Preview- James Stephens and Conahy start out on provincial road
The two Kilkenny clubs are in action in the Leinster Intermediate and Junior Championship this afternoon
Kilkenny’s intermediate and junior hurling champions will both kickstart their quest for Leinster glory on Sunday when they face Wexford and Offaly opposition respectively.
On the back of a three week break from their county success over Rower-Inistioge, the Village look well primed to have a real crack at glory in what will be their first taste of Leinster action since they last won the Kilkenny senior title back in 2011.
Just getting over the line at intermediate level in Kilkenny on the second attempt will have been a relief to many in the club and the pressure will be off in many ways when they entertain Cloughbawn at home on Sunday afternoon (1.30pm).
The Wexford side are a club that may sound familiar as they were Thomastown’s opponents in the first round of this same Leinster competition three years ago with the South Kilkenny side emerging 3-21 to 1-12 winners on the way to scooping subsequent provincial and All-Ireland crowns.
The Model County outfit face an equally difficult encounter this time around with the Village likely to provide difficult opposition to anyone in the country at this grade.
Cloughbawn made it to this stage when beating last year’s Leinster junior winners Davidstown-Courtnacuddy in the county decider on a narrow 0-15 to 1-11 final scoreline at Wexford Park. The win was Cloughbawn’s third championship title at that grade in the county within the last seven years so they will be eyeing making a more sustained next step and James Stephens will be great opposition in that regard.
Bob Whitty scored the last gasp winning free in that final and with players of the calibre of Harry Kehoe, Conall Flood and Barry Carton, they will be a credible threat to the Kilkenny city side.
At the same time, James Stephens come into the game as double league and champion ship winners. Bar a slight fright against Tullogher and Rower Inistioge, they’ve been in a different league to most of their opponents this year.
With All-Star nominee Cian Kenny back to fitness and the likes of Ed Lauhoff, Eoin Guilfoyle and Stephen Manogue amongst others coming off the back of a fine club championship, the Village look well placed to advance where they will have home advantage until the final.
In the junior grade, Conahy are in Tullamore to take on their namesakes Shamrocks at 1.30pm for a game that also takes place on a hectic Sunday afternoon of club fare.
The North Kilkenny side defeated Graignamanagh in the county decider on Noreside two weeks ago as they finished the stronger to hold on and win by a couple of points and they have experience of being down this very road before.
When they last won junior honours in 2020, Covid got in the way of a provincial journey but luckily for them a final loss the year before to O’Loughlin Gaels, who were ineligible, saw them scoop Leinster and All-Ireland silverware.
While the team has changed a lot in the intervening seven years, there is still some similarities with James Bergin and Tom Phelan leading the way in attack.
The Offaly version of the Shamrocks will definitley be a big banana skin at the same time as the Mucklagh based outfit were very impressive winners of the intermediate championship within their county. A 3-25 to 2-9 final win over Seir Kieran is prove of that and Conahy will have to be at their best to progress to the semi-finals.
A big Sunday of action awaits!