All to play for as Kilkenny Hurling Leagues reach boiling point

The group stages of the Kilkenny hurling league reaches its conclusion this weekend with a bumper series of games between Saturday and Sunday.

After a break week, to coincide with the Electric Picnic Festival, the players will be refreshed. Even with only one round remaining, there is still a lot to play for across senior, intermediate and junior grades.

Senior

With Thomastown and O’Loughlin Gaels already assured of a place in the St Canice’s Credit Union SHL Final, the race to avoid the relegation battle is of most importance.

In Group A, senior new boys Lisdowney have been forced into a trapdoor struggle after losing all four of their games to date so the question now is who will join them?

Dicksboro and Bennettsbridge occupy fourth and fifth spots on three points apiece with the city side’s better score difference proving crucial.

Shamrocks Ballyhale aren’t out of the loop either with their clash against Dicksboro a real standout clash with the loser possibly in big danger.

While the ’Bridge are currently in the bottom two, all hope is not lost as they face the already qualified O’Loughlin Gaels where a win will be enough to escape the relegation threatened positions.

The final Group A game involves Glenmore and Lisdowney with both teams already knowing their fate with the South Kilkenny outfit proving to be one of the stories of the league campaign as they look ahead to the Shield Final.

In Group B Thomastown are home and hosed at the top of the table but there is plenty on the line elsewhere.

Mullinavat, Tullaroan and Erin’s Own are all still in with a shout of securing an automatic quarter-final championship spot alongside Glenmore, O’Loughlin Gaels and Thomastown but such is the tightness of the group that Tullaroan and Comer aren’t fully out of relegation trouble either.

Graigue-Ballycallan prop up the table with just two draws to their name while their round one conquerors Clara sit just above them on the same two points.

In similar circumstances to the Shamrocks and Dicksboro clash in Group A, the meeting of Erin’s Own and Tullaroan will dictate a lot on how the final table looks with the winner assuring themselves of safety.

The last two games in the group see league finalists Thomastown entertain Graigue Ballycallan while Mullinavat and Clara round off the league action.

All six games will throw-in simultaneously at 3pm on Saturday.

Intermediate

After the drama of Saturday’s action, the rollercoaster will move on to Sunday where the intermediate standings will be finalised.

The final four relegation battle spots are decided already with Blacks and Whites, Fenians, St Lachtain’s and St Martin’s stranded in the bottom two positions of the respective groups regardless of results this weekend.

The jeopardy is a little more pronounced towards the top in both groups and in Group A, all four sides above Blacks and Whites and St Martin’s have something to play for.

James Stephens and Mooncoin is the standout game as the Village look to maintain their 100% record thus far under the new management of Eoin Larkin and Jackie Tyrrell.

Any sort of positive result will see the city side into a league final while Tullogher Rosbercon and Dunnamaggin remain in contention for a championship quarter-final ahead of their meeting on Sunday.

In Group B, there’s a winner take all affair between Rower Inistioge and Danesfort in Thomastown as the top two in the table battle it out for a place in the league decider with both sitting pretty on six points as it stands.

A draw would also bring Young Irelands and Carrickshock into contention as the third and fourth side also battle it out and with the two clubs only one point behind both the Rower and Danesfort, qualification to the championship quarter-finals is very much a realistic aim.

The final game in the group involving Fenians and St Lachtain’s is a dead-rubber with a relegation semi-final awaiting the final week.

All six games in the intermediate grade throw-in at 1.30pm on Sunday.

Junior

The Junior league comes to its conclusion on Sunday evening. Like the other two grades, there is a lot still to be decided in a championship context.

In Group A, the recently relegated Conahy Shamrocks have already assured themselves of a league final place after winning four games from four including at the expense of the second placed Piltown.

At the opposite end of the table, Cloneen remain pointless while Emeralds, Windgap and Slieverue make up the middle part of the table.

In Group B, there is a three way tie at the top with Barrow Rangers, Kilmacow and Graignamanagh all deadlocked on six points with the Graignamanagh and Paulstown clash potentially defining.