Who gets who in the semi final?
Is it Shamrocks vs St Thomas?
Correct.
Tullamore?
Eoin Reid with a gem of a goal
Sure Richie Reid is the 3rd best Goalie in Ireland 
Every so often in hurling, teams from weaker counties get patronisingly talked up - “there’s some great work going on in hurling circles in Westmeath”, “Antrim have improved a lot”, “Laois are no pushovers under Cheddar Plunkett”, “Laois have improved out of all recognition under Eddie Brennan.”, etc., etc. (similar to how you’d hear the rugby set patronisingly talk up how Italy had “made great strides” there for a few years, before that lie became a bit too cringey).
And then they run into a team from a strong county, usually Kilkenny, who decide, almost without thinking, that they will casually pulverise one of these “no pushover” teams, just 'cause, ah shure look it, why not.
It’s an important part of traditional dominance to nonchalantly fumigate any semblance of hope in traditionally weaker counties every so often.
The Ballyhale captain will go into the Clough Ballacolla dressing room (or reserved bit of car park/beside a wall/behind the ditch/whatever it is) after this and tell them they’ve made “great strides” this year. He’ll tell them they’ve done their county and their parish proud, and that there are good hurlers in every county. Then he’ll walk away chuckling silently to himself.
2 Likes
What would you prefer?
Ballacolla can really blame Rynaghs for this.
For some reason Kilmacud wouldn’t see this scoreline yet they were deservedly beaten the last day.
1 Like
Clough Ballacolla were “Living with Covid”.
Ballyhale were Covid.
St Rynagh’s from a recent Christy Ring county came agonisingly close to dumping Ballyhale out last week though.
A St. Rynagh’s v Ballacolla final would have been fascinating.
1 Like
In Tullamore.
Clough Ballacolla playing Ballyhale in Croke Park was like an eight year old me potting everything on my Steve Davis endorsed 4 ft x 2 ft snooker table, and then being introduced to a full size table.
It’d have been pretty even I’d expect. Ballacolla were well in it for the first 20 minutes. Rynaghs barely hurled for the first 20 and fought their way back in. Ballacolla fell off after 20 as Ballyhale pushed on. But having watched both it’d have been 50/50 maybe a small lean to Ballacolla.
The red card was a huge factor last week I’d imagine.
Rynaghs had already fought back into it before the red.
I could be wrong but I think Rynaghs were 9 down at the waterbreak and had it back to 3 just before HT when the red happened.
1 Like
The rest might regret Rynagh’s not finishing them off last week instead of conceding a dirty scuttery goal with almost the last puck.
Slaughtneil win Ulster again.
They will really fancy it now.
If its Ballyhale Slaughtneil in Croke Park in the final it’d be a repeat of today most likely. Too much of a skill gap
Big assumption that both can win semi.
1 Like
Not a hope. Slaughtneil are super athletic and miles ahead of Clough.
1 Like
Slaughtneil will have the mentality to stick with Ballyhale even in Croke Park
Clogh Ballacolla just gave up very easily there.
Ballyhale will beat Slaughtneil by 12 points in Croke park.