Tipperary Intermediate Hurling Round 3 Permutations and Predictions: Every Game Analysed
The calculations are nearly finished.
After two rounds of the Tipperary Intermediate Hurling Championship, some teams already know exactly where they are going. Others arrive into the final weekend with their county championship season effectively reduced to 60 minutes.
Arravale Rovers, Ballingarry and Borrisokane have already secured first place in their respective groups.
Carrick Davins and Ballybacon/Grange already know they will finish bottom.
Everywhere else, there are complications.
Group 1 remains the most volatile section of the championship, with Kilsheelan/Kilcash, Portroe and last year’s beaten county finalists Knockavilla-Donaskeigh Kickhams still capable of becoming entangled in the qualification mathematics.
Group 2 has one genuine knockout contest, Clonakenny against Shannon Rovers.
Group 3 revolves around the battle between Cappawhite, Skeheenarinky and Holycross/Ballycahill for the one remaining direct qualification place behind Ballingarry.
And Group 4 gives us the simplest equation of the lot.
Moyle Rovers against Newport.
Win and qualify.
A draw is enough for Newport.
But the league table is only one part of the story.
Across the opening two rounds we have seen Kilsheelan/Kilcash accumulate the equivalent of 70 scoring points, Shannon Rovers score 61, Arravale Rovers 62, and Borrisokane and Ballingarry both sit unbeaten with identical totals of 48 points-equivalent scored and 37 conceded.
At the opposite end, Carrick Davins have managed only 17 points-equivalent in two matches.
The gaps are beginning to appear.
Here is every Intermediate Round 3 game, the permutation, the data behind the match-up and our predicted score.
GROUP 1
This is the group where the calculators may be needed.
Kilsheelan/Kilcash lead on four championship points after victories over Clonoulty/Rossmore and Portroe.
Portroe and Knockavilla-Donaskeigh Kickhams have two points each.
Clonoulty/Rossmore are still pointless.
The scoring differences entering Round 3 are striking.
Kilsheelan/Kilcash are +34.
Kickhams are +6.
Portroe are -11.
Clonoulty/Rossmore are -29.
That enormous Kilsheelan cushion is important if the group ends with three teams level on four points.
Portroe also carry one major insurance policy. They won the North Intermediate Championship, defeating Newport 0-24 to 1-16 in the final, so the divisional champions have the preliminary quarter-final route available if direct qualification slips away.
Kilsheelan/Kilcash v Knockavilla-Donaskeigh Kickhams
Saturday, August 22
New Inn
2.00pm
The official fixture list confirms the two Group 1 matches throw in simultaneously at 2.00pm, with Kilsheelan/Kilcash facing Kickhams in New Inn while Portroe play Clonoulty/Rossmore in Newport.
The permutation
Kilsheelan/Kilcash begin on four points.
Kickhams begin on two.
A Kilsheelan victory puts them on six and removes all doubt.
A draw takes Kilsheelan to five and also guarantees their place in the knockout stages.
Kickhams really need to win.
If Kickhams beat Kilsheelan and Portroe fail to beat Clonoulty/Rossmore, Kilsheelan and Kickhams occupy the two direct qualification places.
If Kickhams win and Portroe also win, all three teams finish on four points and the championship tie-break procedures come into play.
That is where Kilsheelan’s current +34 scoring differential becomes hugely valuable.
Kickhams begin the weekend on +6, Portroe on -11.
It would take a substantial swing for Kilsheelan to be dragged out of the top two.
For Kickhams, however, the equation is far less comfortable.
They are last year’s beaten county finalists and could be eliminated from direct qualification only three games into the new campaign.
What the numbers say
Kilsheelan/Kilcash have been the statistical outlier of this championship.
They opened with 4-26 against Clonoulty/Rossmore.
They followed it with 4-20 against Portroe.
That is eight goals and 46 points in two matches.
In points-equivalent terms, it is 70.
