Several clubs can clinch knock-out championship places in weekend games

A number of teams can virtually book their place in the knockout stages of the 2016 Galway senior hurling championship this weekend, most notably Loughrea, Castlegar, Portumna and surprise package Cappataggle.

The aforementioned quartet are the only teams with 100% winning records after the opening two rounds of the Senior ‘A’ championship although this is set to change with four-time All-Ireland club champions Portumna facing Cappy at Duggan Park, Ballinasloe on Saturday (6pm).

Portumna, following victories over Craughwell and Liam Mellows, are once again on course to be in the mix-up come the business end of the competition but they will still have it all to do to overcome a Cappataggle outfit that blitzed Ardrahan 6-20 to 1-11 in the stand-out scoreline from last weekend.

That SHC tie will be followed at Duggan Park by the mouthwatering clash of champions Sarsfields and unbeaten Loughrea in the feature game of the third round. Sarsfields went down by a goal to Gort last day out but the intensity and organisation of their play was still of a high standard.

When these two sides met in the groups stages in 2015, Loughrea gave an injury-ravaged Sarsfields a bit of a ‘scutching’ but a lot of water has passed under the bridge since then and the now champions will be anxious to atone for not only that defeat but last weekend’snarrow loss to Gort.

Loughrea, on the other hand, have been doing what they do best – grinding out results. Having edged out Turloughmore in their opener, they came from behind to catch St. Thomas’ 0-14 to 1-10 last Sunday. They really are the epitome of that immortal line: ‘Where there is a will, there is way!’

The only other team in Senior ‘A’ with two straight wins are Castlegar. Travelling to Kenny Park, Athenry for a 7pm throw-in on Saturday, Cashel face 2012 All-Ireland club champions St. Thomas’, a team who desperately need to get a win on the board.

Indeed, defeat for John Burke’s outfit could spell the end of their campaign but, if it doesn’t, St. Thomas’ next outing against arch rivals Gort will take on a greater significance with the stakes even higher – if they could be any higher!

Elsewhere, in Senior ‘A’, Ardrahan, yet to put a group point on the board, will look to salvage their season when they take on Craughwell in a local derby fixture at Kenny Park on Sunday (5:30) while, earlier in the day at Pearse Stadium (3:30pm), Liam Mellows will also be looking for a first win against Padraig Pearses.

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