Still a lot to play for in Division 1 Hurling League

Hurling League round-up – Division 1

Loughgiel’s win over Ballygalget and Cushendall’s victory over previously unbeaten Dunloy leaves the Division 1 Hurling League run-in very interesting indeed. The Shamrocks have only two games left to play, the most interesting one being their meeting with Cuchullains in Dunloy on Wednesday 9^th August, while there last match of the campaign is fixed for the following Wednesday when they travel to Shaw’s Road to take on Rossa.

Second placed Cushendall have three games remaining, the first of them on Sunday next in Ballycran, which is always a difficult place to get points. That would appear to be their biggest challenge as their remaining games are at home to Rossa on Sunday August 6^th and away to Cloughmills on Wednesday 16^th and on current form they would start hot favourites in both those games.

Dunloy have still four to play, the biggest of those obviously the one I mentioned earlier against Loughgiel on August 9^th. Before that they are down to face Ballycastle on Friday July 28^th at Pearse Park before travelling to Ballygalget on August 6^th. Their final game against fourth placed Ballycran is fixed for Saturday August 12^th in Ballycran.

At the other end of the table Cloughmills theoretically can still survive with four games left to play, but they would need to win them all and have a lot of other results to go their way, and that is highly unlikely. At present Ballycastle look odd-on to join them in Division 2. The thread of hope they are holding onto is their two meetings with Rossa, the first at home on Sunday July 30^th at Pairc MacUilin and the other ten days later at Shaw’s Road on Wednesday 9^th August. What makes these meetings even more interesting is that they are due to meet again in Dunloy in the quarter final of the senior championship on Saturday August 26^th.