Power ranking the 17 teams left in All-Ireland club hurling

Niall McIntyre

And then there were 17.

The county championships are won and heading for the provincial championships now.

Time flies when you’re having fun and club is bombing past us at 100 miles an hour. Is the best behind us, or is it yet to come?

It’s probably a bit of both but here’s our ranking of the 16 teams still standing in the All-Ireland club hurling championship to keep you ticking over.

17 Clonkill

Eoin Price, Niall Mitchell and co. won a decent Westmeath championship this year. But… Ballboden St Enda’s.

Exiting at: Leinster quarter-finals loss to Ballyboden St Enda’s.

16 Mount Leinster Rangers

Can’t see you making it to Croke Park this Paddy’s day.

Exiting at: Leinster quarter final loss to Coolderry.

15 Camross (Laois)

Nothing will come easy against these lads, but Gorey Naomh Eanna with Dunbar, McDonald and co. have something special about them this year.

Exiting at: Leinster quarter final loss to Gorey.

14 Ballycran (Down)

The Mourne men will be disappointed that they’re not even quoted by Paddy Power for the All-Ireland club outright. They proved they’re no slouches, taking out Slaughtneil in the semi, but they’ll be doing well to beat Cushendall.

Exiting at: Ulster final loss to Cushendall.

13 Coolderry

They should get over the line against the Carlow champions but that might be the last line they get over. Leinster is very strong this year as per usual.

Exiting at: Leinster semi-final loss to Ballyboden St Enda’s.

12 Sarsfields (Galway)

The 2016 county champions will put it up to St Thomas’ on Sunday, but they will struggle to beat them.

Exiting at: Galway semi-final loss to Thomas’.

11 Liam Mellows (Galway)

Last year’s Galway champions are rounding into form at the right time again and their semi-final against Cappataggle on Sunday will undoubtedly be a close one. But this young Cappy team have won loads of tight games this year and that may just be the case again here.

Exiting at: Galway semi-final loss to Cappataggle.

10 Naomh Eanna (Wexford)

The monkey is off the back. They’ve won their first ever Wexford title and everything from here on is bonus territory. They’ll take Camross but Ballyhale in the semi looks an ask too demanding.

Exiting at: Leinster semi-final loss to Ballyhale Shamrocks.

9 Cushendall (Antrim)

With Neil McManus on their side, anything is possible. Antrim’s finest hurler was again on fire in the county final again and he’ll be aiming for a similar display in the Ulster final.

Exiting at: All-Ireland semi loss.

8 Clonoulty Rossmore (Tipperary)

Clonoulty-Rossmore are a clever, evenly balanced team. John O’Keeffe is one hell of a centre back and Conor Hammersley and Enda Heffernan will both be in with Tipp next year.

They’ll give Na Piarsaight lots of it, but it’s hard to see them winning.

Exiting at: Munster semi-final loss to Na Piarsaigh.

7 Cappataggle (Galway)

They fell at the second last hurdle in 2017 but Dan Nevin and the Mannion brothers can see them shock Liam Mellows against the odds this year.

If they reach a final they’ll give it a right rattle too. You have to earn a win against these boys but St Thomas’ are able to get down and dirty too and they have more star quality than Cappy.

Exiting at: Galway county final loss to Thomas’.

6 Ballyboden St Enda’s (Dublin)

They beat Kilmacud Crokes – who beat Cuala – but Ballyhale Shamrocks get the nod, but only just, if the Leinster championship comes down to a battle of the Bally boys.

Exiting at: Leinster final loss to Ballyhale Shamrocks

5 Ballygunner (Waterford)

It’s hard to believe that the Gunners haven’t won Munster since 2001. Five-in-a-row Waterford champs, they’re always there or thereabouts but their struggles might be set to continue this year.

Ballyea to take them on Sunday.

Exiting at: Munster semi-final loss to Ballyea.

4 St Thomas’ (Galway)

What a team the Galway club have. David Burke and Conor Cooney are two of hurling’s finest while their brothers Eanna and Shane have also represented Galway in the past. They won the Tommy Moore Cup in 2012/2013 and they’ll give it a rattle this year too.