*Éire Óg’s Shane O’Donnell. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill.
ÉIRE Óg and O’Callaghans Mills will be striving to qualify for Munster club hurling finals this Sunday.
Zimmer Biomet Páirc Chíosóg in Ennis is the setting as Éire Óg welcome Tipperary champions Loughmore Castleiney to town. Sunday’s game commences at 13:15.
Six weeks on from their first Clare SHC success in thirty five years, Gerry O’Connor’s side face Loughmore Castleiney who prevailed in the Tipperary SHC decider against Nenagh Éire Óg three weeks ago.
Notably the tie will see the reigning Hurler of the Year John McGrath lining out against his predecessor, 2024 Hurler of the Year, Shane O’Donnell.
Along with recording a Munster SFC club quarter-final win over Rathgormack last week, high spirits remain in Éire Óg as they found themselves avoiding any injuries for their eight dual players.
It is the second year in a row that the clubs have faced off in a provincial semi-final with Loughmore overcoming Éire Óg in the senior football championsip last season 3-9 2-7.
Shane O’Donnell, David Reidy, Oran Cahill, Aaron Fitzgerald, Ciaran Russell, Liam Corry, Danny Russell and Marco Cleary will be among the Éire Óg players expected to set the way.
Mallow is the destination for O’Callaghans Mills as they meet Waterford intermediate winners Tallow. The Mills survived a scare against Abbeydorney two weeks ago to record a two point victory while Tallow also advanced to the last four with a two point win, defeating Garryspillane managed by Clarecastle’s Aaron Considine 3-18 3-16.
Seán Doyle’s side will be looking to their experienced cohort of Conor Cooney, Aidan O’Gorman, Killian Nugent, Aidan Fawl, Jacob Loughnane and Gary Cooney for big performances while Seán Boyce and Cormac Murphy have been in a strong vein of form for the East Clare side.
