The hurling pre-season concludes this weekend with the Walsh and Kehoe Cup finals going down for decision on Sunday while the Clare and Galway champions meet for a place in the All-Ireland club SHC decider on Saturday.

 

SATURDAY, 4 FEBRUARY

All-Ireland club SHC semi-final

St Thomas' (Galway) v Ballyea (Clare), Semple Stadium, 5pm - TG4

2013 Hurler of the Year Tony Kelly is the ace in the Ballyea pack.

He has consistently produced the goods to help guide his club to maiden county and provincial successes and they have claimed the illustrious scalps of Thurles Sarsfields and Glen Rovers along the way.

St Thomas' of Galway stand between Ballyea and a place in the blue riband event of the club calendar on St Patrick's Day.

Outright winners in 2013, they captured the Galway SHC for the second time in five years courtesy of a 1-11 to 0-10 win over Gort last October.

The prize up for grabs is a final date with the winners of Cuala versus Slaughtneil.

Verdict - Ballyea

 

SUNDAY, 5 FEBRUARY

Walsh Cup final

Kilkenny v Galway, Nowlan Park, 2pm

Kilkenny were made to sweat for their place in this year's Walsh Cup decider by Wexford last Sunday whereas Galway scored a facile victory over IT Carlow.

After the 0-15 to 0-14 Model County win, Brian Cody remarked: "no team will lose the run of themselves after this game, it's still very early season.

"Still this was a hugely competitive game which went right down to the final whistle. This was a positive result for us, we'll go away and now look forward to Galway on Sunday next."

Another competitive outing is on the cards for the Cats this weekend but both teams will have one eye on the start of the league the following week.

Verdict - Galway

Kehoe Cup final

Wicklow v Maynooth University, Arklow, 12pm

Wicklow hit thirteen goals in their three victories against DCU-St Pats, IT Tallaght and Trinity College while Maynooth University were also impressive in the group stages putting seven majors past Longford in their last outing in the pre-season competition.

The Kildare students also made light work of Jordanstown in the Fitzgibbon Cup yesterday, winning by 4-23 to 1-7 in Belfast and are given the vote to see off the Garden County.

Verdict - Maynooth University

Catch all the action from the All-Ireland club SHC semi-final and the Walsh and Kehoe Cup finals on our Live Match Tracker.

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