Securing the services of Donach O’Donnell as manager and coach for this year was a definite coup for O’Callaghans Mills but the biggest prize of all is up for grabs when they face neighbours Sixmilebridge on Sunday.
*Photograph: John Mangan Action in the U21 club hurling championship will not resume until Clare’s U20 hurlers have concluded their campaign.
O’Callaghans Mills have qualified for their first Clare SHC final since 1993 after finishing with an unanswered 1-04 to dump Ballyea out of the championship.
Both Éire Óg and O’Callaghan’s Mills will be aiming to make it third time lucky against the last two champions Sixmilebridge and Ballyea who have dominated the Canon Hamilton Cup for the past five seasons writes Eoin Brennan who previews the penultimate stage clashes in this year’s County Senior Hurling Championship.
Championship favourites Sixmilebridge and Ballyea have avoided each other in the semi-final draw of the Clare senior hurling championship (SHC).
The Fireballs certainly lived up to their historical moniker as O’Callaghan’s Mills brushed aside the challenge of Inagh-Kilnamona to cement their place in a second semi-final in three years in Cusack Park on Sunday afternoon.
The Clare Senior Hurling Championships could be completely behind closed doors for the very first time but that unprecedented outcome shouldn’t take from the quality and intensity of fare on offer writes Eoin Brennan who looks ahead to this weekend’s intriguing knock-out quartet of senior hurling championship matches.
Wins at the Galway Track on Friday and Saturday night for Owner Trainer Donal Cooney proved the ideal start for the O’Callaghans Mills man who continued his winning streak in Cusack Park as part of the management team that led the Fireballs back into the last eight of the Clare SHC.
Two major local derbies are on the cards in the Clare SHC quarter-finals with some exciting clashes also in store for the Clare IHC last eight.
First half goals from Gary Cooney and Bryan Donnellan laid the foundations for this merited win by O’Callaghans Mills over Crusheen in this round 2 game in the senior hurling championship.
