County Hurling Leagues have semi-final pairings after final round of games

After five rounds of action this year’s FBD Insurance County Hurling League group stages finally concluded with all five divisions now down to semi-final stages after the concluding games played last weekend.

In Division 1 Group 1 Toomevara and Thurles Sarsfields had already nailed down a semi-final place ahead of their final round clash in the Outside Field in Thurles.

In what was a close run game for a finish it was a late, late Conor Lanigan goal that decided the game as Thurles won by just two points to top Group 1 with Toomevara claiming second position.

In Group 2, Kiladangan and Upperchurch Drombane will contest the semi-finals; Kiladangan finishing the group with a strong home win over Borris-Ileigh last Wednesday (May 10th) in Puckane, while Upperchurch Drombane managed to top the group despite losing their final group game away to Mullinahone by three points last Sunday afternoon.

The mid Tipp team will now face Toomevara at home in the semi-final while Thurles Sarsfields entertain Kiladangan in the other game with the fixtures to be made in the next week.

In Division 2 Group 1, Killenaule finished off their impressive group innings with a 3-17 to 1-15 win over Gortnahoe Glengoole last Sunday, as the south Tipp team finished the group games unbeaten on nine points and have secured a home semi-final.

Second place in the group is still up for contention as the winner of Tuesday night’s clash between Loughmore Castleiney and Portroe will decide who claims second spot in the group. The game was not played in time before this paper went to print.

In Group 2, Holycross Ballycahill topped the group with four wins from five despite a heavy loss to Roscrea last weekend, and they will also be joined in the semi-finals by Éire Óg Annacarty who had a hard fought final round win over Burgess on Saturday last (1-21 to 1-18) to claim second spot.

Éire Óg will now travel to face Killenaule in the first semi-final while Holycross Ballycaholl await the winners of Loughmore Castleiney and Portroe.

Elsewhere, Division 3 has finished all its remaining fixtures and Group 1 has Ballingarry and Lorrha going forward to contest the semi-finals, along with Newport and Borrisokane who squeezed out of a very competitive Group 2 table.

Ballingarry will now host Borrisokane in the first semi-final, while Lorrha travel to Newport for a crack at their north rivals.
Boherlahan Dualla are the pace setters in Division 4 and rounded off a perfect Group 1 campaign with a fifth successive win, this time against Ballinahinch last Saturday afternoon.

They will be accompanied by Kiladangan who managed to claim second spot on five points. In Group 2, Golden Kilfeacle secured top spot after a good win at home against Arravale Rovers last Sunday afternoon, and in the process confirmed a home semi-final clash against Kiladangan, while Clonoulty Rossmore’s big win over Shannon Rovers on Sunday clinched second spot for the West men who will travel to Golden for their semi-final fixture in the coming weeks.

Grangemockler Ballyneale finished a very comprehensive Division 5 Group 1 campaign with a concession from Lattin Cullen last weekend, confirming top spot and they will be joined St Patricks (Group 2) and Galtee Rovers (Group 3) who made it out of their respective groups, with Galtee Rovers going straight into the final, with Grangemockler Ballyneale and St Patricks facing off for a spot in the final.

Division 6 are also down to semi-finals having finished their rounds a few weeks ago and that line up sees Knockshegowna, Knock, Rosegreen and Killea all finding their way out of the groups.

Knock will make the short trip to Ballingarry (north) to take on Knockshegowna, while Rosegreen travel to Killea for the final game.

All games are set to be played on the weekend of Friday May 28th with full fixtures to be confirmed in the next week.