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*Photograph: Gerard O’Neill.
NAIL-BITING games are on the cards with fifteen of the sixteen senior hurling clubs in with a shout of qualifying for the quarter-finals based on how the third round pans out this weekend.
St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield are the only side that cannot qualify for the last eight of the Clare SHC but they can avoid a relegation battle if they overcome Ballyea on Saturday (16:00) in Fr Murphy Memorial Park, Newmarket-on-Fergus.
All other clubs have a chance of making the knockout stages and only Inagh/Kilnamona are guaranteed of their spot in the last eight. Eugene Cullinan’s side have recorded back to back wins over Ballyea and Doora/Barefield to sit top of Group 1. If they maintain their winning run against Clonlara on Saturday in Cusack Park (16:00) and Ballyea overcome Doora/Barefield, then it is Inamona and Ballyea that will emerge from what was labelled the ‘Group of Death’, provided Ballyea (-10) overturn the scoring difference that is currently in Clonlara’s (+4) favour.
Should Donal Madden’s Clonlara defeat Inamona then they will advance to the quarter-finals for the fourth year running.
Where teams are level on points, the scoring difference from the games involving the tied teams will be used to determine who progresses and who doesn’t. Such a scenario is likely to come into play in the remainder of the groups.
Despite not having won a game yet, both Scariff and Newmarket-on-Fergus can still progress to the knockout stages if they win on Sunday and other results go their way.
Scariff need to account for Crusheen in Dr Daly Park (13:00) and hope Éire Óg record a third win at Broadford’s expense. Then it will be scoring difference from the games involving, Scariff, Crusheen and Broadford that will confirm who qualifies alongside Éire Óg. The scoring difference between these three teams before Sunday is Broadford +4, Crusheen +1, Scariff -5.
Wins for Crusheen and Broadford in Group 2 would put them level on points with Éire Óg and then the scoring difference from this three sides is brought into the equation. Champions Éire Óg missing out on the quarter-finals is unlikely, considering they defeated Crusheen by twelve points which enhances their scoring difference for such a scenario. The scoring difference between these sides is Éire Óg +12, Broadford -1, Crusheen -11.
Beaten finalists Clooney/Quin sit top of Group 3 but their future is not yet certain. To secure their quarter-final place, they need to account for O’Callaghans Mills on Saturday (14:00) in O’Garney Park, Sixmilebridge while at the same time Feakle and Cratloe will fight it out in Dr Daly Park, Tulla.
Whoever of the four clubs that win in Group 3 will progress to the quarter-finals so it is effectively knockout. Clooney/Quin sit top on three points, Cratloe and Feakle both have two points while O’Callaghans Mills have one point.
Successive wins have not assured Kilmaley of a place in the quarter-finals and they must defeat Sixmilebridge to secure top spot in Group 4 but also to avoid getting caught. If The Bridge and Wolfe Tones win, then all three teams are tied on four points. As it stands, Kilmaley have the superior scoring difference with +14, followed by Sixmilebridge -2 and Wolfe Tones -12. Newmarket-on-Fergus can claim a quarter-final berth if they overcome Wolfe Tones by three points and provided Kilmaley account for Sixmilebridge.
Sunday evening will determine the final spots with Kilmaley and Sixmilebridge renewing rivalry for the first time since last year’s quarter-final, the setting is once again Cusack Park (16:00) while it will the battle in Broadford between Wolfe Tones and Newmarket-on-Fergus at the same time.
