Preview: Weekend's Joe McDonagh Cup action
Conor Shaw of Westmeath in action against Martin Phelan of Laois during the Allianz Hurling League Division 1 Relegation Play-Off match between Westmeath and Laois at FBD Semple Stadium in Thurles, Tipperary. Photo by Michael P Ryan/Sportsfile.
Joe McDonagh Cup Round 3
Saturday, May 9
Down v Carlow, McKenna Park, 1pm
These are the two form teams in the Joe McDonagh Cup so far this year with both sides having two wins from as many matches.
This is Down’s sixth Joe McDonagh Cup campaign in a row and in the previous five campaigns survival was the name of the game, and quite often it wasn’t secured until the final round of fixtures.
But successive wins over Antrim and London mean they’re already assured of retaining their Joe McDonagh Cup status for another year and can now have a really good cut off potentially qualifying for the final.
If they win this match they’d certainly be in a good position to do just that and they should have a very vocal following roaring them on in McKenna Park, Ballycran.
If forwards like Pearse Óg McCrickard, Daithi Sands, and Tom McGrattan get a good supply of ball then Down will be in the fight, but this is a very seasoned Carlow team that looks to be in good vein of form right now.
They’ve scored eight goals in their last two matches and the fact that those wins came against two teams in the shape of Laois and Westmeath who would have been considered genuine contenders makes them all the more impressive.
Down will make a real game of this, but the quality of Carlow players like Chris Nolan, Marty Kavanagh, and Fiachra Fitzpatrick should be telling.
DOWN: Pearce Smyth; Tom Murray, Ruairi McCrickard, Ben Teggart; Barry Trainor, Caolan Taggart, Niall McFarland; Donal Hughes, Liam Savage; Daithi Sands, Pearse Óg McCrickard, Finn Turpin; Tom McGrattan, Tim Prenter, Cahal Coleman. Subs: Cahal Lavery, Paul Sheehan, Ronan Beatty, Marc Fisher, Ronan Smyth, Shea Pucci, Eoin Pucci, Michael Dorrian, Ben Christie, Owen McDermott, Owen McGreevy.
CARLOW: Brian Tracey; Paul Doyle, Dion Wall, Jack McCullagh; Fiach Ó Toole, Kevin McDonald, Fiachra Fitzpatrick; Jon Nolan, Ciaran Whelan; Jack Treacy, Martin Kavanagh, James Doyle; Donagh Murphy, Conor Kehoe, Chris Nolan. Subs: Kyle Foley, Evan Kealy, Conaill Fitzpatrick, Lorcan Doyle, John Michael Nolan, Ted Joyce, Paddy Boland, Jake Nolan, Paidi O’Shea, Richard Coady, Eric English.
Westmeath v Laois, TEG Cusack Park, 5pm
This could be a very decisive match in the battle for a place in the Joe McDonagh Cup Final.
Both sides suffered bruising defeats to Carlow so can’t afford another one here. The winner will believe they’re very much back in the race, but the loser is likely to be out of the reckoning.
When these teams met in the League in March it was Laois who came out on top by a margin of nine points.
You’d expect this game to be closer but eventually follow the same plot thanks to the scoring threat posed by Laois forwards like Tomás Keyes, Stephen Maher, and Cillian Dunne.
WESTMEATH: Sean Jackson; Shane Williams, Conor Shaw, Naoise McKenna; Jack Gillen, Johnny Bermingham, Rory Keyes; Andrew Shaw, Peter Murphy; Éamon Cunneen, David Williams, Kevin Regan; Darragh McCormack, Eoin Keyes, Killian Doyle. Subs: Eoin Aughey, Jack Kearney, Josh Coll, Darragh Egerton, Matthew Cunningham, John Fry, Marc Cunningham, Cian McCarthy, Adam Bate, Seán Dowd, Calum McKeogh.
LAOIS: Eoin Reilly; Ian Shanahan, Lee Cleere, Fiachra C Fennell; Ciaran McEvoy, Padraig Delaney, Ryan Mullaney; David Dooley, Aidan Corby; Martin Phelan, Stephen Maher, Aaron Dunphy; Ben Conroy, Cillian Dunne, Tomás Keyes. Subs: Cathal Dunne, Padraic Dunne, Diarmuid Conway, David O'Brien, Eoin Gaughan, Fionán Mahoney, Gearoid Lynch, James Keyes, Jack Kelly, Fionn Holland, Mark Dowling.
Sunday, May 10
London v Antrim, McGovern Park, Ruislip, 1pm
Antrim’s hopes of qualifying for the Joe McDonagh Cup Final are hanging by a thread after defeats to Down and Carlow in the first two rounds.
So much so, that the priority for now is to avoid relegation, and a win here against a London team that has also lost two from two would likely achieve that.
Home advantage should level the playing field somewhat for London and they’re capable of doing some damage if they get a good supply of ball into Sean Glynn and Paul Kennedy.
But even though Antrim have been out of form they should still have an edge in quality in most areas of the field.
Keelan Molloy and Paul Boyle can put them on the front foot in the middle third, and Conal Cunning, Ryan McCambridge, and James McNaughton have the class to provide the finishing touch.
LONDON: Mark Kilgannon; Adam Cunney, Padraig Muldoon, Barry Morrissey; Niall Fitzgerald, Jack Morrisey, Jack Loughnane; Tom Hanifin, Rory Lodge; Noah Quinlan, Ronan McGrady, Fionn Whelan; Sean Glynn, Paul Kennedy, Eoin McGrath. Subs: Padraig Collins, David Devine, Evan Kelly, Stephen Whelan, Niall Eames, Donnacha Leahy, Denis O'Farrell, Conor Byrne, Tom O'Regan, Cillain Davoren, Orann Donnelly.
ANTRIM: Cormac McFadden; Ryan McNulty, Paddy Burke, Stephen Rooney; Oisín Donnelly, Niall O'Connor, Joe Maskey; Keelan Molloy, Paul Boyle; Conall Bohill, Conal Cunning, Ryan McCambridge; James McNaughton, Ruairí Donaghy, Seaan Elliott. Subs: Seán Óg McLaren, Ruairí McCormick, Gerard Walsh, Rory McCloskey, Scott Walsh, Joseph McLaughlin, Jack McCloskey, Cormac McKeown, Conor Johnston, Ben McGarry, Morgan Nelson.
