All Ireland Club Hurling Championships 2024/2025 (SHC, IHC & JHC)

Started by Saffron71, November 02, 2024, 08:26:41 AM

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Saffron71

As the provincial championships get underway who do we all think will be successful at provincial and All Ireland level in the Three grades?


marty34

Senior - I think Ballygunner will fancy their chances now, and rightly so.
As an outside bet, I'd go for Thomastown.

Intermediate - Lisdowney.
Bray as an outside bet. They've been progressing well recently.


Hard to know about Intermediate and Junior.  Again KK teams are strong as their respective grades are well structured and suit KK as well as their provincial run ins.

Junior - Easkey of Sligo as an outside bet. Ballinascreen could win Ulster.

But realy hard to know at Intermediate and Junior level as such a mix of teams, playing at different levels etc.






ClubScene13

Shame Ballygunner are still on the scene as you'd make them probably decent favourites to go the whole way. If they were taken out by someone it would be wide open, there wouldn't be any recent AI winners in the entire rest of the country. A lot of clubs that would be over the moon just to get the county title won - where as Ballygunner be planning for November onwards like always

marty34

Ballygunner are a good seasoned outfit. They time their run well and have the experience at their disposal.

They're probably disappointed in the overall scheme of things that they only have one All-Ireland club title.  And that was with Ruddle's late late goal. Good for them to win one for all their domination.

When you look at St. Thomas' domination, who have won two, it's probably 'justified' they'd be delighted with that return I'd say. I'm sure Ballygunner would love another one too.

St. Thomas' are a super club. Must have won about 40 championship games in a row in Galway. Some achievement.

Other than them, it's open enough and I'm sure they'll be a shock or two along the way.

Cork 'champions' are representatives moreso than champions.  Doon will be partied out. Feakle too also possibly. Loughmore C. of Tipp have football to contend with and with the ageing Mc Grath brothers onboard, it could be a tough ask.

Could Na Fianna spring a surprise? Possibly in Leinster. They lost two finals in Dublin and now have won two-in-a-row, so they are experienced and have the talent. Can Naas, if they win tomorrow, push on?

A great win for Castleblaney today V Middletown. Swatragh with a good win in Enniskillen.

Ballela had a good win against a poor Buncrana out while Rasharkin were too strong against Sean Tracey's. 

Delighted for East Cavan Gaels. They are a regional hurling club. Nick Kenny got a Ring/Rackard/Meagher All Star award recently so it's been a great few weeks for him.


Saffron71

Ulster SHC - Cushendall
Ulster IHC - Carrickmore
Ulster JHC - Ballinscreen
Munster SHC - Ballygunner
Munster IHC - Cashel
Munster JHC - St Catherine's
Leinster SHC - Na Fianna
Leinster IHC - Lisdowney
Leinster JHC - St Lachtain's
Connacht SHC (Galway SHC) - Loughrea
Connacht IHC - Tooreen
Connacht JHC - Easkey
All Ireland SHC - Ballygunner
All Ireland IHC - Tooreen
All Ireland JHC - St Catherine's

That's my predictions if I had to call it now.  Alot of teams in all provinces and grades will feel they're in with a good chance. 

johnnycool

Ballygunner put away a strong Doon team there with a good style of hurling.

Granted the keeper O'Keefe had to make two really good saves at key moments and Doon can make the case the scoreline could have been different if either of those had went in, but the way Ballygunner play through the lines make them hard to break down and TBH I think you'd be better going toe to toe with them and preventing the easy out ball to the defenders.
They've Loughmore up next who will have a bit of a break going into that game considering they're also involved in the football which can only but stretch their mental and physical reserves.

Feakle and Sars of Cork in the other semi-final, Cork clubs really haven't featured at this level for a good few years so Feakle if they get the drink out of their system can take this one.


St Martins won the Wexford final yesterday, heavily reliant on the two O'Connors in what was a poor enough game IMO and unless Rory can keep doing the heavy lifting it's hard to see them go much further.




Milltown Row2

As I said yesterday Ballygunner didn't panic, stuck to the system and got over the line handy enough in the end, their touch and stickwork is very good and after such a long break since their county final, it was expected that they would be a bit rusty yesterday, away from home also against a not too shabby outfit in Doon

O'Keefe is top class, his deliveries from puck outs and from open play are on the money, he sets up a lot of play, instrumental and other keepers should be looking at whats required, outside of the shot stopping.

