1. Dublin senior hurling championship will have new winners
New senior hurling champions will be crowned in the capital as Cuala and St Judes go head to head at Parnell Park on Saturday afternoon.
Cuala are managed by former Galway selector Mattie Kenny and can call upon Dublin stars Cian O’Callaghan, David Treacy and the Schutte brothers, Mark and Paul.
Darragh O’Connell, the Kerry import and former Christy Ring Cup winner, has also made a significant impact with the club and there’s also a Tipperary influence in the team in the form of journalist Shane Stapleton, brother of Premier County star Paddy.
You have to go back to 1994 for the last of Cuala’s three titles, while opponents St Jude’s were beaten finalists last year and want to go one step better.
They have former Waterford star Wayne Hutchinson in their line-up and he’ll be hoping to add a Dublin medal to the four he won in the colours of current Déise kingpins Ballygunner.
2. And there’s a football decider pencilled in for Sunday
St Vincent’s are odds-on favourites with the bookies to land a third successive Dublin senior football crown, and their 28th in total.
Vincent’s, the reigning Leinster champions, boast the brilliant Diarmuid Connolly in their attack but former Dublin star Tomás ‘Mossy’ Quinn continues to be a prolific scorer at club level.
Their defence is anchored by recently-retired former Dublin intercounty star Ger Brennan and Shane Carthy is another impressive performer at midfield.
There’s plenty of class in the Ballyboden St Endas ranks too as they seek Dublin glory for the first time since 2009.
Ex-Dublin senior hurler Stephen Hiney is a defensive mainstay for the club’s footballers while current county hurler David ‘Dotsy’ O’Callaghan came off the bench in the semi-final victory over Clontarf.
Conal Keaney has played both codes for the county and the stand-out footballing talent for ‘Boden is midfielder Michael Darragh MacAuley.
3. Commercial break for Tipperary kingpins
There was some criticism earlier in the week when it appeared that St Mary’s of Clonmel would have to play a county minor A hurling semi-final on Saturday.
That would have presented Tipperary senior football champions Clonmel Commercials with a major headache as two of their players, county football minors Jack Kennedy and Ross Peters, are also hurlers for St Mary’s.
But to their credit, Tipperary chiefs postponed the hurling fixture, which leaves boss Charlie McGeever free to concentrate on Sunday’s AIB Munster senior football quarter-final against Limerick’s Newcastle West without the headache of worrying about potential injuries.
On home soil at Clonmel Sportsfield, Commercials will fancy their chances in this one and if they do win it, they’re up against Clare’s finest, St Joseph’s Milltown, in the last four of the provincial series.
On the opposite side of the draw to the Cork and Kerry heavyweights, a potential path to the final is a realistic goal for the Tipperary, Limerick or Clare winners.
Commercials have lost four Munster finals in their history while Sunday’s opponents Newcastle West contested the 1987 provincial showpiece against Nemo Rangers.
4. Can Oulart-the-Ballagh crack the Leinster code?
The AIB Leinster senior club hurling championship has been a tale of woe for Wexford champions Oulart-the-Ballagh down through the years.
They’ve lost six finals in total, including four-in-a-row from 2011-2014.
Having coughed up their almost annual county crown last year, Oulart are back on top in the Model County and maybe the year out has done them the world of good as they focus sights on Leinster again.
Oulart have won 12 Wexford titles but haven’t managed to get over the line in Leinster yet.
They begin their campaign on Sunday with a quarter-final against Laois champions Clough-Ballacolla at O’Moore Park in Portlaoise.
The reward for the winners is a clash with Sunday’s other winning quarter-finalists, as Carlow’s St Mullins take on Clonkill of Westmeath.
5. Who will emerge as Ulster senior football semi-finalists?
Crossmaglen Rangers are Ulster club specialists, having won the provincial crown a record ten times.
That’s a remarkable achievement in such a competitive province but it’s almost three years now since they won it last.
Since then, Derry sides have reigned supreme, with Ballinderry crowned champions two years ago and Slaughtneil the current holders.
Slaughtneil went all the way to the All-Ireland final last March and are targeting Ulster honours again.
Crossmaglen are fancied to see off Antrim’s Erin’s Own from Cargin while Slaughtneil face a diffcult assignment against Monaghan representatives Scotstown, who boast the Hughes brothers Darren and Kieran.
Elsewhere, it’s Cavan against Down as Kingscourt take on Kilcoo while the clash between Donegal’s Naomh Conaill and Trillick from Tyrone could be a spicy affair.
