It’s the most wonderful time of the year.
Champions are falling left right and centre and stories are emerging. Nothing comes handy in club GAA and the best are being separated from the rest right around now.
There’s a smell of real GAA in the air this weather. Club teams taking to the field on bitter cold October and November Sundays. Wooly hats with club crests on them and cups of tea in the stand to warm the hands up more than anything else.
Most county championships are complete at this stage, (bar Galway of course,) and the club championships are really motoring now. The heavyweights are still standing in Munster, but you’ve the fairytale alive too with Clonoulty gunning for the top dogs Na Piarsiagh next time out.
It’s a similar state of affairs in Leinster. Ballyhale are back in the mix and so are Dublin kingpins Ballyboden St Enda’s.
We took a look at the draw for the next round of the provincial championships.
Munster club semis
The Munster club is down to four teams. Na Piarsaigh are favourites but both Ballyea and Ballygunner will fancy themselves too. Clonoulty-Rossmore have the pressure off having won in Tipp for the first time in 21 years, so they’ll be a danger too.
Ballyea and Ballygunner promises to be some dual, both of them having been at this stage before. Jack Browne on Pauric Mahony, Philip Mahony on Tony Kelly. It doesn’t get much better than that.
Sunday November 4
- Na Piarsaigh (Limerick) v Clonoulty-Rossmore (Tipperary), Gaelic Grounds, 1.00
Death, taxes and a Conor Power goal for @ballygunnerHc https://t.co/BlGvYcmIBp
— SportsJOE (@SportsJOEdotie) October 29, 2018
- Ballygunner (Waterford) v Ballyea (Clare), Waterford venue.
Leinster club quarters
Ballyhale Shamrocks have gotten a bye into the next round of the Leinster quarters and they’ll begin their campaign against the winners of Camross – Naomh Eanna. Coolderry and MLR should be tight while Ballyboden St Enda’s should have too much for Clonkill.
Sunday November 4
- Coolderry (Offaly) v Mount Leinster Rangers (Carlow), O’Connor Park, 1.30pm
- Ballyboden St Endas (Dublin) v Clonkill (Westmeath), Parnell Park, 2pm
https://www.instagram.com/p/BpfVZtkB4Cl/?taken-by=sportsjoedotie
- Camross (Laois) v Naomh Eanna (Wexford), O’Moore Park, 2pm
Ulster club final
Ballycran took Slaughtneil out in the semis on Sunday but they’ll be up against it with Neil McManus in top form for Cushendall going into the decider.
Sunday November 11
Ballycran (Down) v Cushendall (Antrim), TBC, 2.30pm
Galway semi finals
Favourites St Thomas’ were pushed all the way on Sunday by a young Clarinbridge team, only for Thomas’ to triumph after extra-time.
Cappataggle will go into their semi against reigning champs Liam Mellows as underdogs, but they’ve been winning against the odds all year.
Sunday November 4
- St Thomas’ v Sarsfields
- Cappataggle v Liam Mellows
