Senior hurlers hope to seal semi-final spot

Dublin hurlers face Laois in their third Walsh Cup game this Sunday in O’Moore Park, Portlaoise (2.0) with their semi-final fate in their hands.

With victories over Carlow and Offaly already secured Mattie Kenny’s men are in pole position in the group table.

Kilkenny, Wexford and Galway all received byes to the semi-finals and will be joined by the top county from the round-robin group.

“They’re a good group of guys,” says Dublin manager Mattie Kenny.

“We’ve a good few players in there now. So really, it’s just heads down, getting our pre-season work done and working away quietly.

“These two games (verus Carlow and Offaly), they were good, just to break the monotony of the gym.

“Like a lot of teams, they want to achieve as much as they can. And the preparation in December and January is key to that, for building for the League and building for the Championship after that later In the year.”

Carlow host Offaly also on Sunday afternoon with the group-topper emerging to play in the semi-finals the following weekend.

Saturday January 5

Kehoe Shield SH

Glennon Bros Pearse Park (12.0) Longford v Louth Ref: Shane Guinan (Offaly)

Bord na Mona O’Byrne Cup

Glennon Bros Pearse Park (2.0) Longford v Louth Ref: Fergal Smyth (Offaly)

Netwatch Cullen Park (2.0) Carlow v Offaly Ref: Brendan Cawley (Kildare)

St Patrick's Park, Enniscorthy (2.0) Wexford v Meath Ref: John Hickey (Carlow)

Bray Emmet’s (6.0) Wicklow v Laois Ref: Patrick Maguire (Longford)

Sunday January 6

Bord na Mona O’Byrne Cup

The Downs GAA, Mullingar (2.0) Westmeath v Kildare Ref: Barry Tiernan (Dublin)

Bord na Mona Walsh Cup

O’Moore Park, Portlaoise (2.0) Laois v Dublin Ref: Michael Murtagh (Westmeath)

Netwatch Cullen Park (2.0) Carlow v Offaly Ref: Peter Burke (Kilkenny)

Bord na Mona Kehoe Cup Rd 3

St Conleths Park Newbridge (2.0) Kildare v Wicklow Ref: Kevin Brady (Louth)