WHO'S HOT AND WHO'S NOT SO HOT

SEVEN teams remain. Seven stories still unfolding.

- BY GARRY DOYLE

And this, more than anything else, is why the All-Ireland club hurling championship is one of the most underrated competitions in Irish sport.

Forget National Leagues - nothing carries the raw, untamed excitement of a knockout tie where every puck, every sideline ball, every score can rewrite the narrative.

Ballyhale, Ballygunner, Loughrea, St Martin's, Slaughtneil, Eire Og, St John’s ~ all of them still in it.

None can be ruled out as the roads to All-Ireland glory twist and fork like the rivers they hail from - and the only certainty is uncertainty.

BALLYHALE SHAMROCKS (KILKENNY)

Shamrocks’ season has been defined by resilience, renewal and timing. They didn't glide through the year, they navigated it - picking the right route at the right moment, Sunday's win over Clough Ballacolla the latest example of that.

The first major fork in the road came in spring, when injuries forced younger panel members into responsibility. Darragh Corcoran emerged, Adrian Mullen reasserted himself as the heartbeat of the team and providing the leadership that separates contenders from pretenders.

The second arrived in the county championship ~ a brutally hard semi where Ballyhale were pushed to the cliff edge.

TJ Reid - still the guiding star ~ produced the calm, authoritative performances that have defined his late career, while Eoin Cody's scoring reminded everyone he's also a man defences fear.

By the time the Leinster Championship rolled around, Ballyhale had clarity. They were physically challenged by Kilcormac, Mullen picking up a thumb injury in that keeps him out for another six weeks.

And then on Sunday they were mentally tested by Clough in the Leinster semifinal. But they always find an answer. That's why a reunion with Ballygunner is on the cards.

BALLYGUNNER (WATERFORD)