Crunch time arrives in senior hurling title race

It’s crunch time for a number of senior clubs – including reigning county and All-Ireland champions St. Thomas’ – as the groups stage of the 2013 senior hurling championship reach what promises to be a dramatic climax this weekend.

In Group A, Clarinbridge lead the way ahead of Portumna and St. Thomas’ but they are still under serious pressure to advance to the knockout stages given they must secure at the very least a draw against defending champions, St. Thomas’.

With Ardrahan already qualified in Group B, it leaves Turloughmore and Gort battling it out for the remaining spot. Turloughmore are in a strong position to advance but they will need to secure some sort of result against Ardrahan to make certain.

As for 2011 champions Gort, they must defeat Mullagh, who are out of the running, and hope Ardrahan can continue their winning ways with a win over Micheal Donoghue’s charges.

Loughrea look odds on to secure one of the spots from Group C while Padraig Pearse have qualified from Group D. It means the Castlegar v Kinvara and Kiltormer v Beagh head-to-heads in groups C and D respectively for the remaining quarter-final berths should be contested down to the last breath. Full preview in this week’s Connacht Tribune.