Rivals look good for Champion Cup final

IF form in last weekend’s round three of the senior hurling championship is an accurate guideline, then near neighbours and arch rivals Sixmilebridge and Newmarket will contest this year’s final.
Both were comfortable winners while their league semi-final opponents, Smith O’Brien’s and Broadford, suffered heavy defeats and are now in danger of not making the play-offs.
Dr Daly Park in Tulla will host the meeting of Sixmilebridge and Smith O’Brien’s on Saturday at 7pm when the ’Bridge will start as warm favourites.
Despite missing a lot of scoring chances last week, Sixmilebridge still managed a comfortable win over Tubber and with team captain Niall Gilligan leading the way with regard to scores, they should prove too strong for their Killaloe opponents this week.
Smith O’Brien’s disappointed in their performance against Newmarket last week and they will be keen to show that they can play much better.
They were without the experienced Trevor Howard and Shane O’Brien last week and both are likely to be in the line-up this week. These, together with John Cusack, Pat Vaughan, Seamus Gleeson and Liam Walsh, will be keen to show that their form is much better than what was shown last week and while they are likely to show an improvement, it will be a surprise if the Bridge don’t progress to the final. With Gilligan, the Moreys, Tadhg Keogh and co, the ’Bridge look too strong and should come through.
Newmarket will go into their semi-final clash with Broadford without the services of Shane O’Brien, who suffered a broken hand in last week’s win over Smith O’Brien’s. O’Brien was hurling well at centre-back and will certainly be a loss.
Enda Barrett, who was introduced as a substitute last week having just returned from an overseas trip, is likely to be in the starting line-up this week.
Team captain Stephen Kelly, Pádraig Kilmartin, Paudie Collins, David Barrett and Colin Ryan are all experienced members of the side and are likely to have too much power for Broadford.
Having reached the play-offs in the championship last year, Broadford followers were looking forward to further progress this season.
They did well in the league campaign but in recent weeks they have struggled and after two defeats in the championship are now in danger of not making the knock-out stage of the competition.
They badly need a big performance and they will be looking to the Corcorans, the Chaplins, the O’Briens and others in the hope that they can spring a surprise.
As with Smith O’Brien’s, their East Clare neighbours are likely to show an improvement but it will be a surprise if it is enough to trouble the Blues.