Both Galway city club senior hurling sides are in second round championship action this Saturday in Kenny Park. And both clubs face formidable opposition in their effort to stay in the 2014 championship race.
Liam Mellows face Gort at 5pm, and that game is followed by the clash of Castlegar and St Thomas at 6.30pm.
Mellows lost their first round game by 2-20 to 0-15 to Athenry and they are 3/1 outsiders with Mulhollands to get past this clash against the 2011 county champions, while Gort lost their first round tie to Loughrea by 1-15 to 0-12.
However with players such as Sylvie Óg Linnane, Aidan Harte, Richie Cummins, Mark McMahon, Greg Lally and free-taker Michael Mullins, Gort will believe they will have too much for the city men who are under the guidance of former Gort mentor Conor O' Donovan this season.
If Mellows are to avoid joining the relegation group on Saturday evening, they will need massive displays from captain John Lee, county player David Collins, Tadhg Haran, Adrian Morrissey and Aonghus Callanan.
Gort are hot favourites at 2/7 to win that clash and, based on their respective form over the past few seasons, it is difficult to argue against those odds.
In the second game of the double header, most people will expect the 2013 All-Ireland champions, St Thomas to have too much for John McIntyre's Castlegar.
St Thomas were surprisingly defeated by Tommy Larkins in their first round clash (2-15 to 0-19 ) and they will be fully aware of the implication of another loss.
Team manager John Burke will look for big displays from David, Eanna, Seán and Darragh Burke, Conor Cooney and Shane Cooney and Robert Murray to try to get back into the winning groove - although the loss of the scoring power of Bernard Burke (overseas ) and Richard Murray (retired ) has weakened their options up front.
Castlegar put up a battling performance in their 1-29 to 1-19 defeat to Portumna. They were down to 14 men for much of that game, but they hurled well and they will believe there is a big performance in them.
If they are to upset the odds on Saturday, men such as Ger Farragher, Kevin Brady, Brian Hartnett, Padraig O' Flynn, Tomás Mannion and full-forward Mairtin Cullinane will all have to produce big performances.
Castlegar are 9/4 outsiders with Mulhollands for this clash, with John Burke’s men available at 2/5. The draw is priced up at 8/1.