An average of 35 per game.
Their defence has conceded only 36 points-equivalent, exactly 18 per game.
So their average scoring differential is an extraordinary +17 per match.
The first objection after Round 1 was obvious.
Clonoulty/Rossmore were depleted.
Could Kilsheelan reproduce that attacking output against a settled, proven championship team?
Portroe supplied the answer.
The North champions had beaten Kickhams in Round 1 and entered their meeting with Kilsheelan with a significant amount of confidence.
Kilsheelan beat them by twelve.
The individual figures explain why.
Mark Kehoe has accumulated 3-08 from play, worth 17 scoring points.
Barry Kehoe has 1-12 from play, worth 15.
Between them, the brothers have contributed 32 points-equivalent without requiring a single placed ball.
Mark leads the current scoring-from-play race, with Barry also among the leading performers in the championship.
Martin Gibbs has supplied a reliable placed-ball outlet and has accumulated 0-14 overall, while Senan Butler, Jamie Roche, Mikey Maguire and Paul Maher have all contributed goals across the opening rounds.
There is no single source to remove.
That is what makes them so dangerous.
Kickhams have considerably more attacking talent than their ninth-place power ranking might suggest.
Stephen Browne has scored 0-17, including 0-12 from play.
Shane Buckley has 0-08 from general play.
Cormac Carr has 1-03.
Kickhams improved from 0-21 against Portroe to 2-26 against Clonoulty/Rossmore, moving from 21 to 32 points-equivalent in a single round.
But the other number from that Clonoulty game is more troubling.
3-16 conceded.
A team that conceded 4-26 in Round 1 still managed to score three goals against Kickhams.
That defensive looseness is a major warning before facing the best attacking side in the championship.
The tactical question
Can Kickhams stop the goals?
Kilsheelan have scored four in both championship matches.
That rate will not continue indefinitely, but it does not need to.
If Kickhams can keep them to one goal, this becomes a game.
If Kilsheelan score two or three, Kickhams will need their best attacking performance of the season just to remain in contact.
There is also psychological pressure here.
Kilsheelan can play with a degree of freedom.
Kickhams cannot.
Every missed free, every failed clearance and every Kilsheelan scoring burst will carry additional weight because Kickhams know what defeat could mean.
Prediction
Kickhams are far too good to dismiss.
They also have the championship experience to make this uncomfortable.
But Kilsheelan have now produced the strongest attacking numbers in the competition against two very different opponents.
The Kehoes’ scoring from play is the defining factor.
Predicted score: Kilsheelan/Kilcash 2-23 Knockavilla-Donaskeigh Kickhams 1-20
Prediction: Kilsheelan/Kilcash by 6 points
Clonoulty/Rossmore v Portroe
Saturday, August 22
Newport
2.00pm
The permutation
For Portroe, a victory is the cleanest route.
They would move to four championship points and then watch New Inn to discover exactly where they finish.
If Kilsheelan beat Kickhams, a Portroe victory puts the North champions through directly in second place.
If Kickhams beat Kilsheelan and Portroe also win, all three teams reach four and the tie-break mathematics become relevant.
A draw takes Portroe to three.
If Kickhams lose, that would be enough.
If Kickhams draw with Kilsheelan, Portroe and Kickhams would both have three, with Portroe having won their direct meeting 1-19 to 0-21 in Round 1.
A Portroe defeat makes life significantly more complicated.
Clonoulty/Rossmore would move to two points and could create a multi-team tie lower down the group depending on the New Inn result.
Portroe do, however, retain the preliminary quarter-final safety net as North champions.
The numbers
Portroe’s two county championship performances could hardly have been more different.
Round 1:
Portroe 1-19 Knockavilla-Donaskeigh Kickhams 0-21.
Round 2:
Kilsheelan/Kilcash 4-20 Portroe 2-14.
Their attack has therefore produced 22 and 20 points-equivalent.
Remarkably consistent.
