Hurlers gear up for club semi-final

The two best club hurling teams of the last three seasons meet in a mouth-watering All-Ireland Club Hurling Final semi-final at Semple Stadium this afternoon.

Current All-Ireland champions Portumna of Galway edged out Kilkenny standard bearers Ballyhale the last time the sides met at the same stage in 2007 in a thrilling encounter.

In an interesting sub-plot among the many key contests on the pitch the two in-form hurlers in the country Henry Shefflin and the prodigious Joe Canning will aim to lead the scoring for their respective teams.

While Waterford club De La Salle will break new ground when they take part in their first ever semi-final in the other game.

Cushendall of Antrim provide the opposition at Parnell Park.

It has been a historic couple of months for the Waterford club who captured their first county and provincial titles last winter.