Noel Connors, Waterford, Aaron Cunningham, Clare, Mark Ennis, Cork, Sean Curran, Tipperary, Lee Chin, Wexford, and Paul Killeen, Galway at the All Ireland Senior Championship National Launch.
The race for the 2017 Liam MacCarthy Cup is too close to call.
That was the scene painted at the Glynn Barntown club in Wexford today at a special media event to mark the concluding stages of this year’s gripping GAA Hurling All-Ireland Senior Championship.
The launch was attended by players from the six counties who have survived an intense period of provincial and qualifier competition and are now ready to do battle in the All-Ireland series.
Cork’s Mark Ellis and Galway’s Johnny Coen are preparing for All-Ireland semi-finals next month. They were joined at the launch by Wexford’s Lee Chin, Waterford’s Noel Connors, Tipperary’s Sean Curran and Clare’s Aaron Cunningham.
In just over a week’s time we will know the final four after the newly redeveloped Páirc Uí Chaoimh plays host to the clash of Tipperary and Clare on Saturday week, followed 24 hours later by the meeting of Waterford and Wexford.
GAA Ard Stiúrthóir Páraic Duffy said: “Yet again we are all in awe at the capacity for the All-Ireland senior hurling championship to surpass expectations.
“Already we have had a summer full of highlights. Last weekend’s dramatic scenes at a packed Thurles for the Cork-Clare Munster final come a week after a record crowd of more than 60,000 was set at the battle between Galway and Wexford in the Leinster final at Croke Park.
“It is a delight to be able to say that the best is yet to come as we await the gripping quarter finals and the identity of the opponents for Galway and Cork teams looking to add to their trophy collection.
“Our thanks is due to the players and coaches who have done so much to give us these great days and to the supporters who have added immeasurably to these occasions and I wish all of those left in contention for the Liam MacCarthy Cup all the best in the weeks to come.
“Finally I want to thank our sponsors Bord Gáis Energy, Centra and Littlewoods Ireland and all of our players, officials and supporters who have given so much to again make our Championships a defining part of the Irish summer."
The Glynn Barntown GAA club outside Wexford Town was the home club of former GAA President, the late Micheal Kehoe (Uachtarán CLG 1949-1952) who was a tireless servant of Gaelic games and the Irish language.
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