Last weekend’s fourth round of the Pettitts Senior Hurling Championship has certainly shaken up Richard Walsh’s betting on outright honours.

Naomh Eanna’s odds have been halved, 8’s into 4’s, following their impressive victory over Oulart on Sunday. The Gorey outfit are beginning to reap the rewards for the massive effort they put into underage hurling in recent years.

Oulart have taken a walk in the market following their defeat to Gorey, from 5’s out to 8’s, this is surely the biggest price the men in red and black have been in over 40 years. The management must certainly take the blame for the team’s demise, Leinster champions in 2015, county champions in 2016, beaten finalists last year, a team does not become a bad team overnight, so one has to question Andy Moloney’s ability to harness the best from this gifted group of players. Also, looking at the team on Sunday, the fitness levels of some of the players is surely a concern, again the blame for this lies completely at the management’s door.

Surprisingly, St Martins have weakened slightly in the market, from 9/5 out to 2/1, it is certainly a strange reaction from bookmakers, they still remain unbeaten in this years championship, although Rory O’Connor’s availability for the season is a major concern.

Oylegate have eased from 7’s to 8’s following their 3 point defeat to Glynn Barntown; it was at this point last year that things started going wrong for the Oylegate men, so one has to wonder are they a creature of habit- I expect a quarter final exit.

There is only one senior hurling team not quoted in the betting, Buffers Alley, with one game to go they are already guaranteed a relegation play off, surely a sad day in the county for hurling, but one suspects they are paying the penalty for their neglect at underage level.

I think the smart money will go on St Martins at 2’s, but I think the neutral will be hoping that Naomh Eanna will make the breakthrough, but the 4/1 on offer is not very attractive.

2/1 St Martins

4/1 Naomh Eanna

13/2 Rapparees

8/1 Oylegate

8/1 Oulart-The Ballagh

14/1 Shelmaliers

20/1 Glynn-Barntown

20/1 St Annes

25/1 Rathnure

33/1 Faythe Harriers

33/1 Ferns