BIG READ: Loughmore Castleiney receive boost ahead of intriguing quarter-final weekend

In the immediate aftermath of the conclusion of the FBD Insurance Preliminary Hurling quarter-finals across all grades, the draws for the various championships threw up some incredibly evenly balanced quarter-final proper ties, set for decision this coming weekend.

READ NEXT: TEAM OF THE WEEK: Tipperary Senior Hurling Championship - Preliminary quarter-finals

The eye-catching draw came in the senior grade with Toomevara drawing the short straw by coming out of the hat against Loughmore Castleiney in what will be a repeat of last year’s county final.

Toome huffed and puffed in their victory over JK Brackens, and it will be a challenge to dust themselves down after a tough game to go again next weekend, but they will have a fully rested and rejuvenated Kevin McCarthy to come back into the fray after serving his suspension last Saturday.

Loughmore Castleiney have had a break week for a change and watched on as the games unfolded last weekend. They will go into the game as favourites, although there are murmurings that Noel McGrath’s injury, picked up in the footballers' win over Moyle Rovers, continues to linger, but they will be hoping he can feature here.

There was very little between the sides in last year’s final, and with both sides bringing form into the game, it is definitely the fixture of the weekend across the grades.

Looking at the senior draw elsewhere, Kilruane MacDonaghs will renew acquaintances with near neighbours Nenagh Éire Óg after the sides met earlier this year in the North Championship.

On that occasion, Kilruane MacDonagh’s got the better of Éire Óg with Cian Darcy shooting the lights out with 1-7 from play that day in Dolla.

Since then, Nenagh have mixed the good with the bad in topping their group and with a bit of downtime in the last few weeks for a tired-looking Jake Morris, it will have them in fine fettle for this game.

Kilruane were impressive in their win over Kiladangan last weekend, with concerns over the fitness of Craig Morgan and Jerry Cahill quashed as the duo gave a top performance in that one.

Drom & Inch were the other side who came through a preliminary quarter-final to get to the last eight, where they have been drawn out against a high-flying Moycarkey Borris team.

Drom are a rejuvenated team this year after a disappointing 2024 campaign, and with Indian summers in terms of performance coming from the experienced heads of Seamus Callanan, David Collins, and Johnny Ryan, they have improved out of sight, with the only blot in their copybook being a late loss to county champions Loughmore Castleiney in the first round of the group stages.

The resilience shown to strike late against Clonoulty Rossmore is another feather in their cap, and they will not be the least bit perturbed by the Littleton-based outfit. Moycarkey Borris are a team in form and will be hoping the three-week lay-off will have given the likes of Peter Melbourne, David Costigan, and Joe Maher ample time to recover, with the latter duo missing the Borris-Ileigh game in the group stage.

The loss to Borris will have disappointed Eddie Brennan, but with the top spot secured prior to that game, it is hard to read into the form going in here. What we do know is they are putting up big scores with Kieran Morris the leading man in a cast of underage quality, and with their gander up, they will be a tough prospect for Drom.

Finally, the favourites amongst bookmakers - Holycross Ballycahill - will take on an equally talented side in Cashel King Cormacs, who have made little of the transition from premier intermediate to senior in this campaign.

Like Moycarkey Borris, Holycross ended their group outings with a loss to Clonoulty Rossmore, having already had their top spot confirmed after the first two games, and they will not be too disturbed by the loss, with a fair cluster of the U19 cohort rested on that occasion.

However, they will be wary of the threat posed by Cashel King Cormacs and need only look to the U19 fixture between the two clubs to dispel any cockiness in the ranks. Cashel have claimed scalps in beating Mullinahone and, more notably, Nenagh Éire Óg so far this term and will pose a massive threat to the credentials of this highly vaunted Holycross team.

These are all tough games to call in their own right, along with some seriously appetising games to be played at premier intermediate, intermediate, and junior A this weekend, it is one of THE weekends of the year for all ye lovers of club hurling in Tipperary.

ALSO READ: IN PICTURES: Tipp's 13 All-Star nominees and what their chances are of making the team of 2025

Senior quarter-finals: Loughmore Castleiney vs Toomevara; Holycross Ballycahill vs Cashel King Cormacs; Drom & Inch vs Moycarkey Borris; Nenagh Éire Óg vs Kilruane MacDonaghs.

Premier Intermediate quarter-finals: Gortnahoe Glengoole vs Ballina; Upperchurch Drombane vs Killenaule; Moneygall vs Boherlahan Dualla; Carrick Swan vs Silvermines

Intermediate quarter-finals: Knockavilla Kickhams vs Moyle Rovers; Golden Kilfeacle vs Arravale Rovers; Borrisokane vs Kilsheelan Kilcash; Cappawhite vs Ballingarry

Junior A quarter-finals: Nenagh Éire Óg vs Clonmel Óg; Kiladangan vs Cahir; Rockwell Rovers vs Moycarkey Borris; Holycross Ballycahill vs Cashel King Cormacs.