Ballinhassig to push Blarney all the way in first round contest
Blarney v Ballinhassig
BLARNEY will step back into championship action this Sunday facing up to Ballinhassig in the first game of a hurling premier double header that is sure to have many twists and turns along the way.
Blarney will be looking to impress this season and get off to a positive start that eluded them in 2018 resulting in a really poor championship campaign.
A heavy loss to Valley Rovers on the opening day of last season’s competition was far from an ideal start, but the two-point loss to Watergrasshill almost four months later in Round 2 was a real body blow to a side that would have harboured some hopes of going a long way in last year’s premier intermediate grade.
Blarney did manage to show their abilities two months later by breezing past Youghal in their relegation playoff fixture.
Ballinhassig burst into the quarter finals last season after winning their opening clash with Watergrasshill in a canter. The Carrigdhoun side bypassed Round 2 before being drawn to face a Valley Rovers side in the quarter finals that on the day were clinical. Rovers easily saw off Ballinhassig ending what up to that point was a promising title bid.
Ballinhassig also did really well in 2017 when they made it to the last four losing out to a Kanturk side that went on to be All Ireland champions. Plenty of pedigree in this Hassig side with still plenty to prove.
This weekend both Ballinhassig and Blarney have the chance to get off the mark in the best possible way, but both will need to show their wares if they are to harbour any realistic chance of progressing.
If Mark Coleman plays like we all know he can then Blarney will be well in the hunt here but if Ballinhassig show the form that they showed in the early stages of 2018 then they are more than a match for the opposition.
Hard to see Blarney win this one coasting. This game will go all the way with Ballinhassig the likely winners however Blarney have what it takes to spring a good performance and maybe a win.