As we head into the decisive Round 5 group fixtures of our club hurling championships, there follows an explainer of this year’s championship format, and what happens in the event of two or more teams being tied on points in the final group tables. We then look at the permutations in all the groups from Senior down to Junior ‘A’, to see exactly what’s at stake this weekend.
Championship Format
A change to the structure of this year’s championships means that just five teams from each group will progress to the knockout stages. The two teams finishing sixth will go straight to a Relegation Final.
Fourth in Group A will play fifth in Group B in a preliminary quarter-final, and vice versa. The winners of these ties will proceed to a quarter-final against one of the group winners, with repeat pairings to be avoided where possible. The other quarter-finals will be second in Group A versus third in Group B, and third in Group A versus second in Group B.
An open draw will take place for the semi-finals, with repeat pairings allowed.
Two-way ties
In the event of a two-way tie in the final group standings, the deciding factor will be the head-to-head result between the two teams involved, as has been the case for many years now.
If the match between the sides was a draw, then overall scoring difference will be used to decide which of them finishes higher. If that’s the same, then it’ll go to highest score for, and if even that’s the same, there’ll have to be a play-off.
Three-way and ‘more-way’ ties
In the event of a three-way (or ‘more-way’) tie, the ‘mini league’ rules come into play. The first determining factor here is the number of league points earned in the games between the teams involved in the tie.
If the tie cannot be resolved on this basis, the next deciding factor will be the scoring difference from only the games between the teams involved.
It is only if things are still not decided after this that overall scoring difference comes into play. If the sides are level there, the next factor to be considered will be highest total score for, and if even that doesn’t split the teams, it would then go to a play-off.
Exception
An exception to all the above is if one of the teams involved in tie has conceded one or more walkovers during the group stage. In such a case, they would automatically cede position to the other team(s) involved in the tie, irrespective of head-to-head results, points in a ‘mini league’, or any other factor. However, there have been no walkovers so far in our hurling championships, and it’s unlikely there’ll be any in Round 5.
Pettitt’s Senior Hurling Championship
Group A fixtures: St. Martin’s v Naomh Éanna; Shelmaliers v St. Mogue’s Fethard; St. Anne’s Rathangan v Faythe Harriers.
Group B fixtures: Rathnure St. Anne’s v Ferns St. Aidans; Rapparees v Oylegate-Glenbrien; Glynn-Barntown v Oulart-The Ballagh.
In Group A of the Pettitt’s Senior Hurling Championship, reigning champions St. Martin’s and Shelmaliers are already assured of the top two spots. All that remains to be decided there is who finishes first and who comes second.
Third place is all to play for between Faythe Harriers, Naomh Éanna, and St. Anne’s Rathangan. The Harriers currently hold the advantage as they won the meeting between the two town sides, so they will come third if they beat St. Anne’s. However, if St. Anne’s were to beat the Harriers this weekend and Naomh Éanna were to lose to St. Martin’s, it would go to a ‘mini league’ to decide third, fourth, and fifth spots.
St. Mogue’s Fethard are already destined for the Relegation Final.
In Group B, all eyes are likely to be on the meeting of Glynn-Barntown and Oulart-The Ballagh, as defeat for Oulart-The Ballagh would condemn them to the Relegation Final too.
If they win, then both Rapparees and Ferns St. Aidans will be in danger. Of the two, Ferns have the tougher assignment as they take on Rathnure St. Anne’s, who have a 100% record so far and who are already guaranteed top spot in the group.
Consequences of a draw for Oulart-The Ballagh would depend on other results. If Rapparees were to win and Ferns lose, Oulart-The Ballagh would remain in bottom spot as they lost their meeting against Ferns. However, if there was a draw and both Rapps and Ferns lost, the ‘mini league’ rule would come into play and Rapparees would drop to the bottom, as the ‘mini league’ standings would be Ferns on 3 points, Oulart-The Ballagh on 2 points, and Rapparees on just 1 point.
It all goes to show that the meeting of Glynn-Barntown and Oulart-The Ballagh really is the key one here, that a number of other sides will be looking nervously at.
The Courtyard Intermediate Hurling Championship
Group A fixtures: Crossabeg/Ballymurn v St. James’; Horeswood v HWH Bunclody; Askamore v Fr. O’Regan’s Craanford.
Group B fixtures: Cloughbawn v Buffers Alley; Ballyfad v Davidstown-Courtnacuddy; Liam Mellows v St. Brigid’s Blackwater.
While Crossabeg/Ballymurn have already secured top spot in Group A of The Courtyard Intermediate Hurling Championship, this one really is as tight as it gets in terms of determining the other placings. A further win for the group leaders, and wins for Askamore (over Craanford) and Horeswood (over HWH Bunclody) would see an unprecedented five-way tie for positions two through to six.
It’ll all be much more straightforward though if HWH Bunclody beat Horeswood. That would condemn Horeswood to the Relegation Final, and the meeting of Askamore and Fr. O’Regan’s Craanford would be the key tie in determining who comes third and therefore gets to skip the preliminary quarter-final, and who finishes fourth and fifth.