The defence has not.
They conceded 21 against Kickhams and 32 against Kilsheelan.
That leaves their defensive average at 26.5.
Mikey Creamer has been their major goal threat.
He has scored 3-02, all three goals coming from play.
John Sheedy has accumulated 0-12, while Sam Madden has five championship points and Cian Hogan three.
Portroe’s attack is not the concern here.
Clonoulty/Rossmore are conceding 35 points-equivalent per game.
They have allowed 4-26 and 2-26.
No team in the Intermediate Championship has conceded more.
There was, however, a major attacking improvement in Round 2.
After scoring only 0-16 against Kilsheelan, Clonoulty/Rossmore produced 3-16 against Kickhams.
Aidan Loughman, Padraig Heffernan and Aaron Ryan all found the net.
That makes this game more dangerous for Portroe than the standings might suggest.
The availability factor
Clonoulty/Rossmore’s senior side plays Loughmore-Castleiney on Sunday.
That matters.
An intermediate second team is inevitably affected by senior panel requirements, particularly at this point in a county championship.
Portroe arrive as a settled first team and North champions.
Clonoulty/Rossmore arrive with a structure that can change according to what is required further up the club.
That gives Portroe a considerable advantage in continuity.
Prediction
The Round 2 Portroe performance was poor.
But this is an excellent fixture for a response.
Creamer’s goal threat and Sheedy’s placed-ball striking should give Portroe a consistent scoring platform, while Clonoulty/Rossmore have yet to show they can keep an opponent below a major total.
Predicted score: Clonoulty/Rossmore 1-17 Portroe 2-20
Prediction: Portroe by 6 points
GROUP 4
The mathematics here are much cleaner.
Borrisokane are confirmed group winners.
Ballybacon/Grange are confirmed bottom.
That leaves Moyle Rovers and Newport competing for second.
Tipperary GAA has confirmed that the winner progresses and a draw is enough for Newport.
Both games throw in at 4.00pm on Saturday, Ballybacon/Grange against Borrisokane in Templetuohy and Moyle Rovers against Newport in Templemore.
Ballybacon/Grange v Borrisokane
Saturday, August 22
Templetuohy
4.00pm
The permutation
There is none in terms of league position.
Borrisokane will finish first.
Ballybacon/Grange will finish fourth.
But calling the game meaningless would be a mistake.
Borrisokane are preparing for knockout hurling.
Ballybacon/Grange are preparing for relegation hurling.
Momentum matters to both.
Borrisokane’s rise
Borrisokane have quietly assembled one of the most balanced statistical profiles in the championship.
They have scored 48 points-equivalent.
They have conceded 37.
That is exactly the same scoring record as Ballingarry.
Their Round 1 victory over Moyle Rovers was solid rather than spectacular, 0-22 to 0-17.
Round 2 was different.
They defeated Newport 2-20 to 1-17.
Oisín Larkin is central to everything.
He has accumulated a points-equivalent total of 21, including 1-08 in Round 2.
Michael Heenan’s six points from play against Newport gave the attack another dimension, while Ciaran Foley and Liam Cleary have also been contributing consistently.
Their defensive average is only 18.5.
Only Kilsheelan/Kilcash and Shannon Rovers have conceded at a lower rate.
Ballybacon are better than 0-2 suggests
Ballybacon/Grange have lost twice.
They have also improved considerably.
Round 1 brought a 0-26 to 0-14 defeat against Newport.
Round 2 brought a two-point loss to Moyle Rovers, 3-16 to 2-17.
Paul Cummins has been one of the additions of the championship.
He has scored 0-19 across the two county matches, with ten points coming from open play.
Oisín Ryan and Shane Ryan both found the net against Moyle Rovers, reducing the dependence on Cummins that was obvious after Round 1.
Ballybacon are improving.
Unfortunately for them, Borrisokane are too.
Prediction
The danger for Borrisokane is a drop in intensity.
