Canning can inspire club double

Canning can inspire club double


Punting
Michael Duffy

THERE’S no bigger star outside of Kilkenny hurling than Joe Canning, and next Sunday he joins the likes of Henry Shefflin on the same field in the All-Ireland Club Hurling semi-final. Canning and his club Portumna have a serious chance of claiming a place in the St Patrick’s Day final.
They take on Ballyhale Shamrocks who have undoubtedly the best pedigree of all four teams left in the competition, but face their stiffest test in a year. And the fact that they may yet have to do so without inspirational midfielder James ‘Cha’ Fitzpatrick — who faces a race to be fit on time — will hardly ease Ballyhale nerves.
In contrast, Portumna have been preparing without scarcely a whisper. They have serious nerve and steel and one of the best forward talents in the country. At 15-8 they are too big to ignore.
All credit to Dromcolliher-Broadford — their odyssey through the club championship has been one of the highlights of the competition. But their run is surely about to come to a shuddering halt this weekend when they meet the Crossmaglen juggernaut. The best price on offer about the Armagh champs is 1-5, but they are worth following in handicap betting. Indeed, they looked nailed on to deny a five point handicap.
However, the other football semi-final is a real quandary. Kilmacud Crokes are favourites, have real momentum, and have improved with each round of the competition.
But they are plenty short enough and their opponents, Corofin, have significantly upped their performance during the competition too. The key to the Galway champions is their mean defence and although that may be unsettled slightly by the absence of the injured Michael Comer, they will give little away. The key question is whether or not they can inflict enough damage on the scoreboard to win. That said the nature of club football at this time of the year is attritional, low scoring games and if that scenario materialises, Corofin are best placed to capitalise.
Recommended Portumna 15-8 (v Ballyhale Shamrocks, Sunday); Corofin 7-4 (v Kilamcud Crokes, Saturday); Crossmaglen -5pts (v Drom-Broadford, Saturday).
MORE TO COME FROM MOORE
ARTHUR Moore once had a reputation for plotting his charges out for some of the biggest handicaps in Ireland and England. His forays haven’t been as numerous or successful in recent years, but the Moore stable has, slowly but surely, eked back in to form in recent months. There has been enough to suggest that Moore is in the verge of claiming another big one and that may come this weekend at Kempton in the Racing Post Chase. He could yet run Notable D’Estruval in the race and, unlike most Irish horses running in handicaps in England, he looks pretty well handicapped.
In ground deeper than he would possibly like, he plugged on to finish fourth in the mega-bucks Paddy Power Chase at Leopardstown. That run came off a mark of 131 and the English handicapper has allotted him a mere three pounds extra. While Notable D’Estruval definitely stays three miles, there’s a distinct impression that an easier three miles at Kempton will be right up his street. The 16-1 about him looks a hugely attractive each-way price and, if Moore gives a positive indication about him lining up, it should be taken.
Recommended Notable D’Estruval 16-1 (Racing Post Chase, Kempton Park, Saturday).
HARRINGTON IS ONE TO WATCH
PÁDRAIG Harrington and his amateur partner JP McManus found the going tough at Pebble Beach last week, but the wild weather made life difficult for everybody. Harrington is building his season up slowly before the US Masters, but as he heads into this weekend’s Northern Trust Open, he may reap the benefit of missing the cut last weekend.
Sunday’s final round was postponed by a day, so he will have a extra day of rest over many of his rivals this weekend. Of course that won’t be enough to win it for the Dubliner, he will need to take better advantage of scoring chances that he has done so far in 2009. On the plus side this is a tournament he played well in last year and is worth an interest trading at around 16-1 on Betfair at the time of writing. Have an each-way wager too on Charley Hoffman, a talented golfer who has been knocking on the door of success already this season. He started the AT&T like a winner last week before his effort petered out but at odds of 33-1 and bigger is one to keep some faith in.
Recommended: Padraig Harrington 16-1 (Northern Trust Open, starts Thursday); Charley Hoffman 33-1 (Northern Trust Open, starts Thursday).
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