I also noticed how Ballygunner used the short stick for passing the ball, sort of palming the ball into play, it worked really well

St Martins were bad enough and can't see them progressing tbf.

Ulster meets Munster this year, not sure which team would be best equipped to give Gunner their fill, they scored 25 points yesterday, and played alright by their standards. 
None of us are getting out of here alive, so please stop treating yourself like an after thought. Ea

imtommygunn

The wexford match, from the wee bit I saw, was a rough enough encounter. I get letting the game go but there were a few times where boys kicked the legs from under the opposition and the ref just ploughed on.

Ah jesus wouldn't fancy cushendall against Ballygunner  :o Ballygunner would be strong favourites for the whole thing at this stage I imagine but then they were last year too.


johnnycool

Quote from: imtommygunn on November 04, 2024, 02:49:29 PMThe wexford match, from the wee bit I saw, was a rough enough encounter. I get letting the game go but there were a few times where boys kicked the legs from under the opposition and the ref just ploughed on.

Ah jesus wouldn't fancy cushendall against Ballygunner  :o Ballygunner would be strong favourites for the whole thing at this stage I imagine but then they were last year too.



Has Ulster turned into Connacht now?

 ;)

imtommygunn


LC

Quote from: Milltown Row2 on November 04, 2024, 01:58:03 PMAs I said yesterday Ballygunner didn't panic, stuck to the system and got over the line handy enough in the end, their touch and stickwork is very good and after such a long break since their county final, it was expected that they would be a bit rusty yesterday, away from home also against a not too shabby outfit in Doon

O'Keefe is top class, his deliveries from puck outs and from open play are on the money, he sets up a lot of play, instrumental and other keepers should be looking at whats required, outside of the shot stopping.

I also noticed how Ballygunner used the short stick for passing the ball, sort of palming the ball into play, it worked really well

St Martins were bad enough and can't see them progressing tbf.

Ulster meets Munster this year, not sure which team would be best equipped to give Gunner their fill, they scored 25 points yesterday, and played alright by their standards. 

Did Slaughtneil not give Gunner a tight enough game a couple of years ago.

Milltown Row2

Quote from: LC on November 04, 2024, 07:23:27 PM
Quote from: Milltown Row2 on November 04, 2024, 01:58:03 PMAs I said yesterday Ballygunner didn't panic, stuck to the system and got over the line handy enough in the end, their touch and stickwork is very good and after such a long break since their county final, it was expected that they would be a bit rusty yesterday, away from home also against a not too shabby outfit in Doon

O'Keefe is top class, his deliveries from puck outs and from open play are on the money, he sets up a lot of play, instrumental and other keepers should be looking at whats required, outside of the shot stopping.

I also noticed how Ballygunner used the short stick for passing the ball, sort of palming the ball into play, it worked really well

St Martins were bad enough and can't see them progressing tbf.

Ulster meets Munster this year, not sure which team would be best equipped to give Gunner their fill, they scored 25 points yesterday, and played alright by their standards. 

Did Slaughtneil not give Gunner a tight enough game a couple of years ago.

Not sure but they gave Ballyhale the fight of the championship one year in Newry, S'neil have regressed slightly but definitely no pushovers and will give Ulster a good rattle
None of us are getting out of here alive, so please stop treating yourself like an after thought. Ea

imtommygunn

They gave them a good go one year a few years ago yeah. Ballygunner and ballyhale both.

NAG1

I thought it was top level stuff from Ballygunner at the weekend, absorbed the energy and intensity of the newbies waited for the game to open up and then just turned the screw.

Doon gave a great account and with a little more ruthlessness infront of goal, could have made it a tighter finish. But always had the impression that Ballygunner were just waiting their time.

Problem is for the Ulster Reps this year, I'm hearing the semi-final is fixed for Croke Park which plays to Ballygunner (should they win Munster). Mullingar or Navan would make for a tighter more physical game.

Premier Emperor

Loughmore-Castleiney should be able to give Ballygunner plenty of it on Sunday week, if they haven't let the football distract them too much.