Their place is secured.
Ballybacon have nothing to protect and can hurl with freedom.
Even allowing for that, Borrisokane possess the better defensive structure and the more reliable scoring profile.
Predicted score: Ballybacon/Grange 1-17 Borrisokane 2-20
Prediction: Borrisokane by 6 points
Moyle Rovers v Newport
Saturday, August 22
Templemore
4.00pm
Here we are.
A proper Round 3 championship game.
The permutation
A Moyle Rovers win sends Moyle through.
A Newport win sends Newport through.
A draw sends Newport through.
Nothing else is required.
The statistical comparison
Newport have scored 46 points-equivalent and conceded 40.
Moyle Rovers have scored 42 and conceded 45.
Newport therefore enter with a six-point positive differential.
Moyle are minus three.
Both have one win and one defeat.
Newport’s championship began brilliantly.
They beat Ballybacon/Grange 0-26 to 0-14 and produced one of the broadest scoring spreads of Round 1.
Round 2 brought a serious reality check.
Borrisokane beat them 2-20 to 1-17.
The key statistic was not the final score.
It was ten first-half wides.
Newport were playing with the wind, created more than enough opportunities to build a significant lead and reached half-time level at 1-09 each.
They left Borrisokane alive.
Borrisokane punished them.
Colin Floyd has contributed 1-10 across the championship, while Conor Floyd, Conor McLaughlin, Cian Flanagan, Charlie Tobin and several others have all scored.
Newport’s player sheet shows contributions across practically every line of the field.
They do not lack scorers.
They need greater efficiency.
Moyle’s response
Moyle lost 0-22 to 0-17 against Borrisokane in Round 1 and recorded 13 wides.
Round 2 brought an immediate improvement.
They scored 3-16 against Ballybacon/Grange.
Their attacking output jumped from 17 to 25 points-equivalent.
Daire Luttrell and Anthony Phelan have added goal threat, while John Cronin, Rian Quigley, Dara Ryan and Dean English give Moyle several potential scoring routes.
There is also recent knockout experience.
Moyle reached the county knockout stages last season.
They know what these final-round games feel like.
The tactical dilemma
Newport do not need to chase.
That can be an advantage or a trap.
If they play for a draw too early, they risk surrendering the attacking initiative.
Moyle have to win.
That clarity can simplify the game.
Moyle must push numbers forward eventually.
That should create spaces for Newport’s runners and the Floyds.
If Newport are even moderately more efficient than they were against Borrisokane, their broader scoring spread should become decisive.
Prediction
This should be close.
Very close.
Moyle’s Round 2 goal threat makes them dangerous, but Newport have shown the higher attacking ceiling and have the advantage of knowing a draw is sufficient.
Predicted score: Moyle Rovers 1-18 Newport 1-21
Prediction: Newport by 3 points
GROUP 2
Group 2 contains one dead rubber and one knockout match.
Arravale Rovers are confirmed group winners.
Carrick Davins are confirmed bottom and heading for the relegation semi-final.
That leaves Shannon Rovers and Clonakenny.
Shannon Rovers have two points.
Clonakenny have two.
Clonakenny must win to claim second place, although their Mid Intermediate title guarantees them a preliminary quarter-final place if required.
Both games throw in at 5.00pm on Saturday.
Clonakenny v Shannon Rovers
Saturday, August 22
Toomevara
5.00pm
This may be the game of the Intermediate weekend.
The permutation
Shannon Rovers win, Shannon Rovers qualify.
Draw, Shannon Rovers qualify.
Clonakenny win, Clonakenny qualify directly.
Clonakenny’s championship will not end with defeat because they are Mid champions and have the preliminary quarter-final route available.
But nobody wants to use the back door if the front door remains open.
Strip away the Carrick Davins distortion
Shannon Rovers’ raw statistics are astonishing.
They have scored 61 points-equivalent.
They have conceded only 36.
