Birr need all the breaks to put one over on Athenry

HALF a dozen times Athenry and Birr have met over the past six years, but if you took the aggregate scores, there’s no more than a couple of points between them.

Almost dead even, a bagful of county senior titles apiece through the 90's and into the new millenniums, three All-Ireland titles each, only the breaks separate them a good break here, a bad break there.

For tomorrow's All Ireland club semi final in Ennis, 2.30, Birr would appear to have suffered that bad break. Not one, but two freak injuries, and to their two most talismanic stars. Brian Whelahan jarred his back putting down a bucket of turf at home; Johnny Pilkington, shifting a box with his foot in his pub, injures his groin. Both will probably play, but there is a question mark over how fit they will be.