BY JJ HURLEY
THE Ross Oil Carrigdhoun junior A hurling semi-final weekend is set to provide top-class entertainment as Ballinhassig face Valley Rovers and Belgooly square up to Tracton.
The opening match of what promises to be a feast of hurling has neighbours and old foes Ballinhassig and Valley Rovers meeting at Belgooly at 4pm on Saturday.
Valleys are eyeing a potential double double, having already deposited both hurling and football league titles in its trophy cabinet in Brinny, as they are still on course to reach both championship finals.
With an impressive stable of young hurlers in its ranks, including Sean McEntee, Charlie O’Sullivan and Jason Cronin, they will wear the favourites tag on Saturday. It’s not a label manager Damien O’Riordan accepts, however.
‘I’m not so sure about the favourites, the majority of our players have been with the junior footballers for the past two to three weeks. There is never more than a puck of the ball between ourselves and Ballinhassig,’ O’Riordan said.
There is little doubt that in theory that Ballinhassig should be hungry coming into this game. With their junior footballers tamely exiting the championship to Ballygarvan and their intermediate hurlers again failing to make the expected breakthrough, pride could be the motivating factor here.
The Blues have the potential in their ranks to cause an upset as Joe O’Mahony, Paul Coomey, Darren Dulea and Eddie Finn will be expected to contest every ball, but the question is can they hurl for the hour?
By Sunday, at least, we will know one of the contenders for the final ahead of the second semi-final, with Belgooly and Tracton to cross the white line at 4pm in Riverstick. This game promises to be a cracker as Tracton look to regain their premier junior county status but Belgooly will have something to say about that.
Of course, it will also see the battle on the line of two All-Ireland winners as Seanie McGrath will be hoping Belgooly can retain their South East title but Tracton’s supremo Kieran Kingston will be plotting their downfall.
Traditionally, Belgooly and Tracton have always shared a kinship but that will be out the window when the ball is thrown in on Sunday. While having recently got out of jail to Carrigaline, Belgooly will hope Ryan Long and co can show the same determination that saw off Carrigaline but Tracton and Michael O’Sullivan and their search for redemption could prove too much.