That gives them a +25 differential, second only to Kilsheelan/Kilcash.
The reason for caution is Round 1.
Shannon Rovers beat Carrick Davins 6-18 to 1-06.
That one result massively inflates every average.
Round 2 told us far more.
Arravale Rovers 2-21.
Shannon Rovers 1-22.
A two-point defeat.
Shannon Rovers nearly won it.
They produced an excellent second-half performance, went in front late and forced Arravale to find an injury-time goal to survive.
Conal Moran was outstanding.
He scored 0-13, with six points coming from play.
He now has 0-19 across the opening two rounds.
Eamonn Hough has scored three championship goals, while Austin Tierney has also been a significant goal threat across the campaign. Andy Byrne and John O’Meara give Shannon Rovers further scoring depth.
This is not simply a team whose numbers were inflated by Davins.
The Arravale performance proves that.
Clonakenny’s two-man scoring machine
Clonakenny’s numbers are much more concentrated.
Bobby Bergin has scored 2-10 entirely from play.
Cian O’Dwyer has scored 0-20, with the majority coming from placed balls.
Together, the pair have supplied 36 of Clonakenny’s 46 points-equivalent.
That is almost 78 per cent.
Bergin is arguably the most dangerous pure open-play forward in the grade.
O’Dwyer gives Clonakenny a reliable punishment mechanism whenever opponents foul.
But there is an obvious question.
What happens if Shannon Rovers reduce one of them?
Clonakenny need Michael John Carroll, Sean Stapleton, Diarmuid Ryan and the wider attack to contribute more if this turns into another 25-plus-point game.
The game-state advantage
Shannon Rovers have one enormous tactical advantage.
They do not need to win.
That does not mean they should play for a draw.
It means they never have to panic.
If the match is level with ten minutes remaining, the pressure belongs almost entirely to Clonakenny.
Clonakenny have to push.
Shannon Rovers can counter.
The longer it remains close, the more important that becomes.
Prediction
This is Clonakenny’s toughest problem.
Bergin is good enough to win the game almost single-handedly if Shannon Rovers give him space.
But Shannon Rovers showed against Arravale that they can produce against one of the strongest teams in the championship.
Their scoring spread is broader.
Their defence has been stronger.
And the draw being sufficient gives them a crucial final-quarter advantage.
Predicted score: Clonakenny 1-20 Shannon Rovers 2-20
Prediction: Shannon Rovers by 3 points
Arravale Rovers v Carrick Davins
Saturday, August 22
Clonmel Sportsfield
5.00pm
The permutation
None.
Arravale Rovers are first.
Carrick Davins are fourth.
The result cannot change either position.
That does not mean there is nothing to learn.
Arravale are trying to maintain momentum before a county quarter-final.
Davins badly need evidence that they can compete before entering relegation hurling.
The gap in the numbers
Arravale have scored 62 points-equivalent.
Davins have scored 17.
Arravale average 31 per game.
Davins average 8.5.
Carrick Davins are not merely the lowest-scoring side in the championship.
They are 18 points-equivalent behind Holycross/Ballycahill, the next-lowest team.
Davins scored 1-06 against Shannon Rovers.
They scored 0-08 against Clonakenny.
Only four Round 2 points came from general play.
Arravale have the opposite problem.
Their attack is excellent.
Their defence has conceded too much.
They gave up 2-20 to Clonakenny and 1-22 to Shannon Rovers.
But they won both.
Orrin Jones has scored 0-26, combining elite placed-ball striking with eight points from play.
Seán O’Mahony has 2-08 entirely from general play.
Jaye Cilvinas, Adam Ryan and Conal Donovan have all supplied goals.
That is too much attacking firepower for the current Davins defence.
The only uncertainty
How strong a team do Arravale field?
Their position is secure.
The temptation to manage knocks and protect key players will be understandable.
Even with some rotation, the scoring disparity is too significant to ignore.
