Amidst plenty of national football league action this weekend, hurling purists will find sanctuary on Tom Semple’s field in Thurles, where the All Ireland club hurling semi final between Ballyhale Shamrocks and Newtownshandrum is down for decision this Sunday. Earlier this year, most analysts felt that this year’s club championship was simply a procession towards the inevitable final clash between Portumna and Ballyhale, but the extremely good form of Newtownshandrum in the Munster hurling championship has thrown something of a spanner into the works.

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