Athenry better equipped to advance

All-Ireland Club Hurling Semi-finalsAthenry v Toomevara Ennis, 2.30 On TV: TG4For two clubs with 17 county titles between them in the past 12 years it's about time they met in this championship. Both Athenry and Toomevara are moving through the generations at the moment but their respective paths have been different.

Athenry are in pursuit of a fourth All-Ireland that would put them joint top of the roll of honour together with contemporary rivals Birr.

The Tipperary champions, on the other hand, haven't been at this stage for 11 years and have yet to win the title.

However, the sides look well matched for this; Athenry aren't as powerful as in the collective that won three All-Irelands in four years whereas Toom are better than the predecessors that struggled to get out of Munster.

There's no mystery to Athenry's approach. Michael Crimmins's puck-outs to Joe Rabbitte and he supplies Eugene Cloonan, either from passes or frees earned.

Cloonan's in good form having hit 2-7 (out of a personal 2-12) from play against a respectable, if not full strength, Cork side in Newtownshandrum. But he carries the burden of scoring responsibility in every game.

Tony Delaney's "no-nonsense" style means that Cloonan won't get cheap scores as the Toom veteran is one of those players who never seems to get the run-arounds.

The Tipperary champions held on well against Mount Sion but were erratic over the hour. If they click they have a more versatile attack with Paddy O'Brien's creativity and Willie Ryan's opportunism but Athenry look better equipped to give the sort of display that wins club matches.

Tight call but the Galway champions get it.

Meanwhile, in the other semi-final, which throws-in at 2.30 tomorrow afternoon at Parnell Park, Kilkenny champions James Stephens take on O'Donovan Rossa of Antrim.

It's nine years since Dunloy turned over a complacent Glenmore at Croke Park but we can take it their successors James Stephens won't be as negligent.

Within the past decade Dunloy reached four All-Ireland finals, losing all of them, but it's unlikely O'Donovan Rossa are in a position to emulate that record.

Their defence is solid and features experienced Antrim defender Mickey Kettle but will have to deal with Eoin Larkin's scoring threat whereas up front they don't look to have the pace and guile to unhinge the likes of Philly Larkin and Peter Barry.

A photograph in yesterday's sports pages referred to former GAA president John Dowling as being a member of the GAA's Motions Committee. In fact, Mr Dowling passed away three years ago. We apologise for the error.