This weekend sees 6 more sides making their start in this years SENIOR SHIELD Competition. During Round 1 earlier this year, 3 of them - Sarsfields, Beagh and Craughwell - scored big wins over fancied opposition (Portumna, Clarinbridge, and Mullagh), but the level of compeittion in this years Championship meant those performances had to have been repeated in every game. Those sides will know that did not happen, but will have a chance this weekend to set the tone of intent for next year. 

First back to last weekend and the first quarter-final in which there was no separating Kinvara and Tommie Larkins. Tommie Larkins took an early lead thanks to a goal, but Kinvara overtook them in the second half and led by a couple of points in the fourth quarter. But the Woodford outfit fought back and brought this tie to a replay. Final score: Kinvara 0-13, Tommie Larkins 1-10.
Replay on Saturday 13th Oct.

Also on Saturday is the meeting of Beagh and Craughwell. Here are two sides that must be disappointed not to be playing in the championship quarter-final this weekend instead. Beagh started the season with a great Round 1 win over 2010 All-Ireland Club Champions Clarinbridge. After that they drew their first group match with Mullagh, but followed it with defeats to Sarsfields and then Turloughmore. Craughwell, likewise, started Round 1 with an impressive win over Mullagh, but a narrow group win over Kinvara was followed by a very heavy defeat to Portumna, followed by a disappointing defeat by Castlegar.

Sunday has Moycullen playing Tynagh-Abbey-Duniry in Carnmore. The newcomers from across the Corrib put it up to Tommie Larkins in their first match, then took a heavy beating from Gort, but scored a great win over Padraig Pearses in their final group match. Tynagh-Abbey-Duniry beat Padraig Pearses in Round 1, but a win over Athenry in their final group match was too little too late as they had previously lost to Loughrea and St. Thomas.

The fourth quarter-final has old foes Sarsfields and Athenry reliving the days when their clashes were eagerly anticipated by all in the county. Sarsfields snared Portumna in the opening Round 1 match, but their performances in the group failed to match that game. Athenry failed to win a group game, but had gotten through to the group stages thanks to an impressive win over Kiltormer in Round 2.

So 8 sides with all to play for and a place in the last four.

2012 SENIOR SHIELD

Quarter-finals
Kinvara 0-13 v Tommie Larkins 1-10, REPLAY on Sat 13th Oct in Gort at 12:00pm
Moycullen v Tynagh-Abbey-Duniry, Sun 14th Oct in Carnmore at 12:00pm
Beagh v Craughwell, Sat 13th Oct in Kilbeacanty 1:00pm
Sarsfields v Athenry, Sun 14th Oct in Ballinasloe at 1:30pm



To recap, here's how the SALTHILL HOTEL Senior Hurling Championship worked out so far...... 

GROUP A

Team	Played	Won	Lost	Drawn	Points For	Points Against	Points Diff	Points
Gort	3	3	0	0	82	32	50	6
Padraig Pearses	3	1	2	0	48	47	1	2
Tommy Larkins	3	1	2	0	56	62	-6	2
Moycullen	3	1	2	0	31	76	-45	2

RESULTS
Round 1:
Tommie Larkins 2-13, Moycullen 0-10
Gort 0-13, Padraig Pearses 1-5
Round 2:
Gort 9-15, Moycullen 0-5
Padraig Pearses 4-13 beat Tommie Larkins 2-11
Round 3
Gort 1-24 beat Tommie Larkins 2-13
Moycullen 1-13 beat Padraig Pearses 1-12

GROUP B

Team	Played	Won	Lost	Drawn	Points For	Points Against	Points Diff	Points
Portumna	3	3	0	0	86	37	49	6
Castlegar	3	2	1	0	56	56	0	4
Craughwell	3	1	2	0	44	72	-28	2
Kinvara	3	0	3	0	48	69	-21	0

RESULTS
Round 1:
Portumna 0-19 beat Castlegar 0-14
Craughwell 1-15 beat Kinvara 1-11
Round 2:
Castlegar 1-18 beat Kinvara 4-8
Portumna 5-22 beat Craughwell 0-9
Round 3:
Portumna 2-24 beat Kinvara 1-11
Castlegar 0-21 beat Craughwell 0-17




GROUP C

Team	Played	Won	Lost	Drawn	Points For	Points Against	Points Diff	Points
Turloughmore	3	2	0	1	60	49	11	5
Mullagh	3	1	1	1	61	56	5	3
Sarsfields	3	1	1	1	42	50	-8	3
Beagh	3	0	2	1	46	54	-8	1

RESULTS
Round 1:
Turloughmore 1-12 drew Sarsfields 1-12
Beagh 1-16 drew Mullagh 3-10
Round 2:
Turloughmore 3-14 beat Mullagh 0-18
Sarsfields 1-10 beat Beagh 1-8
Round 3:
Turloughmore 2-16 beat Beagh 2-10
Mullagh 1-21 beat Sarsfields 1-11




GROUP D

Team	Played	Won	Lost	Drawn	Points For	Points Against	Points Diff	Points
St Thomas	3	2	0	1	69	47	22	5
Loughrea	3	2	0	1	69	55	14	5
Tynagh-Abbey-Duniry	3	1	2	0	56	66	-10	2
Athenry	3	0	3	0	44	70	-26	0

RESULTS
Round 1:
St. Thomas 2-14 beat Athenry 0-09
Loughrea 3-11 beat Tynagh-Abbey-Duniry 1-14
Round 2:
Loughrea 2-21 beat Athenry 2-10
St. Thomas 3-18 beat Tynagh-Abbey-Duniry 1-13
Round 3:
St. Thomas 3-13 drew Loughrea 2-16
Tynagh-Abbey-Duniry 2-17 beat Athenry 1-16


ROUND 2
Portumna 3-12 beat Adrahan 0-6
Mullagh 1-14 beat Clarinbridge 1-9
Padraig Pearses 2-12 beat Carnmore 2-11
Athenry 0-15 beat Kiltormer 0-7
St. Thomas 1-19 beat Liam Mellows 1-13


ROUND 1
Gort 1-14 beat St. Thomas 0-15
Kinvara 0-16 beat Ardrahan 0-13
Loughrea 0-16 beat Athenry 1-11
Turloughmore 0-17 beat Liam Mellows 1-8
Craughwell 1-10 beat Mullagh 0-12
Tommie Larkins 1-14 beat Carnmore 0-9
Beagh 0-21 beat Clarinbridge 1-15
Tynagh-Abbey-Duniry 0-16 beat Padraig Pearses 0-10
Castlegar 1-18 (0-14) beat Kiltormer 1-8 (1-11) replay
Sarsfields 1-14 beat Portumna 1-12
Moycullen bye to group stages as last years Intermediate winners