THE PICTURE FOR the All-Ireland senior club championships became clearer over the weekend with the contenders whittled down in football and hurling.
Two provincial titles were handed out in Leinster and Ulster as Ballyhale Shamrocks and Slaughtneil secured the spoils, while six football semi-finals across Leinster, Ulster and Munster determined the finalists for those competitions in January.
It leaves just five teams left in the hurling race for the Tommy Moore Cup, while there are eight contenders remaining for the Andy Merrigan Cup in football, as the club action in the calendar year of 2021 has now concluded.
Ballyhale Shamrocks, Slaughtneil and Galway champions St Thomas are through to the hurling semi-finals, where they will be joined by the winners of January’s Munster decider between Ballygunner and Kilmallock.
There’s a lot of experience packed in there with Ballyhale chasing three-in-a-row in the All-Ireland series, both Slaughtneil and St Thomas losing semi-finals in January 2020, Ballygunner contesting the semi-final stage in 2019 and Kilmallock the All-Ireland finalists back in 2015.
The football situation is more novel with Kilcoo, the 2020 All-Ireland finalists, the team left involved that has the most recent experience of this stage. Austin Stacks (2015) and Kilmacud Crokes (2010) have been All-Ireland semi-finalists in the modern era.
But Kildare’s Naas, Roscommon’s Padraig Pearses and Fermanagh’s Derrygonnelly Harps have never lifted provincial crowns, while Mayo’s Knockmore must go back to 1996 and Cork’s St Finbarr’s to 1986 for their most recent provincial titles.
The remaining five provincial senior finals are down for decision from 8 January-16 January, with the All-Ireland semi-finals in both codes on 23 January and 29 January, followed by the finals in Croke Park on the weekend of 12-13 February.
2022 Club Fixtures
Saturday 8 January
Leinster SFC final
- Kilmacud Crokes (Dublin) v Naas (Kildare), Croke Park, 5pm.
Sunday 9 January
Connacht SFC final
- Knockmore (Mayo) v Padraig Pearses (Roscommon), Ballina, 1.30pm.
Munster SHC final
- Ballygunner (Waterford) v Kilmallock (Limerick), Páirc Uí Chaoimh, 3.30pm.
Sunday 16 January
Munster SFC final
- Austin Stacks (Kerry) v St Finbarr’s (Cork), Venue TBC.
Ulster SFC final
- Derrygonnelly Harps (Fermanagh) v Kilcoo (Down), Athletic Grounds.
All-Ireland senior club semi-finals
Hurling – Sunday 23 January
- Ballyhale Shamrocks (Kilkenny) v St Thomas (Galway)
- Slaughtneil (Derry) v Ballygunner (Waterford)/Kilmallock (Limerick)
Football – Saturday 29 January
- Kilmacud Crokes (Dublin)/Naas (Kildare) v Knockmore (Mayo)/Padraig Pearses (Roscommon)
- St Finbarr’s (Cork)/Austin Stacks (Tipperary) v Kilcoo (Down)/Derrygonnelly Harps (Fermanagh
