Preview: The penultimate weekend in Kildare club hurling is upon us
It's a big weekend in the Kildare club hurling scene as places in this year's senior county final are up for grabs, while there is also a relegation final which will decide who will drop down to intermediate level for next year's championship.
Our hurling correspondent Matthew Faughnan takes a look at each game.
Maynooth vs Clane: Kildare Senior Hurling Championship relegation final
Venue: Kilcock, Saturday 3pm
As part of the hurling championship restructuring process that will see an eight team championship next year, 2015 will see the first senior hurling relegation final in a long time. For the last six or seven years Maynooth have moved between the senior and intermediate grades, showing themselves to be a very good intermediate side while ultimately failing to ever establish themselves as a senior team.
Clane on the other hand, whilst not winning a championship title, have always been a team to be taken seriously at senior level. Almost every year, they take a notable scalp. In the league encounter Maynooth actually came out on top on a score line of 2-10 to 0-14 but it is very hard to look past a Clane victory.
Their team contains hurlers of the calibre of Bernard Deay, Ryan Mcgrath and Lorcan Harney as well as promising young players like Paddy McKenna and Cathal Egan. Maynooth, in fairness have some good players of their own such as Harry Oliver and the ever reliable Mark Cummins but they lack a real star performer.
If they can turn the game into a closely fought dog fight in the middle third and their free taker has a good day at the office, they might just remain in the game long enough to make Clane second guess themselves. However, Clane are more than capable of mixing it in tough conditions and it’s going to take something of a minor miracle for Maynooth to avoid the drop.
Verdict: Clane
Ardclough vs Eire Og: Kildare Senior Hurling Senior Hurling Championship semi-final
Venue: Hawkfield, Saturday 3pm
Ardclough, the form team in this years championship, will face off against old rivals, Eire Og, in the first semi-final of the weekend. While the teams are evenly matched, two key battles will decide the game; Eire Og’s centre-back, Declan Curran, will more than likely face off against Colm Buggy.
The Ardclough veteran, while often named at centre-forward, plays a withdrawn role which can leave his marker wondering if he should pick him up or try to hold the middle. The other big battle is going to be between Eire Og’s Paul Kennedy and whoever Ardclough entrust with the number three jersey on the day.
Kennedy, clearly playing with an injury, has essentially kept Eire Og in this championship, he turned the Confey game on its head with his aerial prowess and unselfish distribution, all of this while being marked by no less of a full back than Paul Keegan.
If Ardclough can shut him down, they will go a long way as to winning this game. Eire Og are never a team to be taken lightly but this Ardclough team look like they are on a mission to get their long serving veterans up the steps of Conleth’s one last time.
Verdict: Ardclough
Coill Dubh vs Confey: Kildare Senior Hurling Senior Hurling Championship semi-final
Venue: Hawkfield, Sunday 12.30pm
The purists versus the tacticians, this game will see a total contrast in hurling styles as both teams will attempt to play to their strengths. Confey are a joy to watch for the modern hurling fan, they withdraw their half forward line and play intricate stick passes in the middle third until an opening appears and then exploit it for all its worth.
Alternatively, Coill Dubh’s game plan is built on the traditional values of direct clearances, strong forwards capable of winning their own ball and a work rate that has to be seen to be believed. While Confey may have won the group game between these two, it has to be remembered that the torrential rain and the absence of Coill Dubh’s Declan Flaherty were significant factors in that result.
While Coill Dubh are missing a couple of influential players through injury, being able to call on a hurler of the experience and class of Adrian McAndrew leaves them far from stuck. If Coill Dubh can apply enough pressure in the middle third to upset Confey’s passing game, they should win this game. If not, a shootout will ensue and Confey, with the likes of Darragh Nolan in their forwards, rarely come out on the wrong side of these.
Verdict: Coill Dubh