It’s crunch time for several teams in hurling title race

Date Published: {J}

STEPHEN GLENNON

MOST pundits will be keeping an eye on the respective fortunes of All-Ireland club champions Clarinbridge and an in-form Portumna in round three of the senior club hurling championship this weekend, but there a number of crunch games which, even at this early stage, will go a long way to deciding who will be in the shake-up come the knockout phase in the Autumn.

Although Clarinbridge and Portumna will be expected to pick up the points against Turloughmore and Padraig Pearses respectively, the meetings of St. Thomas’ and Castlegar, Ardrahan and Tynagh/Abbey-Duniry and Kinvara and Loughrea are a lot harder to call. Quite simply, these are massive, massive games for these clubs as defeat would leave many of them tinkering on the brink of a relegation battle.

Also down for the decision this weekend are the meetings between Beagh and Craughwell, both of which are unbeaten in Group D, Liam Mellows and Kiltormer and Athenry and Mullagh, who have claimed the scalps of Tommie Larkins and Padraig Pearses so far, while this will be Athenry’s opening game of the competition, after their first round fixture against Pearses fell by the wayside.

While this may result in Athenry being a little ring-rusty, their eagerness to enter the championship fray should ensure they have more than a good cut at the Group A leaders. In any event, enthusiasts should get to enjoy some fine hurling fare over the weekend.

For more, read this week’s Galway City Tribune.