All-Ireland senior club hurling semi-finals
Saturday 16 December
- St Thomas (Galway) v Ballygunner (Waterford), Portlaoise, 7.30pm – TG4.
Sunday 17 December
- O’Loughlin Gaels (Kilkenny) v Ruairí Óg Cushendall (Antrim), Páirc Tailteann, Navan, 1.30pm – TG4.
*****
St Thomas (Galway)
- Key player
Top scorer in the 2012 All-Ireland club final win over Kilcormac-Killoughey, Conor Cooney continues to still point the way for St Thomas over a decade on. The captain provides vital leadership and his scoring touch shows no sign of deserting him, exemplified by the stunning return of 1-14 in this year’s county semi-final victory against Sarsfields.
- Sideline leader
The Burke family have spearheaded the rise of St Thomas, and that trend shows no sign of abating. A decade ago Kenneth Burke was midfield for the All-Ireland win, now he is directing operations from the sideline, managing his brothers in the process. Kenneth has managed St Thomas to win the last three Galway championships, was a county minor selector in 2018, and has recently been installed as Galway manager outright on a two-year term. Former Galway camogie coach Robbie Lane is filling a similar role for the Kilchreest-Peterswell combination.
- All-Ireland semi-final history
The 2012-13 campaign was a fairytale one for St Thomas, the Galway club winning their first county senior final and embarking on a wondrous run that culminated in St Patrick’s Day glory in Croke Park. They defeated Loughgiel Shamrocks in that year’s semi-final, and have fitted in a further five semi-finals since, a sequence that has produced mixed results. They overturned Cushendall in 2019, but have lost out to Ballyea in 2017, Borris-Ileigh in 2020, Ballyhale Shamrocks in January 2022, and Dunloy in December 2022.
- Form this season
Made history by maintaining the stranglehold they have exerted on the Galway club hurling scene. The latest win saw them clinch six-in-a-row in the county sneior hurling championship, a feat only previously achieved by Turloughmore, who they defeated in this year’s final. Remarkably they now have eight Galway final victories and no defeats, all stockpiled since 2012. With no Connacht action, they enjoyed a direct passage to the All-Ireland last four.
*****
Ballygunner (Waterford)
- Key player
You could take your pick of Ballygunner’s many prominent stars, but after a year that began with his late January retirement announcement from the inter-county game, Pauric Mahony has excelled in club ranks. Scored 0-28 in his side’s three outings en route to their latest Munster title win. His semi-final display was a real standout, rifling over eleven points, three from play, in really tough winter conditions against Na Piarsaigh.
- Sideline leader
Darragh O’Sullivan’s impressive leadership continues, the All-Ireland winning supremo from 2022, is still guiding the Ballygunner ship. Aiden Maher and Rory O’Sullivan are selectors, while former Offaly player David Franks is a highly-regarded coach. Franks is set to link up with Wexford at inter-county level for the 2024 season.
- All-Ireland semi-final history
A fifth semi-final in this competition awaits the hurlers of Ballygunner. Their first outing back in 2002 was fruitless at the hands of Galway’s Clarinbridge, but this squad have accumulated huge experience of these outings. They lost to Ballyhale Shamrocks in 2019, defeated Slaughtneil in 2022, and lost twelve months to their familiar Kilkenny foes.
- Form this season
Their remarkable dominance in both Waterford and Munster has been maintained. Ballygunner completed ten-in-a-row at local level in September, dismissing De La Salle in the final by 11 points. They claimed three wins on the bounce in Munster, undergoing a tough challenge against Na Piarsaigh in the semi-final, while either side of that, they cruised past Sarsfields and Clonlara. Became the first club ever to do three-in-a-row in Munster, and have now won four of the last five championships in the province.
*****
O’Loughlin Gaels (Kilkenny)
- Key player
Feels you could pick any of the inspirational defensive county figures in the O’Loughlin Gaels line-up – Mikey Butler, Huw Lawlor or Paddy Deegan. The first two were All-Star winners last month and for all their heroics, it is the golden scoring touch that gives Deegan the edge. Anyone studying him at county level would not be surprised at his forceful nature for his club, but his stunning injury-time winner in the county final against Ballyhale, and his five brilliant points from play in the Leinster final, elevate his contribution.
- Sideline leader
Brian Hogan was a stalwart in defence for so long in the O’Loughlin Gaels and Kilkenny playing ranks. Now he is piloting his club as a manager, bring the blend of control and composure from his playing days. He is joined by key club figures in the management like Nigel Skehan and Alan O’Brien, while Mickey Comerford, who has plenty experience with Kilkenny, oversees their S&C work with Nyah Egan.
- All-Ireland semi-final history
O’Loughlin Gaels had four Kilkenny titles to their name before this season, converting two of those into Leinster titles. Those results have warmed them up for contrasting experiences in the All-Ireland series. They were beaten after a replay by Newtownshandrum in 2004, before they convincingly defeated Loughgiel Shamrocks in 2011, subsequently suffering an emphatic final day loss at the hands of Clarinbridge.
- Form this season
Finally managed to take down the might of Ballyhale Shamrocks on Kilkenny county final day, a rousing win that landed O’Loughlin Gaels their first such title since 2016. It has acted as a springboard and they have hurled with freedom to push on. Carlow’s Mount Leinster Rangers and Offaly’s Kilcormac-Killoughey were both hunted down on Leinster away trips, before they prevailed in a cracking final contest a fortnight ago in Croke Park at the expense of Dublin’s Na Fianna.
*****
Ruairí Óg Cushendall (Antrim)
- Key player
In defence, Eoghan Campbell is a sturdy rock with very little getting past him, but Cushendall’s fulcrum for the last fifteen years has been Neil McManus and most balls are planted down on top of him. Against Huw Lawlor in the league meeting in Corrigan Park, he was well marshalled but Antrim were being overwhelmed everywhere. A repeat of that will spell trouble for Cushendall.
- Sideline leader
Manager Brian Delargy took over in December 2020 and has been building a new team nicely after serving as Derry coach. Alongside him on the sideline is the unmistakeable figure of club great Karl McKeegan who is also Armagh manager, while Gareth Fox, a Performance and Mindset Coach, is also involved.
- All-Ireland semi-final history
There are 11 appearances at this stage for the club to draw upon, but the last two are of most relevance to the current group. They will have happy memories of a day out in Navan, returning today to the site of their comprehensive 3-12 to 1-6 victory over Sarsfields of Galway in February 2016. That is the solitary season Cushendall reached the All-Ireland decider, losing out back in 2019 at the hands of St Thomas by the bare minimum in Parnell Park.
- Form this season
Antrim title number 15 and Ulster title number 12, have arrived to the Cushendall club in the last three months. They achieved Antrim honours, their first in five years, with a one-point win over Loughgiel as they survived a late scare. They impressed in amassing 0-20 to have four to spare over Derry’s Slaughtneil in the Ulster final. In between they needed to hold their nerve against Down’s Portaferry, only emerging after extra-time in a game that provided a rigorous test.