following weekend, but their priority and best chance of silverware will be in hurling and if they hit their straps, they should have too much quality for Kerry’s best.

Junior Club Hurling Semi-Final

Russell Rovers v Moyle Rovers

Clonmult Memorial Park, Midleton

Saturday, 16th November

Throw-in @ 1.15pm (E.T.)

Referee: Seaghan Walsh (Waterford)

Moyle Rovers are aiming to reach second Munster club junior hurling final when they take on Cork champions Russell Rovers in the semi-final.

The Tipperary champions comfortably defeated Kerry intermediate winners Kilgarvan in the quarter final but face a major step up in quality in the form of Cork’s best whose champions have won fourteen of the twenty Munster junior championships in the competitions history.

Moyle Rovers were previously in the junior championship in 2007 when they went onto win the Munster title, inspired by Declan Browne, defeating Barryroe in the final.

Russell Rovers, located just outside Midleton, were impressive winners of the Cork junior championship, defeating St Catherine’s in the final, who beat Ballinahinch at the same stage of the Munster championship last year. The Cork junior championship is the sixth grade of competition in the Rebel county, so in effect it is the 61st best team in Cork versus the 49th best team in Tipperary.