Prediction
Davins should improve on 0-08.
They may still find themselves a long way short.
Predicted score: Arravale Rovers 2-23 Carrick Davins 0-11
Prediction: Arravale Rovers by 18 points
GROUP 3
This group has the most interesting qualification mathematics.
Ballingarry are confirmed first.
Cappawhite have two points.
Skeheenarinky have one.
Holycross/Ballycahill have one.
Tipperary GAA confirms all three teams remain in contention for second place.
Both Group 3 games throw in at 6.30pm on Sunday, August 23, Ballingarry against Holycross/Ballycahill in Littleton and Cappawhite against Skeheenarinky in Lattin.
Ballingarry v Holycross/Ballycahill
Sunday, August 23
Littleton
6.30pm
The permutation
Ballingarry cannot be moved from first.
Holycross/Ballycahill can still reach second.
But they require help.
Their first requirement is simple.
Beat Ballingarry.
That takes Holycross/Ballycahill to three points.
They would then need Cappawhite not to win the other fixture.
If Skeheenarinky beat Cappawhite, Skeheenarinky would also finish on three.
Because Holycross/Ballycahill and Skeheenarinky drew their direct meeting, scoring difference would then become hugely important.
Current scoring difference:
Skeheenarinky: -6
Holycross/Ballycahill: -11
Holycross therefore begin five points behind in the differential race.
They do not merely need to beat Ballingarry.
They may need to beat them convincingly.
The Round 2 transformation
Holycross/Ballycahill produced the biggest attacking improvement between rounds.
Round 1:
0-11.
Round 2:
4-12.
Their points-equivalent output jumped from 11 to 24.
Eoghan Hickey scored two goals.
Luke O’Mara scored one.
Jamie Woods scored one.
For the first time in the county championship, Holycross looked genuinely dangerous around goal.
The problem is the opponent.
Ballingarry have shown something different
Ballingarry are not the most explosive attacking team in the championship.
They may be one of the most resilient.
They beat Skeheenarinky 1-19 to 0-16 in Round 1.
Then they beat Cappawhite 3-17 to 1-18 while playing with 14 men for around 42 minutes.
That is an important piece of evidence.
They did not win because everything went perfectly.
They won despite the game turning against them.
Dylan Walsh hit 2-06 in Round 2.
Jack Cahill, Tommy McGrath and Ben Ivers have all contributed across the opening two games.
Ballingarry have conceded only one goal in two championship matches.
Their defence has been the foundation.
Motivation
This is the unknown.
Ballingarry have already secured first.
Holycross are fighting for survival in the championship.
That emotional imbalance could make this much closer than the raw numbers indicate.
But Ballingarry also have an opportunity to enter the quarter-finals 3-0 and with momentum.
Championship teams usually value that.
Prediction
Holycross will have goal chances if their Round 2 attacking improvement is real.
Ballingarry’s defensive record suggests they will not get four of them again.
Predicted score: Ballingarry 2-19 Holycross/Ballycahill 1-17
Prediction: Ballingarry by 5 points
Cappawhite v Skeheenarinky
Sunday, August 23
Lattin
6.30pm
The final match of the Intermediate group stage may have the most tension attached to it.
The permutation
Cappawhite enter on two points.
Skeheenarinky have one.
A Cappawhite win sends Cappawhite through.
A Skeheenarinky win takes Skeheenarinky to three and puts them in pole position, although a Holycross/Ballycahill victory over Ballingarry could create a tie on three.
A draw takes Cappawhite to three and Skeheenarinky to two.
That leaves Cappawhite in an extremely strong position for second.
Skeheenarinky also have one important safety net.
They are South champions, having defeated Ballingarry 2-20 to 0-25 in the divisional final, so a preliminary quarter-final place is available even if they do not qualify directly.
Cappawhite’s strange Round 2 defeat
Cappawhite’s overall numbers are good.
They have scored 43 points-equivalent.
