No All-Ireland club hurling double-header as semi-finals scheduled for Portlaoise and Navan
Waterford hurling kingpins Ballygunner will take on Galway's St Thomas' in Portlaoise
Portlaoise and Navan have been announced as venues for the upcoming AIB All-Ireland club senior hurling semi-finals.
The mouth-watering clash of three-in-a-row Munster champions Ballygunner and Galway’s six-in-a-row kingpins, St Thomas’, has been fixed for Laois Hire O’Moore Park on Saturday week, December 16 (7.30pm).
The second semi-final between O’Loughlin Gaels of Kilkenny and Antrim’s Ruairí Óg Cushendall will take place in Páirc Tailteann the following afternoon, Sunday, December 17 (1.30).
This is a break from last year’s last-four arrangements, when both semi-finals – Dunloy v St Thomas’ and Ballyhale Shamrocks v Ballygunner – were part of a Croke Park double-header in the run-up to Christmas.
However, that was never likely to be repeated this year, with the All-Ireland ladies football senior club decider (Kilkerrin-Clonberne v Ballymacarbry) already pencilled in for GAA Headquarters on December 16 and the senior camogie club final (Sarsfields of Galway v Dicksboro) also earmarked for Croker the following day.
Two seasons ago, when Ballygunner created history as the first Waterford winners of the Tommy Moore Cup, their semi-final against Slaughtneil was held in Parnell Park with Semple Stadium hosting the Ballyhale v St Thomas’ showdown.
.jpg)
