Croke Park is just 60 minutes away
The race for AIB GAA All Ireland club honours is almost at an end for the eight hurling sides left in the this year’s Junior and Intermediate championships.
Clubs from across Ireland, as well as two hardy group of exiles from London and Manchester, are set to clash this weekend as they bid to secure a place in the All-Ireland finals on Valentine’s weekend.
AIB GAA All-Ireland Junior Club Hurling Championship Semi-Finals –Â Annaghdown (Galway) v Bennettsbridge (Kilkenny), Nenagh, 2pm
Kilkenny sides have dominated this competition in recent years and it’s no surprise that the men from Bennettsbridge are already being tipped for February glory. They racked up a huge win over Dunderry (4-25 to 0-4) and Crossabeg Ballymurphy (1-19 to 0-11) before a landslide Leinster final win over Shamrocks of Offaly by 1-20 to 0-3. It should also be pointed out that the Offaly side were intermediate champions in the Faithful County.
Those stats don’t bode well for the men from Galway who defeated Calry/St Joseph’s of Sligo to lift the Connacht title in mid November by 2-11 to 0-6. The win was made all the more impressive as they overcame a side that were going for three in a row of provincial titles.
Damien and Jonathan Comer are the key scoring threats for the Galway men while Bennettsbridge will look to the always impressive Nicky Cleere, Kevin Blanchfield and Darragh Wafer as their key men.
Kilkenny-Galway clashes are usually very tasty affairs and the men from the West have regularly upset their Leinster opponents in various clashes, but on this occasion the men in green and gold should prevail.
Castleblayney (Monaghan) v Fullen Gaels (Lancashire), Parnells GAA Club, Coolock, 1pm
It’s not too often that a club hurling side from Monaghan face opposition from Manchester in anything GAA related. The ‘Exiles’ overcame Modeligo in controversial circumstances in their quarter final clash in Birmingham earlier this month and that should give them plenty of confidence against the Ulster side.
Vincent Morissey starred on that occasion for the Lancashsire outfit and he along with Colm O’Connell will be vital for a team that must improve on a tally of just three points from play in that win.
Castleblayney secured their second ever Ulster title with a comprehensive win over Na Magha in mid November as substitute Tony Foder scored 2-1 after his introduction. He, along with Hugh Byrne and Fergal Rafter, mean the Ulster side have serious firepower to trouble the ‘Exiles’ defense.
Fullen Gaels more recent game  experience may hand them an edge to a point but Castleblaney should be able to see home a win to set up a romantic date in Croke Park next month.
AIB GAA All-Ireland Intermediate Club Hurling Championship Semi-Finals-Kilburn Gaels (London) v Cappataggle (Galway), Gaelic Grounds, 1pm
Kilburn Gaels are by the biggest and best known club on this side of the Irish Sea and they have already scalped Mullinavat of Kilkenny in a shock All-Ireland q-final in December.
That 1-10 to 1-8 win was largely down to Stephen Lambert of Kilbeacanty who shot 1-8 of his side’s total and is the key danger man for Sunday’s encounter
The Galway champions can count a GAA and JOE.ie journalistic legend in their ranks with Alan Loughnane battling back to full fitness for this weekend’s game. His skill is complemented by that of James Skehill and the evergreen Damien Joyce.
It’s probably the most intriguing clash of all the weekend’s hurling and don’t be surprised to see a score-fest developing at the Gaelic Grounds. We’re not brave enough to call this one, but it should be a great game to watch.
Cappoquin (Waterford) v O’Donovan Rossa (Antrim), Cusack Park, Mullingar, 2pm
Cappoquin are the first side from the south east to make it to this stage of the competition but inexperience won’t be a a factor with a huge amount of inter-county talent in their ranks. Steven O’Rourke and Killian O’Sullivan along with the hard-as-nails Waterford star Andy Molumby mean the Waterford champions will start as favourites.
The Ulster side won the provincial title against Eoghan Rua by 1-15 to 0-6 as Seaghan Shannon starred for the Belfast outfit. However this weekend they have to plan for life without the  influential Stephen Beatty who was sent off in that win.
The occasion shouldn’t affect either side but just by virtue of having had a tougher route to this stage, Cappoquin should have enough in their locker to get over the line.
