Hello and welcome along to the The42′s coverage of today’s GAA championship club action. We’ve got some intriguing ties coming up in the Munster and Leinster club hurling championship, so do stay with us for the afternoon.

Fixtures:

Munster SHC club final:
Na Piarsaigh v Ballygunner, Thurles, 2pm.

Leinster SHC club semi-final:
Kilcormac-Killoughey v Mt Leinster Rangers, O’Connor Park, 2pm.

Leinster SHC club semi-final:
Cuala v St Martin’s, Parnell Park, 2pm.

There’s decisions to be made unfortunately for Cuala followers today.

What’s at stake today in Semple Stadium.

Na Piarsaigh are aiming for their fourth Munster title in four attempts, while Ballygunner are looking for their first Munster crown since 2001.

James Crombie / INPHO James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO

Some of the St Martin’s contingent make their way into the dressing rooms in Parnell Park.

Throw-in is at 2pm as they prepare to take on the reigning Leinster and All-Ireland champions.

Oisin Keniry / INPHO Oisin Keniry / INPHO / INPHO

Some light reading to get you through the wait until the games begin.

1) ‘One club can’t stop winning in Munster, the other craves a senior hurling breakthrough’ – Fintan O’Toole tees up the Munster SHC Final. Check it out here.

2) ‘A senior club debut… at 17… in an All-Ireland semi-final… and marking Ollie Canning’ – Fintan O’Toole speaks to Ronan Lynch of Na Piarsaigh.

3) ‘Edward ‘Feathers’ Byrne, son of ‘Big Bird’, on nicknames, hurling and family’ – Read Kevin O’Brien’s interview with Mount Leinster’s Edward Byrne here.

4) ‘Cuala seniors dubbed Con O’Callaghan ‘The Answer’ as he rose through underage ranks’ – Kevin O’Brien also wrote a piece about Cuala’s incredibly talented Con O’Callaghan.

Team lineouts from the Leinster SHC Semi-Final between Cuala and St Martin’s. 

Kilcormac-Killoughey and Mount Leinster Rangers will line out as follows:

Ballygunner and Na Piarsaigh starting XVs

Na Piarsaigh 0-01 Ballygunner 0-00

1 min — The Limerick side get the opening score.

Na Piarsaigh 0-01 Ballygunner 0-00

Wide for Mahony from a free.

Mount Rangers 0-00 Kicormack-Killoughey 0-01

Kilcormac are up and running with their first score.

Na Piarsaigh 0-02 Ballygunner 0-01

5 mins — Tommy Grimes adds another for Na Piarsaigh from distance.

Kilcormac-Killoughey 0-02 Mount Rangers 0-03

7 mins — The Carlow side are just one point in front.

Na Piarsaigh 0-02 Ballygunner 0-02

7 mins — David O’Sullivan levels the game.

GOAL!!

Na Piarsaigh 0-02 1-02 Ballygunner

9 mins — The Waterford champions have found the net through Conor Power.

Kilcormac-Killoughey 0-03 Mount Rangers 0-03

12 minutes — Nothing separating these sides in the opening stages.

Cuala 0-03  St Martin’s 0-05

15 mins — Two point lead for the champions at this stage of the game.

Cuala 0-04  St Martin’s 0-05

16 mins — Dublin dual star Con O’Callaghan involved in that move that ended in a score.

GOAL!!

Cuala 2-04  St Martin’s 0-06

19 mins — In the blink of an eye, Cuala have two goals on the scoreboard. Con O’Callaghan got one of them, while Colum Sheanon got the other one.

Kilcormac-Killoughey 0-04   Mount Rangers 0-03

17 mins — Just the one score between the sides heading into the last 10 minutes of the first half.

Na Piarsaigh 1-04  Ballygunner 0-03

22 mins — David O’Sullivan with the latest score for Na Piarsaigh. That goal proving crucial as half-time looms.

GOAL!!

Kilcormac-Killoughey 0-04  Mount Rangers 0-06

26 mins — James Gorman with the vital touch.

Cuala 2-05  St Martin’s 0-07

29 mins — The Dublin side hold a four-point advantage as we head towards half-time. Two additional minutes to be played.

Na Piarsaigh 0-05 Ballygunner 1-04

29 mins – 2 minutes added time coming up as Peter Casey clips on another point for Na Piarsaigh

Cuala 2-07   St Martin’s 0-08

HT: The All-Ireland champions hold a strong advantage at the break.

Na Piarsaigh 0-06  Ballygunner 1-04

HT: Pauric Mahony hits a free wide as the half-time whistle sounds. Ballygunner hold a slender one-point lead.

Kilcormac-Killoughey 1-08  Mount Leinster Rangers 0-04

HT: Seven points separate the sides at the break.

2nd half in the Leinster and Munster club championship hurling fixtures have begun.

Na Piarsaigh 0-06  Ballygunner 1-07

32 mins — Super point from Billy O’Keefe to put Ballygunner four points in front.

Cuala 2-09  St Martin’s 0-09

36 mins — Nicky Keeny points for Cuala.

GOAL!!

Na Piarsaigh 1-08  Ballygunner 1-07

34 mins – David Breen scores an important goal for Na Piarsaigh and they follow it up with an Adrian Breen point to take the lead.

Kilcormac-Killoughey 2-15  Mount Rangers 0-06

41 mins — Kilcormac-Killoughey are starting to run away with this tie.

Cuala 2-11  St Martin’s 0-10

40 mins — The Dublin champions stretching away from their Wexford opposition.

Na Piarsaigh 1-09  Ballygunner 1-07

41 mins — Just the two points of a difference between the teams as the game rolls on.

Cuala 2-13  St Martin’s 0-10

46 mins — Con O’Callaghan pops up again for Cuala with a flurry of points.

Kilcormac-Killoughey 2-17  Mount Leinster Rangers 0-06

Very impressive tally for Kicormac-Killoughey.

Na Piarsaigh 1-10  Ballygunner 1-08

49 mins — Na Piarsaigh look to be in a strong position heading into the last 10 minutes.

Na Piarsaigh 1-11  Ballygunner 1-08

51 mins — Adrian Breen points for Na Piarsaigh to give them a three-point cushion.

GOAL!!

Cuala 3-17  St Martin’s 0-11

58 mins – Colm Cronin gets the goal for Cuala and they tag on a few points on top of that. It’s really target practise for them at this point.

Kilcormac-Killoughey 2-20   Mount Leinster Rangers 0-06

53 mins — Huge lead for Kilcormac-Killoughey at this late stage of the game

GOAL!!

Na Piarsaigh 2-13  Ballygunner 2-09

58 mins — Drama in Thurles. Two goals in as many minutes for both sides. But crucially, Na Piarsaigh hold onto their lead.

Na Piarsaigh 2-15  Ballygunner 2-10

61 mins — Four minutes added time to be played. Adrian Breen lobs over a point to extend their lead to five points.

Cuala 3-17  St Martin’s 0-15

FT: Cuala are heading back to the Leinster final after a comfortable win over St Martin’s.

GOAL!!!

Na Piarsaigh 3-15  Ballygunner 2-10

FT: Na Piarsaigh finish with a flourish with another Breen goal to put some gloss on the final scoreline.

Kilcormac-Killoughey 2-21  Mount Leinster Rangers 0-10

FT: Kilcormac were in total command of this semi-final