PREVIEWS: So much intrigue ahead of hurling quarter-final weekend in Tipperary

Intermediate Hurling Championship Relegation Semi-Finals

Upperchurch Drombane vs Arravale Rovers
A clash of jerseys will require a change here as these clubs look to avoid the drop down to junior level for 2024.

Only fresh up into the grade, Upperchurch Drombane have struggled massively and simply don’t have the players to compete consistently at this level, after losing a number of key players from the team who won the county final at junior A level last year.

Arravale have had a poor year in both codes and will look to their leaders in Johnny Ryan and Mikey Dwyer to dig them out of a hole completely of their own making.

The Church have averaged just under 15 points per game this year, and that is nowhere near good enough to win games at this level and that will likely be their undoing here, in what will be a tightly fought game.

Verdict: Arravale Rovers

Shannon Rovers vs Kiladangan
What an intriguing contest this is shaping up to be, especially for the clubs involved with so many clashes of interest carrying over between the players, management and supporters involved!

The big conflict of interest is that of former Tipp footballer and Shannon Rovers stalwart George Hannigan, who is currently a coach for the Kiladangan senior team, and will surely have an inside track into the Kiladangan team for this crunch clash this weekend.

The Rovers are a team that are really struggling to produce players underage in recent year and that is beginning to tell in their poor return at this level in the last few year.

They will be desperate to stay afloat but they face a stern test against a Kiladangan team that were well in the shake-up to qualify from their group, with a late Golden Kilfeacle goal condemning them to relegation fare.

The ‘Dangan have struggled for scores and with confidence low and local bragging rights on the line, the Rovers might edge it, as their need is greatest.

Verdict: Shannon Rovers