Laois champions face stiff opposition on Sunday

Clough/Ballacolla travel to UMPC Nowlan Park on Sunday to take on Ballyhale Shamrocks in the Leinster Club Senior Hurling Championship semi-final.

Already they had a severe test from the Westmeath champions, Castletown Geoghegan. However, Sunday’s opposition have been the Kingpins of Kilkenny and Leinster club hurling for many years.

That said, they failed to win the Tom Walsh Cup meaning they could not contest the club championship and last year the provincial title went to Na Fianna of Dublin, who have already surrendered the title.

Clough/Ballacolla have dominated the O’Moore county championship in recent years, winning five out of six. However, success at provincial level has alluded them. It was back in 2001 that was their most successful year. In Laois they defeated the Harps by 12 points, and then beat Rosenallis by 29 points. Next it was Castletown who suffered a 129 point defeat before they went on to beat Borris/Kilcotton by one point in the Laois final.

In Leinster they defeated Kilmacud Crokes 1-16 to 1-13 followed by the win over Rapparees of Wexford by 1-17 to 0-12 to reach their only Leinster decider where they lost out to next Sunday’s opponents.

In the opening round this year the 11 times provincial champions faced stiff opposition in Kilcormack/Killoughey of Offaly. In a hard fought encounter, refereed by Laois man Padraig Dunne, the Offaly side fought a fierce battle and for three quarters were in contention. But in the end the Henry Shefflin managed Ballyhale finished strongly to earn another home game against the Laois champions.

On their day the Laois champions can match the best but they know all too well that not many teams in Leinster have got the better of Ballyhale Shamrocks.