THE line-up for the knock-out stages of the Limerick Senior Hurling Championship will be confirmed following the completion of the final batch of fixtures in the group stages on Saturday.
All six ties are listed for the one day.
In Group One, already semi-final bound Na Piarsaigh bump into relegated Patrickswell at Claughaun on Saturday at 3.30pm (Referee: Donnacha O’Callaghan).
Shane O’Neill’s side are buoyed of late by the return from injury of the richly talented Casey brothers, Mike and Peter.
Later, throw-in 5pm, there’s an east derby between Doon and Ahane in Cappamore (Referee: Kieran Guina).
An anticipated win for the holders will earn the first-time champions the other place in the last four.
Simultaneously, Ballybrown and Kilmallock meet in Newcastle West (Referee: Johnny Murphy).
Irrespective of the outcome, the pair seem assured of quarter-final berths.
Kevin Lally-managed Ballybrown are well capable of causing a minor upset, certainly so on the back of pushing holders Doon to the brink a couple of weeks back.
Two teams qualify from Group Two, and one of those places has long been secured by unbeaten Monlaeen, who round off the preliminaries with an outing against Kildimo Pallaskenry in Ballybrown, 2pm (Referee: Timmy McGrath).
The other two ties are also listed for similar starting times: Adare v Newcastle West at Mick Neville Park, Rathkeale (Referee: John O’Halloran) and Dromin Athlacca (DA) v Mungret St. Paul’s v Dromin Athlacca in Bruff.
All the pointers are towards Mark Foley’s Adare making it through to the last six of a championship it last won back in 2009.
DA appear in relegation bother.
In the Premier Intermediate Hurling Championship, the penultimate round of fixtures are pencilled in for Saturday; the pick off which are Bruff against Effin at Kilmallock’s Fitzgerald Park and Garryspillane versus Granagh Ballingarry in Carroll Park, Ballyagran.
Both throw-in at 2pm.
Elsewhere, Croagh Kilfinny can beat South Liberties in Adare on Friday and Blackrock are tipped to account for Glenroe the following afternoon (3.30pm) in Knocklong.
