The decisive final round of the Brooks Group Galway Senior Hurling Championship takes place this weekend with plenty at stake for clubs looking to seal a much-coveted quarter-final spot and avoid the preliminary round of knockout games.
The action gets underway on Friday night in group one of Senior A with the meeting of Castlegar and Killimordaly in Duggan Park - both sides already locked in for demotion to Senior B.
The two remaining group one games take place simultaneously on Saturday afternoon at 4.30pm, with Sarsfields taking on Turloughmore in Ballinasloe, and a repeat of last year’s final with St Thomas’ going head-to-head with Clarinbridge in Athenry.
Despite being in fourth place at the moment, Sarsfields are assured of a quarter-final spot with a win in their last game due to their better scoring difference - only a draw in the other game would lead to a three-way tie on seven points. Turloughmore have started to move nicely in recent weeks, though, and will be a tough nut to crack. St Thomas’ will be licking their wounds after a rare defeat last time out, while Clarinbridge have let leads slip from their grasp in their last two outings. All three outcomes are live possibilities in both of these games.
In group two Gort still have a chance to sneak into the knockout stages if they can triumph against Craughwell on Sunday afternoon in Pearse Stadium, while the second quarter-final spot behind Loughrea is up for grabs when Tommy Larkins take on Cappataggle in Loughrea - both games starting at 4pm.
In Senior B, Moycullen and Oranmore/Maree are already assured of promotion and a knockout spot, and will meet to see who tops group one.
Tynagh Abbey/Duniry will warm up for their relegation play-off with a game against Athenry, while Beagh take on Kilnadeema/Leitrim with only pride on the line.
All three matches in group two will start at the same time on Saturday due to all six clubs having something to play for.
Table-toppers Portumna take on Liam Mellows in Duggan Park knowing they will stay top if they avoid defeat. However, a win for the city side would open up the possibility of a three-way tie for top spot if Ardrahan were to get the better of Padraig Pearses in Athenry - calculators perhaps needed when the full time whistle goes in those games.
Ahascragh/Fohenagh have the stark reality of needing a win against Mullagh to have any chance of avoiding a relegation play-off, while they would also prefer if Pearses got something out of their game with Ardrahan to avoid scoring difference coming into play.
The intermediate championship has three games remaining to determine who will join the senior ranks in 2023, with both semi-finals set for a double-header in Kenny Park on Sunday.
Sylane will be looking to overturn their narrow quarter-final defeat to Killimor last year in the first game, while Meelick/Eyrecourt are favoured to get the better of Rahoon/Newcastle and go one step further than last year.
