Other Club Championships

[faithfulfanatic]

Louth Senior Hurling final was played yesterday, with Naomh Moninne of Dundalk shocking Naomh Fechin of Termonfeckin 3-15 to 3-14, having trailed 3-14 to 1-13.
There were doubts during the week as to whether the fixture would go ahead, as Knockbridge (the third team in the championship) had raised questions around Leon Fox’s transfer to Naomh Fechin.
Everything seemed to have been cleared, although Fox was not listed for the game, I can’t see anywhere if this was due to injury or due to the objections?

Back down the country, the Tipp county first round was on. Nenagh beat Thurles, Holycross beat Toomevara, JK Brackens beat Lorrha and Moycarkey beat Roscrea. In their first game back at premier intermediate, Moneygall drew with Upperchurch Drombane, who contested the Tipp senior semi final in 2022. Offaly camogie star Mairead Teehan has brothers on the Moneygall team and this game was on around the same time although I don’t know if they were playing.

Na Piarsaigh, Kilmallock and Doon are a class above the rest in Limerick after 2 rounds. Patrickswell are in big bother with 2 losses, even with 3 hurlers of the year on the team, Diarmuid Byrnes, Cian Lynch and Aaron Gillane. Aaron Gillane got surgery on his hand today which will rule him out for the year. In the Senior B, Kyle Hayes broke a vertebrae in his neck on Friday night.

In Kilkenny, the league phase is underway, with O’Loughlin Gaels and Thomastown the only unbeaten teams after 2 games. Ballyhale seem to be geared for one big push, although they lost to Glenmore by a point yesterday. Everyone qualifies from the league phase, it just dictates where you come into the championship phase, so it can be hard to judge teams. Ballyhale have turned relegation semi finals into county titles in the space of a few months previously.

Galway also started this weekend. Clarinbridge had the big win of the weekend, beating Turloughmore. Championship favourites Loughrea and St Thomas’ both won. In the Senior B, Portumna sustained a massive loss to Ahascragh Fohenagh, 1-36 to 3-09. Meelick Eyrecourt opened with a comfortable win in the intermediate over Athenry’s second team.
Galway championships are to be rejigged from next year (open to correction on the exact format). There are currently 8 teams in senior B. The winners will go to senior A, while the other 7 will be joined by the bottom team from senior a and the top 8 first teams from intermediate joining them in a new second tier. All second teams will go down to junior A, which would be the likes of Athenry, Clarinbridge and Turloughmore. I believe this new second tier winners will then progress to the All ireland intermediate series, which seems quite an imbalance given that Tynagh-Abbey-Duniry reached the all ireland last year after coming from intermediate. However, Tooreen of Mayo had won the 4 previous titles and a big county like Galway simply couldn’t have a weaker county competing to that level.

Sorry for the very long post, but I find the start of all the club championships to be the most interesting time of the year. Great chance to gauge where our clubs are at when you look back at challenge games played outside of the county during the year.

[private joker]

Tooreen always push the galway champions and have beaten them on numerous occasions. Lost to tynagh last year by 2 points last year. 19 to 1-14.

[faithfulfanatic]

Tooreen always push the galway champions and have beaten them on numerous occasions. Lost to tynagh last year by 2 points last year. 19 to 1-14.

That was always against the Galway intermediate champions, the 25th best team in Galway.
From next year it will be the 17th best team, lessening their chances significantly.

[frankthetank]

Over the last number of years Croke Park have attempted to streamline club championships around the country.

Resultantly the most teams any championship grade can have is now 16.

Hence the restructuring in Galway.

[faithfulfanatic]

Over the last number of years Croke Park have attempted to streamline club championships around the country.

Resultantly the most teams any championship grade can have is now 16.

Hence the restructuring in Galway.

None of the Galway championships currently have more than 16.
Senior A is 16, Senior B is 8 and intermediate is 16.
Moving to a Senior A of 16, second tier of 16 and the rest to the third tier.

[SearingDrive]

Louth Senior Hurling final was played yesterday, with Naomh Moninne of Dundalk shocking Naomh Fechin of Termonfeckin 3-15 to 3-14, having trailed 3-14 to 1-13.
There were doubts during the week as to whether the fixture would go ahead, as Knockbridge (the third team in the championship) had raised questions around Leon Fox’s transfer to Naomh Fechin.
Everything seemed to have been cleared, although Fox was not listed for the game, I can’t see anywhere if this was due to injury or due to the objections?

Back down the country, the Tipp county first round was on. Nenagh beat Thurles, Holycross beat Toomevara, JK Brackens beat Lorrha and Moycarkey beat Roscrea. In their first game back at premier intermediate, Moneygall drew with Upperchurch Drombane, who contested the Tipp senior semi final in 2022. Offaly camogie star Mairead Teehan has brothers on the Moneygall team and this game was on around the same time although I don’t know if they were playing.

Na Piarsaigh, Kilmallock and Doon are a class above the rest in Limerick after 2 rounds. Patrickswell are in big bother with 2 losses, even with 3 hurlers of the year on the team, Diarmuid Byrnes, Cian Lynch and Aaron Gillane. Aaron Gillane got surgery on his hand today which will rule him out for the year. In the Senior B, Kyle Hayes broke a vertebrae in his neck on Friday night.

In Kilkenny, the league phase is underway, with O’Loughlin Gaels and Thomastown the only unbeaten teams after 2 games. Ballyhale seem to be geared for one big push, although they lost to Glenmore by a point yesterday. Everyone qualifies from the league phase, it just dictates where you come into the championship phase, so it can be hard to judge teams. Ballyhale have turned relegation semi finals into county titles in the space of a few months previously.

Galway also started this weekend. Clarinbridge had the big win of the weekend, beating Turloughmore. Championship favourites Loughrea and St Thomas’ both won. In the Senior B, Portumna sustained a massive loss to Ahascragh Fohenagh, 1-36 to 3-09. Meelick Eyrecourt opened with a comfortable win in the intermediate over Athenry’s second team.
Galway championships are to be rejigged from next year (open to correction on the exact format). There are currently 8 teams in senior B. The winners will go to senior A, while the other 7 will be joined by the bottom team from senior a and the top 8 first teams from intermediate joining them in a new second tier. All second teams will go down to junior A, which would be the likes of Athenry, Clarinbridge and Turloughmore. I believe this new second tier winners will then progress to the All ireland intermediate series, which seems quite an imbalance given that Tynagh-Abbey-Duniry reached the all ireland last year after coming from intermediate. However, Tooreen of Mayo had won the 4 previous titles and a big county like Galway simply couldn’t have a weaker county competing to that level.

Sorry for the very long post, but I find the start of all the club championships to be the most interesting time of the year. Great chance to gauge where our clubs are at when you look back at challenge games played outside of the county during the year.

Regarding the Limerick SHC, I think a tackle like Kyle Hayes sustained, happened in daily life, the perpetrator would be charged with assault.

[private joker]

I think you will find that any tackle in most sports would be deemed an assault in daily life

[ah lethimoutwithit]

I was shouldered off the footpath into a river whilst walking the dog, fairplay it was a solid hit!

But take your point, Hayes "tackle" was seemingly very bad. Whilst he is no angel himself , hopefully the perpetrator is dealt with properly.