Portlaw’s D.J.Foran controls the sliothar ahead of Passage’s Sean Hogan during their Waterford Senior Hurling Championship match in Walsh Park last weekend. The final group games take place this weekend with Portlaw taking on Ballyduff Upper and Passage playing Ballygunner. Photo: Sean Byrne//Deise Sport.

The final round of Group games in the J. J. Kavanagh & Sons Senior Hurling Championship proceed on Sunday next with the six games taking place at five different venues. As is the case with the final round each group’s three games must start at the same time so that no team will hold an advantage over the other in terms of knowing what is needed and with the Group 2 games all scheduled for a 2 p.m. start and the Group 1 ties all listed for 3.30 p.m. we have the six games spread over five venues with the discerning supporter having to make a decision on his or hers choice of venue.

Group 1
There is no doubting the big game of the weekend in this group is the bottom of the table clash between Ballyduff Upper and Portlaw that will decide which side will retain senior status for the coming year and which will face into a relegation playoff against the bottom side in Group 2. One could say that it was clear from early on that survival for either side would come down to this one game though Portlaw came very close on Saturday last to causing an upset against highly rated Passage in Walsh Park. Had Portlaw won that game they would be playing not only for survival here but a place in the quarter finals. Things did not work out that way so survival is the goal for both sides here.
In the event Portlaw enjoy a slight advantage going into this game knowing that by virtue of a vastly superior score difference a draw here would be sufficient to see them to safety but neither side will be looking at it that way and will see outright victory as the only option.
If anything Portlaw have been the more impressive of the two sides throughout the campaign and while they were well beaten by Ballygunner and De La Salle they came very close to upsetting the odds against fancied Dungarvan in their opening game and last weekend against Passage. Though well beaten in the end by De La Salle on Friday last Ballyduff produced their most spirited performance to date and will be putting everything into this game.
Both sides have their potential match winners in their respective All Ireland U – 21 stars, Ballyduff’s Mikey Kearney and Portlaw’s D. J. Foran, both of whom were in sparkling form last weekend. Portlaw will be a bit concerned that Foran picked up a late leg injury against Passage but will be hopeful that with rest he will be fit enough to take his place for the club’s biggest game of the year. Ballyduff have been through games like this before and the fact that they have played all of their championship games to date in Fraher Field, while Portlaw will be playing their first there, should stand to them. It should be a great contest and it would be a brave man who would nominate the winner.
In the remaining Group 1 games there is little to play for but the finishing order of the four teams already in the quarter finals with Ballygunner favoured to retain top spot against Passage while Dungarvan and De La Salle will have been more concerned with this evening’s long delayed U – 21 2015 final between the clubs in Carraiganore. All four teams will be conscious of the quarter finals looming the following week.

Group 2
With Fourmilewater and Roanmore safely through to the quarter finals after last weekend’s results the issues of which two teams will join them and which side will face into the relegation playoff remain to be resolved. There are numerous scenarios that could see teams going one way or the other. Wins for Tallow over Mount Sion, Cappoquin over Roanmore and Fourmilewater over Tallow would leave Tallow, Mount Sion, Cappoquin and Abbeyside all on four points in which case it would all come down to score difference to decide all issues. In such a case Mount Sion would seem to hold the advantage barring a very decisive defeat by Tallow while the latter would have a lot of ground to make up on Cappoquin or Abbeyside.
In Leamybrien, Mount Sion will be fancied to build on last weekend’s decisive win over Abbeyside by beating a Tallow side that went down to Roanmore at the same venue on Sunday last and will have to face into this game without the injured Paul O’Brien. A win for Mount Sion would see Abbeyside into the quarter finals regardless of their result against Fourmilewater even if Cappoquin beat Roanmore in Fraher Field based on Abbeyside’s earlier win over Cappoquin in Colligan. Likewise a win for Mount Sion would be enough to see Cappoquin safe from the relegation playoff based on their head to head win over Tallow.
Cappoquin will put everything into getting the win over Roanmore for a win by Tallow and a loss against the already safe city side could see them into the relegation playoff and this game followed by the Group 1 clash between Ballyduff Upper and Portlaw makes Fraher Field the most attractive venue for the discerning hurling follower on Sunday
Abbeyside must get something from their game with Fourmilewater in Cappoquin to be certain of making it into the quarter finals. In recent years these teams have beaten each other and the strong rivalry between the players in both codes will see this game keenly contested. Abbeyside’s need is greater here and that may just about see them come through against a Fourmilewater side that could afford the luxury of resting some players with the following week’s quarter finals in mind.
It is all shaping up for a very interesting day’s hurling on Sunday with the quarter finals likely to take place the following weekend as the race goes on to meet the Munster Club deadline.