Hurling in the spotlight

Senior semi-final battles down for decision

IT is the penultimate weekend of the Senior hurling championship, as defending champions Bray Emmets, St. Patrick’s, Carnew Emmets, and Éire Óg go to war for the right to contest the 2020 decider.

After enduring an indifferent start, Bray Emmets ended strong with a straightforward win over Avondale to top the group and set a date with St. Patrick’s for the final four. Paul Carley’s men are still the favourites to retain the championship for the first time since 2016.

Opposite them on Sunday will be Ray Nolan’s St. Patrick’s outfit, who bested Kiltegan to book their place against the holders.

Nolan’s men, having recovered from an opening day defeat to Carnew, rebounded well enough to progress and will be yearning to win that title that has alluded them since they last won it 1992.

The problem for St Patrick’s is the strength in depth of the Bray Emmets panel and the quality they possess from their goalkeeper Jim Doyle all the way up the hugely impressive Davy Maloney. Throw in John Henderson, Pádraig Doyle, Diarmuid Masterson, Eoin McCormack, Daire Henderson and the rest and you have a formidable force if they perform to the best of their ability.

However, Glenealy proved that with the right energy levels and conviction this Bray team can be disrupted, although it should be remembered that that was the first proper game back and Pádraig Doyle was not playing.

Pat’s will need everyone playing to their potential and will need to rattle the onion bag at least once you would imagine.

In the other semi-final, Carnew, who had a more orthodox path to the last four courtesy of that aforementioned win over Pat’s, as well as a lacklustre draw with Kiltegan, will be going up against the fairytale story of this year’s campaign: Éire Óg.

Whereas the other three sides’ road to this point was in their own hands in some respect, Éire Óg has to come up with a stunning injury-time victory over heavyweights Glenealy. A late, late Anthony Byrne goal did the trick as they got the manner of win they needed to flip the group points differential in their favour.

How the Carnew defence handle the huge threat of Andrew Walsh is the big question with Conall McCrea the likely candidate for that job.

Éire Óg’s organisation will also cause Carnew problems who will need to be at their best to get over this hurdle.

It promises to be a cracking day of action on Sunday afternoon, one that’s not to be missed.