Club round-up: Tipperary and Kilkenny kingpins struggling as Waterford youngsters get raw deal

Niall McIntyre

Club hurling is back on track.

With the All-Ireland championship in the rear-view mirror, the club championships are up and running. And as is always the case, there were shocks, upsets, thrills and spills all over the place.

The big story of the weekend however, was a dispiriting one.

It was on Saturday when west Waterford club Clashmore/Kinsalebeg issued a statement to convey their annoyance at the treatment of their young dual player Sam Fitzgerald.

Fitzgerald was allegedly slapped with a 24 week suspension by the Waterford CCC for an incident that was no fault of his own. Playing in a SFC championship match against Kilmacthomas on August 15, the youngster was sent off in normal time after receiving two yellow cards. An opponent was also sent off after accruing two yellows.

The problem arose thereafter. With the game going to extra-time, officials incorrectly informed Fitzgerald and his Kilmacthomas opponent Reece Power that they were allowed back on for extra-time. And so they returned to play to finish out the game.

13 days after the game on August 28, both clubs were informed by the CCC that their players were being investigated for playing illegally in the game. It was the following day when they were let known that the two players were to be suspended for 24 weeks.

On top of this being extremely difficult to take for a very young player, it also had a huge a affect on the club. Clashmore/Kinsalebeg had a western quarter final over the weekend and Fitzgrald was unavailable for selection for them. They won that game but as things stand he will miss out on the hurling semi next weekend as well as the football semi the weekend after.

The club have issued a statement on the whole debacle while Waterford county board can’t comment due to the fact that the case is still ongoing.

https://twitter.com/ckgaaclub/status/1168108000629993472

Tipperary SHC

The big result in the Tipperary SHC was Kilruane MacDonagh’s 12 point win over Thurles Sarsfields. The Magpies ran Thurles close last year only to be beaten by a late sucker punch of a goal from Ronan Maher. There was to be no such drama this time around. With Cian Darcy in flying form, Kilruane coasted by a Sars team who are now out of the county championship barring a triumph in the mid division.

Elsewhere Kiladangan’s seven goal destruction of Portroe marks them out as serious contenders. Borris-Ileigh, who made light work of Toomevara will also be there or thereabouts with youngsters James Devaney and Kevin Maher offering them an injection of youth and pace.

Clonoulty Rossmore 4.17 Moycarkey/Borris 1.16

Eire Og Annacarty 0.17 Killenaule 0-13

Kiladangan 7-21 Portroe 2-17

Kilruane MacDonagh’s 2-24 Thurles Sarsfields 0-18

Loughmore-Castleiney 1-17 Nenagh Éire Óg 0-20

Drom/Inch 2-15 Roscrea 1-18

Upperchurch/Drombane 0-21 Burgess 1-17

Borris-Ileigh 3-18 Toomevara 1-15

Kilkenny SHC

There is a long way to go in the Kilkenny SHC but Ballyhale Shamrocks are in a spot of bother already. The Shamrocks’ conceded a late goal to Mullinavat to suffer their third loss of the League championship stages and they now lie at the foot of Group A. They still have ample opportunity to recover, with a relegation semi-final win bringing them straight back to the last eight, but it has been far from a smooth start for the reigning All-Ireland club champions.