Premier Intermediate Club Hurling Power Ranking, The 5th and Final One for 2024 with added County Final Prediction.
16. Newport
Colin Floyd inspired them in their comeback and they came agonisingly close to retaining their status in Nenagh last Sunday Week. If Sean O’Brien and Odhran Floyd are still around, you’d have to give them a chance. Expect another nail biter in the relegation Final Replay, both Attacks after 5 Games in this Year’s Premier Intermediate Championship are joined at the hip scoring an average total of 19.20 per game, Newport have marginally the better Defence.
Down 1.
15. Sean Treacy’s
We move them up 1 spot, as they had the best of the Relegation Final for the majority of the game and will rue that last minute miss, should they come a cropper this Saturday. Will need Pat Deegan and Paddy Carey in the same form again.
Up 1.
14. Moyne Templetuohy
13. Silvermines
12. Killenaule
11. Ballina
10. Clonakenny
9. Boherlahan Dualla
8. St. Mary’s
7. Thurles Sarsfields
6. Burgess
5. Eire Og Annacarthy
4. Gortnahoe Glengoole
Keane Hayes could do no more for the cause but the supporting cast just didn’t show in the Semi-Final. Have young talent coming through again in the shape of their 2024 Minor B County Winning Team, so won’t be long before they make the jump.
No Change.
3. Upperchurch Drombane
A real ding-dong battle with Cashel in their Semi-Final saw them tied at 2-20 a piece at the first long whistle. Goals win games & Cashel got four of them in Extra-time, which will have them scratching their heads out ‘Church way. Another Year of Premier Intermediate Hurling awaits in 2025 for the Team relegated from Senior in 2023.
No Change.
2. Carrick Swan
Consistent all Year, They’ll feel hard done by not to be number 1. Well what more must they do ?. Win on Sunday, We suppose. Lanigan, Walsh and Dunne are all bringing form to the table while the experience of Danny O’Hanlon will get everyone going when he’s sprung in the Stadium.
No Change.
1. Cashel King Cormacs
When you beat last Year’s Finalists in Sars and this Year’s raging hot favourites at the start of the Year in the ‘Church you deserve to keep your number 1 spot. Oisin O’Donoghue was hot in extra-time while the form of Eoghan Connolly is a real plus for both Cashel and Tipperary.
No Change.
Premier Intermediate Hurling Final Prediction.
The first part of Sunday’s Double header in the Stadium sees Cashel King Cormacs and Carrick Swan square off in the Seamus O’Riain Cup final.
Both have had contrasting paths to the final with Cashel failing to qualify from the group, while the Swan had topped theirs after Round 2. What it does show though, is the importance of the divisional Championships to Clubs, which allows them to progress in the County Championship via the Preliminary Quarter Final side door.
As form lines go, both teams have played Upperchurch/Drombane and Gortnahoe/Glengoole. The South men have beaten both opposition while a Keane Hayes goal saw Gortnahoe/Glengoole triumph over Cashel in the Round Robin. Cashel needed extra-time to get over Upperchurch in their Semi-Final.
Cashel were relegated to the Intermediate grade in 2014 but returned to Roinn 11, subsequently Seamus O’Riain and now Premier Intermediate in 2016 and are now on the cusp of a return to the Senior grade in Tipp. Carrick Swan suffered relegation and were condemned to the 2nd tier in 2018 . The Swan however still have ‘senior’ status having won two South Senior Championships in the last 3 years.
The teams last met in the Seamus O’Riain Round Robin in 2022 with the South men coming out on top with a resounding 4-19 to 1-13 victory in Clonmel. 18 of the players on duty that day (10 Cashel, 8 Swan) will see game time this Sunday as both teams contest their first Final at the grade.
Carrick Swan rely on young gun Callum Lanigan (1-32) with 1-12 of that from play over their 5 games so far. Aaron Dunne (1-15) and County U20 Aaron O’Halloran (2-06) also pitch in. On the Cashel side Devon Ryan (2-37), Eoghan Connolly (2-26), Ross Bonnar (3-17) and Oisin O’Donoghue (2-10) share the scoring load with impressive tallies in their 6 County Championship games so far.
Carrick Swan’s form has been consistent throughout the competition while Cashel were porous in the Round Robin before catching fire in the knockout stages. The game is finely poised with pluses on both sides so a close game and dare We say it, a Replay could be in store.