St Lachtain’s v Rower-Inistioge
Nowlan Park: Saturday, 2.30pm
For the third time in two weeks, the Rower-Inistioge will take to the field against one of the top teams in the intermediate grade.
Of the top teams in the grade, the southern club has its worst record against the black and amber of Freshford. They always struggle against them.
Will they turn the tables on Saturday ?
St Lachtain’s played on the back foot for the majority of the game in their first round clash with The Emeralds, but they had the ability get the crucial goals in the closing stages to win that game 3-12 to 1-13.
They went toe-to-toe with Mooncoin in the quarter-final, and again had the scoring power to see off the southerners by three goals, 3-15 to 0-15: Five goals and twenty eight points in two games.
This Freshford team lives off goals.
Earlier this season, St Lachtain’s had all the signs of a team ‘under the weather’ after a fantastic run that saw them win the county, provincial and All-Ireland intermediate titles in 2009/10 before suffering relegation, rather unluckily, from the senior grade last season. The loss of John Costelloe with a long term injury was also a big blow during the league.
However, they have re-organised and in their two championship games they have only conceded one green flag. James Meagher has been very efficient in goal and his puck-outs are long and accurate.
Michael Kavanagh generally picks up the opposition’s danger man. Noel McGree is a powerhouse in midfield, and Brian Kennedy is one of the best young hurlers in the county.
Bill Beckett, Eoin Guinan and Johnny Fitzpatrick are all capable of scoring on a regular basis.
The Rower-Inistioge have won the league, and they saw off another of the championship favourites – Mullinavat – in the quarter-final last weekend.
Manager Pat O’Neill is in his second stint with the Rower-Inistioge, and so far, they have achieved everything that was asked of them. They topped their group and went on to win the league in extra time, showing that there is nothing wrong with their fitness levels.
A three-minute scoring burst, which yielded 1-1 to level the game with Danesfort, 2-8 to 1-11 after 60 minutes. That was turned into a five point win, as they outscored the ‘Fort men 0-8 to 0-3 in extra time to win 2-16 to 1-14.
The quarter-final against Mullinavat was finely balanced – 0-9 each – entering the final 15 minutes, but Rower Inistioge kicked on to win 2-13 to 1-12.
The chief scorers have been Paul Sheehan, Michael Grace and James Cashin. Team captain Kieran Joyce and Joe Lyng have played well in the middle of the field, with Seán Cummins anchoring a strong defence, which has goalkeeper Liam Tierney in great form.
Freshford have reached the semi-finals under the radar, and they are only two wins away from getting back into the top grade. This is a massive opportunity for them and they will relish the opportunity to bounce back at the first attempt.
St Lachtain’s have proven to be a bogey team for the southerners over the past few seasons, and they defeated them in the second round of the league by two points 2-13 to 1-14. Ordinary St Lachtain’s teams have beaten good Rower-Inistioge teams, and that’s something the men in red and green have to overcome.
St Lachtain’s ability to keep their composure under pressure, and their greater experience at the business end of the championship in Nowlan Park, make them a safer bet to take another step back towards senior hurling.
Glenmore v Conahy Shamrocks
Ballyhale: Saturday, 4pm
Glenmore and Conahy Shamrocks head back to Páirc Seamróg in Ballyhale again on Saturday, to sort out their intermediate hurling quarter-final after they finished all square last weekend.
Glenmore have shown great consistency this year, finishing second to the Rower-Inistioge on scoring difference in the league, and winning the shield in impressive fashion. Manager Tommy Shefflin seems to get the best out of them and they have a solid look about them.
The defence – with the Codys, the Mullallys, Fergal Freyne and Mark Phelan – appear to be the best in the grade. The wily Michael Phelan, and the free-scoring youngsters Eoin Murphy and Ger Aylward, spearhead the attack.
Conahy Shamrocks like playing Glenmore, and they have an excellent record against them. They beat them earlier this year at the Ballyhale venue in the league, 3-10 to 1-11.
Conahy play a fast, open game and the use of Paul Buggy on the edge of the square in the drawn game was very effective, with Mícheál Lawler and Alan Healy feeding off the breaks in the corners.
Conahy took an 0-10 to 0-8 lead into the closing stages of the drawn game, but Glenmore forced their way back into it and Conahy had to rely on a last minute free to force a draw.
It’s seldom Glenmore fail to win a low-scoring game – but if they can keep it tight again this week, they will qualify for a semi-final joust with Danesfort a week later in Nowlan Park.
