PREVIEWS: Great contempt through rivalry for senior semi-finalists as relegation also heats up

FBD Insurance Senior Hurling Championship Relegation semi-finals

Kilruane MacDonaghs V Upperchurch Drombane

Rewind twelve months and these two teams were preparing for a county semi-final against each other. What a change of fortunes it has been in the time since that weekend.

Kilruane come into this game without Mark O'Neill who is out for the rest of the year through injury, while there are doubts that James Cleary will be available for the game. They do have boosts in that Craig Morgan and Niall O'Meara are fit to play, having shrugged off the injuries that have blighted their involvement to date.

Upperchurch had a marathon quarter-final victory in the football last weekend and will be under pressure to finish the match strongly, but they won that game in penalties and will be in confident mood as a result.

This one is tough to call, the the added rest time afforded to Kilruane to get their best players back on the pitch might just be what was required.

Verdict: Kilruane MacDonaghs

Clonoulty Rossmore V JK Brackens

Another incredibly tough game to call in the other semi-final between these two sides who have had mixed campaigns this year.

Clonoulty Rossmore were close to delaying this match even further as they just lost out to Toomevara in extra time, but they showed some quality in that game that suggests they might have it in the locker to pull off a win.

Despite the extra minutes they have in the legs after the Toome game, they will have a full deck to choose from as Jimmy Ryan (Con) made an appearance in extra time two weekends ago, which might free up Danny Slattery to move back up field.

JK Brackens have had a good month as they qualified for the football semi-final last weekend, and given the trimming they dished out to Drom & Inch in their final group game, they are a very live threat.

This will be incredibly tight but you feel that the experience and know-how of this Clonoulty team might see them to a very narrow win here. Don't be surprised if extra time is required.

Verdict: Clonoulty Rossmore