There is a lot on the line for teams as we approach the final round of the League Stages of our Club Hurling Championships. Some teams know their fate at this stage and some will be fighting to extend their seasons or to avoid the dreaded relegation final.
It should be noted in considering the permutations for Round 5, there was a change made to the regulations last November concerning teams that finish with equal points in 2023.
In the event of two teams tied on the same number of points, the outcome of the meeting between both teams will be first used to decide the tie, as in previous years.
However, in the event of three or more teams being tied on the same number of points, the league points awarded from the games between the teams involved will be first used to decide the tie.
If a tie between teams cannot be decided based on the outcome of the games between the teams involved, the tie will be decided by scoring difference followed by total points for from all games played in the league stage of the championship, not just the games between the teams involved.
It is important to note that in the event of a tie involving three or more teams, the tables which are automatically generated on our website may not accurately reflect the true position. If any such cases arise, then as soon as possible after the relevant matches conclude, Wexford GAA will instead seperately publish official tables which take the new regulations into account.
Pettitt’s Senior Hurling Championship
In Group A, St. Martin’s and Naomh Éanna are qualified for the quarter-finals, with placings yet to be determined.
There is a strong chance that other placings may be decided by the new regulations governing a three-way tie. It is possible for St. Anne’s Rathangan, Oylegate-Glenbrien and Faythe Harriers to all finish on 5 points, while it also possible that Oylegate-Glenbrien, Faythe Harriers and Glynn-Barntown could all finish on 3 points.
Glynn-Barntown play Oylegate-Glenbrien in the final round. A win for Glynn-Barntown could potentially see them reach a quarter-final either with the head-to-head over Oylegate-Glenbrien or with three points from a possible four in the event of a three-way tie with themselves, Faythe Harriers and Oylegate-Glenbrien.
In Group B, Ferns St. Aidans are guaranteed the top spot while Rapparees, Crossabeg/Ballymurn and Shelmalier are each guaranteed a quarter-final, but results in Round 5 will determine their final placings.
Oulart-The Ballagh and Rathnure play off in a hotly-anticipated Round 5 game to see who ends up in the dreaded relegation final.
The Courtyard Ferns Intermediate Hurling Championship
In Group A, Tara Rocks, Taghmon-Camross and St. James’ are qualified, with results in Round 5 to determine final placings. The winners of the game between Askamore and HWH Bunclody will determine who ends up in 4th place and who ends up in 5th place.
St. Abban’s Adamstown will be in the relegation final.
In Group B, Cloughbawn are qualified and guaranteed top spot, with Buffers Alley also qualified.
The 3rd and 4th spots are complicated by the possibility of a three-way tie with St. Mogue’s Fethard having beaten Gusserane O’Rahilly’s and St. Brigid’s Blackwater having beaten St. Mogue’s Fethard.
Gusserane O’Rahilly’s, currently in fifth, need to beat St. Brigid’s Blackwater by at least 7 points, or win by any amount and have St. Mogue’s Fethard beat Buffers Alley, in order to get to a quarter-final.
Horeswood will meet St. Abban’s Adamstown in the relegation final.
Joyces Expert Wexford Intermediate A Hurling Championship
In Group A, St. Martin’s and Rathgarogue-Cushinstown are both qualified for the quarter-finals and play in Round 5 to determine who tops the group.
The competition for the remaining two quarter-final spots and the relegation final is wide open. All teams hold their season within their own hands with a win for any of the teams guaranteeing them a quarter-final spot.
In Group B, St. Mary’s Rosslare, Geraldine O’Hanrahan’s and Ballygarrett are each guaranteed a quarter-final but results in Round 5 will determine the final placings.
Davidstown-Courtnacuddy, while safe from the relegation final, need to win or draw to guarantee a quarter-final spot.
Oulart-The Ballagh need to beat Duffry Rovers to avoid the relegation final. A win for Duffry Rovers, a loss for Davidstown-Courtnacuddy and a 12-point scoring difference swing between both games would see Duffry Rovers secure a quarter-final spot. A draw will also see Duffry Rovers safe from relegation.
Kavanagh Meats The Traditional Meat Company Junior Hurling Championship
In Group A, the quarter-finalists and relegation finalists have already been determined with games in Round 5 to determine who finishes in which position in the top four.
Although Faythe Harriers could still join other teams on four points, they would lose out on the head-to-head with both Shamrocks and Marshalstown-Castledockrell both in the case of a two-way tie and in the case of a three-way tie.
Faythe Harriers do have the head-to-head over Our Lady’s Island, who will participate in the relegation final.
In Group B, Kilmore and St. Fintan’s are both qualified for the quarter-finals and play each other in Round 5 to determine who gets top spot.
There are a lot of permutations in respect of the bottom four positions.
Rathnure St. Anne’s and Rapparees play to avoid the relegation final. A draw would see Rapparees in the relegation final on score difference.
Rapparees could still also make the quarter-finals, if they win their match and if Glynn-Barntown beat Ferns St. Aidans, as Rapps have the head-to-head result over Ferns. However, if Ferns St. Aidans beat Glynn-Barntown, then Rapparees would lose out, as while they would be level with Glynn-Barntown on four points, Glynn-Barntown have the head-to-head result between the two teams.
Rathnure St. Anne’s cannot make the quarter-finals, as even though they could finish on four points, they have already lost to both Ferns St. Aidans and Glynn-Barntown.
Kavanagh Meats The Traditional Meat Company Junior A Hurling Championship
In Group A, Ballyhogue and Naomh Éanna are through to the quarter-finals and are guaranteed 1st and 2nd place respectively. Glynn-Barntown will be in the relegation final.
Monageer-Boolavogue, Oulart-The Ballagh and St. Brigid’s Blackwater are all playing for quarter-final places. Both Monageer-Boolavogue and St. Brigid’s Blackwater have their destiny in their own hands with Oulart-The Ballagh needing one or the other to drop points.
In Group B, following their victory over Bannow-Ballymitty on Tuesday evening, St. Anne’s Rathangan are guaranteed top spot. Buffers Alley are also guaranteed a quarter-final place.
Having lost to Cloughbawn in Round 1, Oylegate-Glenbrien cannot avoid the relegation final.
However, fixtures mean there is potential for a couple of three-way ties. For instance, if Buffers Alley lose to Tara Rocks, and Bannow-Ballymitty beat Cloughbawn, then the Alley, the Rocks and Cloughbawn will be on six points.
Also, if Buffers Alley beat Tara Rocks, and Cloughbawn beat Bannow-Ballymitty, then Tara Rocks, Cloughbawn, and Bannow-Ballymitty will be tied on four points. If that happens, it would mean that all three teams would have won one and lost one against the other teams involved, and so the battle for 3rd, 4th and 5th positions would be decided by scoring difference.