In Group B, Davidstown-Courtnacuddy need a win over Ballyfad in order to avoid the Relegation Final. That result would leave Ballyfad in sixth place, irrespective of how their neighbours Liam Mellows fare. If Liam Mellows get a draw or better, then Ballyfad would lose out on the direct head-to-head result against Davidstown-Courtnacuddy. If Liam Mellows lose, there would be three teams on three points, and Ballyfad would finish bottom of the resulting ‘mini league’ as they would have lost to the other two sides. It all means that Ballyfad v Davidstown-Courtnacuddy this weekend is essentially a relegation semi-final.
However, a win for Ballyfad could put them as high as third, depending on other results and their own margin of victory. It shows how there really are slim margins in operation and lots to play for this weekend.
Joyces Expert Wexford Intermediate ‘A’ Hurling Championship
Group A fixtures: Duffry Rovers v Monageer-Boolavogue; Marshalstown-Castledockrell v St. Martin’s; St. Mary’s Rosslare v Rathgarogue-Cushinstown.
Group B fixtures: Gusserane O’Rahilly’s v Clongeen; Shelmaliers v Oulart-The Ballagh; Taghmon-Camross v St. Abban’s Adamstown.
In Group A of the Joyces Expert Wexford Intermediate ‘A’ Hurling Championship, last year’s Junior champions Marshalstown-Castledockrell are already headed for the Relegation Final as they remain pointless after four games so far.
At the other end of the table, Monageer-Boolavogue and Rathgarogue-Cushinstown already have two of the three guaranteed quarter-final spots. The other one will go to either Duffry Rovers, St. Martin’s, or St. Mary’s Rosslare.
Of the three, the Duffry are best-placed. A win over Monageer-Boolavogue could even see them take top spot, while even if they lose, they are well placed for any head-to-head or ‘mini league’ decider involving St. Martin’s and/or St. Mary’s Rosslare, as they drew with St. Martin’s and currently have a stronger score difference, while they beat the Rosslare side.
Group B is clearcut at both ends, as Gusserane O’Rahilly’s will finish top and Taghmon-Camross will finish bottom and go to the relegation decider. Everywhere in between remains up for grabs.
The big game here is the meeting of the second teams of Shelmaliers and Oulart-The Ballagh, as it’s basically a straight shoot-out for an automatic quarter-final spot. If it ends in a draw however, things could get very interesting, and there could even be a four-way tie of teams on five points if Gusserane keep up their fine form against Clongeen, and Adamstown inflict another defeat on the bottom side.
Kavanagh Meats Traditional Meat Company Junior Hurling Championship
Group A fixtures: New Ross Geraldine O’Hanrahan’s v St. Patrick’s; Ballygarret v Shamrocks; Ballyhogue v Ferns St. Aidans
Group B fixtures: Rapparees v Rathnure St. Anne’s; Glynn-Barntown v St. Anne’s Rathangan; Kilmore v Naomh Éanna.
A resurgent Shamrocks side are already guaranteed top spot in Group A of the Kavanagh Meats Traditional Meat Company Junior Hurling Championship. The meeting of New Ross Geraldine O’Hanrahan’s and St. Patrick’s will be key in determining who else takes the automatic quarter-final positions, with the New Ross side needing a win if they’re to get into the top three.
At the other end, the meeting of Ballyhogue and Ferns St. Aidans is another game that’s basically a relegation semi-final. A draw would be good enough for Ballyhogue, as they currently have the better scoring difference…and of course, scoring difference doesn’t change if it’s a draw!
In Group B, Rathnure St. Anne’s will finish top and Rapparees will finish bottom. Glynn-Barntown are assured of one of the other top three spots and an automatic spot in the quarter-finals, while the meeting of Kilmore and Naomh Éanna will decide who gets the other one.
St. Anne’s Rathangan will remain fifth no matter what happens, as even if they win and move to four points with whoever loses between Kimore and Naomh Éanna, they (St. Anne’s) have already lost to both those sides.
Kavanagh Meats Traditional Meat Company Junior ‘A’ Hurling Championship
Group A fixtures: Our Lady’s Island v Monageer-Boolavogue; Bannow-Ballymitty v Rathnure St. Anne’s; St. Fintan’s v Buffers Alley.
Group B fixtures: Cloughbawn v St. Brigid’s Blackwater; Tara Rocks v Askamore; Fr. O’Regan’s Craanford v Faythe Harriers.
Finally, the Kavanagh Meats Traditional Meat Company Junior ‘A’ Hurling Championship.
In Group A, it’s a different story for Rathnure’s third team than it is for their first and second, as they will finish bottom of the table no matter what happens.
Right now, Bannow-Ballymitty are the only ones assured of a top three spot. Our Lady’s Island look to be in a strong position in second place, but they could drop to fourth if they lose to Monageer-Boolavogue and if St. Fintan’s beat Buffers Alley. And Monageer-Boolavogue will surely be putting it up to them, as they need to win that match if they’re to avoid the preliminary quarter-final round.
In Group B, Faythe Harriers and Askamore are already assured of spots in the top three, and the only way Tara Rocks won’t join them is if Rocks lose to Askamore, Fr. O’Regan’s Craanford beat the Harriers, and there’s a scoring difference swing of at least 18 points in those two matches.
At the other end of the table, St. Brigid’s Blackwater meet Cloughbawn. And guess what? Basically another relegation semi-final.
