Birr 2-18 Kilcormac/Killoughey 1-7

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Lone Shark
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Birr 2-18 Kilcormac/Killoughey 1-7

Post by Lone Shark »

Babe Ruth, the greatest hero in baseball history, was well known for his famous line that he always swings big, and that way he either hits big or misses big. Lone Shark took a page out of that book last weekend, and swung big, saying this was the week Birr were going to be found out by the coming team. Now that’s what I call missing big. There is wrong, there is spectacularly wrong, and then there is King Wrong the eleventh, latest in a long line of the Wrong family ruling wrongly over all of wrongingdom. I could show him a thing or two after this.

The only word for it is vintage Birr. Even though a good chunk of this team were still minor and even under sixteen in cases when Birr last won an All Ireland club title, this was a classic Birr display, with crisp ball movement, first time striking, and utilising all the skills of the game. On this sort of imperious form there is no club in Offaly that will come close to rivalling them, and indeed outside of Coolderry, it’s hard to imagine any club taking them even if they were operating in second gear.

As is their way, they wasted no time in getting off the mark, Sid knocking over a 65 after a minute. He stood over another not two minutes later, and in a moment that Stephen Byrne will do well to erase from his memory permanently, hit it direct to the K/K net as the usually solid custodian misjudged it and let it fly past his hurl. Points from Paul Molloy, Dylan Hayden and a Simon free followed to leave Birr 1-4 to no score ahead after only tem minutes, and at this point they were absolutely cruising – cruising at top speed, but cruising. It was Eamonn Lee, one of the few K/K players who emerged from this carnage with credit who started the fightback. He took two wonderful scores in the next five minutes, winning high ball over his man, and shooting over from very tricky positions. Another Simon free split the two scores, but the Kilcormac defence at least was beginning to display it’s customary tenacity, and they held bBirr to just one more score by half time, and at 1-6 to 0-5, you began to suspect that they might just have ridden the storm and could be set to come with a few gusts of their own.

An Eamonn Lee free at the start of the second period was quickly countered and doubled by scores from Simon and Hayden, before on thirty five minutes Paul Cummins, one of three half time introductions in the Kilcormac forward line, pounced on a loose ball after Breeder had made a spectacular double save, scrambling the ball to the net. Two points in it, game on.

Oh my word. Game on my eye.

The remaining twenty five minutes were won by Birr on a scoreline of 1-10 to 0-1. They took scores from all sorts of angles, a Rory Hanniffy shot going backwards and off balance from fifty metres and a glorious sideline cut from Paul Molloy being the highlights. All starting forwards other than Michael Dwane scored, and he can take great credit for the last goal of the game, where he beat two men and drew the keeper before flicking the ball across for sub Liam Power to get one of the easiest goals he’ll ever score. Molloy was the star turn though – normally unheralded, he scored four points, that one sideline cut and three great scores from play. Overall the play was irrepressible, and on this form you would start thinking All Ireland club, not just Offaly championship.

With one eye on the county in three weeks, there was generally good news. Brian Whelehan played like the class act he is, and will certainly come into contention. His worth from long range frees was emphasised, and he has lost none of his ability to effect a clearance in tight spaces. If he is fit enough, he certainly looks to have the form. Needless to say taking on Henry Shefflin or Tommy Walsh is a huge step up, but with our team lacking in experience, you’d have to give him every chance. Stephen Brown was also very sharp, and looked like a county player, though as a half back his slight stature might hurt him. He looked a lot better than Colm Cassidy though, who really never imposed himself on the game. Rory was moved to full forward very quickly, and had a great struggle with Peter Healion, both players emerging with credit. Gary was quiet, and worryingly failed to really feature under the dropping ball. Took one great point though. Dylan Hayden along with Molloy was the class act of the forwards, and he looks worthy of consideration also.

In terms of under twenty one, Eamonn Lee, Hayden, Paul Cleary and to a lesser extent Kevin Grogan all did well. Michael Dwane doesn’t look ready for it yet, while Neil Rogers had a quiet day. Ciarán Slevin was very disappointing, as you would expect from a player withdrawn at the break. I’m unsure if Healion is under twenty one or not this year, but if he is he’ll be a good player at that level also.

Overall though, this was a dominant Birr display reminiscent of the late nineties, and while that may or may not be good for Offaly hurling, for Birr it looks like nothing but good times loom.

Teams:
Birr: Brian Mullins; Neil Rogers, Paul Cleary, John Paul O’Meara; Sid Whelahan (1-4, 1-3 from 65s, 0-1 free), Joe Errity, Stephen Brown; Barry Whelahan, Rory Hanniffy (0-2); Paul Molloy (0-4, 0-1 Sideline), Gary Hanniffy (0-1), Dylan Hayden (0-2); Declan Pilkington (0-1), Simon Whelahan (0-4, 0-3 frees), Michael Dwane.
Subs: Liam Power (1-0) for Rory Hanniffy.


K/K: Stephen Byrne; John Flaherty, Peter Healion, John Grogan; Keith McConville, Kevin Rigney, Colm Cassidy (0-2, 0-1 free 0-1 65); Tony Spain, Kevin Grogan; Thomas Craven, Seamus Spain, Kevin Sadler (0-1); Eamonn Lee (0-3, 0-1 free), Joey Wynne, Ciarán Slevin (0-1, free).
Sub: Mark Hand for Thomas Craven, Paul Cummins (1-0) for Joey Wynne, Mark Leonard for Ciarán Slevin, David Gleeson for Seamus Spain.

Referee: Brendan Keeshan

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