The Cup

The Cup schedule carries on next week, Sunday May 10, with the semi-finals.

There will be a new name on the Pat O'Brien Cup as holders Donegal were knocked out the first hurdle this year. The footballers of Mayo and Galway meet at 2:00 in a battle of The West, while the Boston and North American champion McAnespies meet the Connemara Gaels at 4:00.

In hurling, Tipperary and holders Tom's meet at 3:00 in the Kieran Sheehan Cup semi final, while at 1:00 the Orla Benson Cup holders, the Boston Shamrocks meet fierce rivals Roscommon as the ladies begin to it their stride.

Incidentally, the last team to win a cup and the Boston championship in the same year were Aiden McAnespies in 2007. Last year Donegal won the Pat O'Brien Cup and were beaten in the championship final, Tom's won the Sheehan Cup and had a poor hurling championship, and the Shamrocks won the Orla Benson Cup and did not figure in the Ladies football final. Some argue that the cups are a distraction from focusing on the championship, others see them as an opportunity to get more competitive games in early in the year. Few will argue that getting into a winning habit is not a good thing.