NOW that each County Championship has been decided, the GAA Club Provincial Championships begin, and the stage is set for some intense competition.
Already, some of the pre-season favourites and title holders have been knocked out. As the games commence, let’s take a look at each province and see who might come out on top for both the Senior Football and Senior Hurling grades.
Ulster
Hurling: Cushendall
Football: Scotstown
Glen being dethroned has thrown the race for the Football Championship wide open. I think Kilcoo have unfinished business and will be hungry and very hard to stop. However, something isn’t clicking for the Magpies. They don’t seem to be brushing teams aside as easily as when they won the All-Ireland in 2022. They are on a collision course with Scotstown—possibly—and I think the winner of Ulster comes from that side of the draw. Kilcoo will be hungry for revenge after last year’s game.
However, I may regret this, but I am going to go for Scotstown; for a club and squad as talented as theirs, surely it is time for this crop of players to stand up. They will likely go on to play Clann Eireann in the final, who look like a very well-organised outfit. They will get it tough against Errigal Ciarán, and the Tyrone champs probably have one of the best squads in the competition, but getting out of Tyrone is a minefield and one that takes its toll, I fear.
Hurling is likely to be a simpler prediction. The winner will surely be either Cushendall or Slaughtneil. Considering The Ógs have had their number in recent years, I think they will prevail. Portaferry will put up a fight in the final, but I can’t see them causing too much trouble. Cushendall to retain the SHC.
Leinster
Hurling: Naas
Football: Cuala
Now, that isn’t a typo. Three years ago, Naas for football and Cuala for hurling would have been a good bet. However, times have changed, especially for the Dalkey club. After winning their first Dublin SFC, they have marched into Leinster and won their quarter-final tie against Naas.
I had that game down as ‘whoever wins this wins it all’ and in what was one of the games of the year, the outsiders prevailed, playing a lovely brand of football. I just can’t see another club in Leinster having enough pedigree to beat this Cuala team that is stacked. It isn’t all doom and gloom for the Naas men, though.
In hurling, they are dominating the Kildare landscape and have won six-in-a-row, easily! As a team, they must be looking to make a dent in the provincial competition now. Up until last weekend, I had Naas down for the double. Now, with the footballers out, it makes the hurlers stronger.
Ballyhale being knocked out has made this interesting, and surely it is anyone’s game. However, I think it might be a step too far for a very talented Thomastown this year. After finally winning the Kilkenny Intermediate in 2023 and then going on to beat Ballyhale and O’Loughlin Gaels in the senior final, it must be a step too far to go and win in Leinster. As long as Naas get past Na Fianna, they will have the edge on the rest of the clubs. That’s a big if,
Connacht
Hurling: Loughrea (Galway Champions represent the division)
Football: Padraig Pearses
Padraig Pearses vs Mohill and Coolera Strandhill vs Ballina Stephenites are the semi-finals in the football. These are four very even teams and up until recently, I couldn’t have guessed who might win Connacht.
However, after watching the dismantling job that Padraig Pearses did on Corofin, it really is hard to look past the Roscommon team. They absolutely ripped Corofin apart in the first half and really sent out a message to the rest of Ireland.
Who knows what Ballina might throw up as we haven’t seen them in action yet, but I think the crown goes back to Roscommon this year again.
Munster
Hurling: Ballygunner
Football: Dr Crokes
The old romantic in me wants to see a Loughmore-Castleiney double. Wins in both hurling and football aren’t impossible, but it may be a step too far for the Tipp club.
In the football, we had another ‘whoever wins this wins it all’ match with Dr Crokes vs Castlehaven. I was very impressed with how easy Dr Crokes made it look against the Cork and reigning Munster Champions.
If you are a fan of noughties football, then seeing Crokes pass the ball through the lines with that delicate instep foot pass, so it just bounces in front of the attacker, is iconic for those who wore the black and amber down through the years. I think the Kerry club are surely favourites, and at present, I can’t see where the challenge comes from.
Unfortunately, in hurling, it is much the same. Now that Ballygunner have gotten past Doone, I see them having too much for Loughmore, and they may meet Sarsfields in the final.
Although that might be a tight game, Sarsfields are coming off the back of losing out on the Cork Premier SHC to Imokilly, the divisional team. Hardly the best prep before trying to claim a provincial crown.
Before that final, the Cork team would need to get past Clare champs Feakle, which will be no easy task, but the Clare champs haven’t been here since 1988, and I feel that may swing the tie between both teams. Whoever comes through, I just don’t see them beating Ballygunner.
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