They have conceded only 37.
Their average defensive concession is 18.5, one of the strongest figures in the championship.
Yet their Round 2 defeat badly damaged their stock.
They played against 14-man Ballingarry for most of the match and still lost 3-17 to 1-18.
The scoring breakdown is revealing.
Dara McCarthy scored 0-10, all ten from placed balls.
Cappawhite were heavily dependent on dead-ball scoring and did not create enough from open play to exploit the extra man.
That cannot happen again.
Skeheenarinky’s defensive problem
Skeheen’s issue is different.
They scored 1-21 in Round 2.
That should win a lot of Intermediate Championship games.
Holycross/Ballycahill scored four goals.
The final score, 4-12 to 1-21, left the sides level.
Skeheen have conceded five goals across two county matches.
Cappawhite have conceded three.
That is a meaningful difference in a game likely to be decided by one or two scoring possessions.
What should the game look like?
Skeheenarinky have to be aggressive.
A draw does little for them in terms of direct qualification.
Cappawhite can operate with slightly more patience.
That may suit the West side.
Their placed-ball game becomes particularly important because Skeheen cannot afford to repeatedly foul while chasing turnovers and forcing the pace.
If McCarthy gets ten placed-ball opportunities again, the difference this time is that Cappawhite may not require much more from play.
Prediction
This should be tight from the first minute to the last.
Skeheen have the championship pedigree to make it deeply uncomfortable.
But Cappawhite’s defensive numbers are better, and the Round 2 defeat should sharpen them rather than define them.
Predicted score: Cappawhite 1-20 Skeheenarinky 1-18
Prediction: Cappawhite by 2 points
What our predictions would mean
If all eight predictions land, the direct qualifiers would be:
Group 1 would send Kilsheelan/Kilcash and Portroe through.
Group 2 would finish with Arravale Rovers first and Shannon Rovers second.
Group 3 would send Ballingarry and Cappawhite directly into the knockout stages.
Group 4 would finish with Borrisokane first and Newport second.
Clonakenny, Portroe if required, and Skeheenarinky still have their divisional routes available through the preliminary quarter-finals, depending on how the final group positions fall.
The most vulnerable prediction is probably Newport over Moyle Rovers.
The most consequential is Kilsheelan/Kilcash against Kickhams.
The strongest selection is Arravale Rovers against Carrick Davins.
And the game that could produce the most dramatic final ten minutes is Clonakenny against Shannon Rovers.
Round 3 Predictions at a Glance
Kilsheelan/Kilcash v Knockavilla-Donaskeigh Kickhams
Kilsheelan/Kilcash 2-23 Kickhams 1-20
Kilsheelan/Kilcash by 6
Clonoulty/Rossmore v Portroe
Clonoulty/Rossmore 1-17 Portroe 2-20
Portroe by 6
Ballybacon/Grange v Borrisokane
Ballybacon/Grange 1-17 Borrisokane 2-20
Borrisokane by 6
Moyle Rovers v Newport
Moyle Rovers 1-18 Newport 1-21
Newport by 3
Clonakenny v Shannon Rovers
Clonakenny 1-20 Shannon Rovers 2-20
Shannon Rovers by 3
Arravale Rovers v Carrick Davins
Arravale Rovers 2-23 Carrick Davins 0-11
Arravale Rovers by 18
Ballingarry v Holycross/Ballycahill
Ballingarry 2-19 Holycross/Ballycahill 1-17
Ballingarry by 5
Cappawhite v Skeheenarinky
Cappawhite 1-20 Skeheenarinky 1-18
Cappawhite by 2
By Sunday evening, the league tables disappear.
The excuses disappear with them.
Some teams will have a county quarter-final to prepare for.
Some divisional champions will be reaching for their preliminary quarter-final safety net.
And others will suddenly find themselves preparing for relegation hurling.
Two rounds have given us the data.
Round 3 gives us the answers.