Offaly Senior Hurling Championship 2013

[Toxicity234]

SHC s/f Birr 0-16 St Rynaghs 1-7.

Rynaghs scoring 1-5 with the wind in the first half tells you what Rynaghs major problem was. in fairness to Birr their tactics in the first half was spot on, they slowed the game down, worked the ball with hand pass and delivered low ball around the forward line. I'm not sure what Rynaghs were thinking, not starting Diarmuid Horan. he was a class apart when he came on at half time. Paul Cleary was have a great game at full back but Rynaghs were just hitting long ball in on top of him his free taking as excellent in the second half. Dermot Shortt was outstanding at Centre Back for Rynagh's but was miles too far out the field in the first half and left a huge gap behind him for Birr to run into. Dylan Hayden use of the ball was excellent all day, really miss him off the county team. Brendan Murphy got through a lot of hard work in the first half. Birr should have won by more. Rynagh’s look like a young team still learning to play at this level. Stephen Quirke should have put over the 21 free in the middle of the second half, But it took guts to go for it and a goal at that stage could well have turned the game.

Kilcormac/Killoughey 1-19 Seir Kieran 2-10

This game was better quality game. Kilcormac Killoughey did a huge amount of work in the first half and if it wasn't for two stroke’s from Brian Mulrooney and Eanna Murphy on Dan Currams Kilcormac Killoughey would have being out of sight. If it Drumcullen player that pulled these stroke they being half the county of here calling for their heads. Currams got a great goal in the middle of the first half. Joe Bergin scored some great points to keep Clareen in the game. The second half started with Hynes winning a ball behind Grogan and winning a penalty which Bergin put away. Kilcormac Killoughey hit back with a run of points. Bergin pass for Clareen second goal was outstanding and Ryan finish excellent(how was Ryan not on the minor panel). Bergin missed two scoreable free in the last 10 mins and kilcormac killoughey knock over a few points to pull away. Kilcormac/Killoughey were worth their 6 points win. they have lots to work on for the final and Birr have being waiting for them all year.

[kinnittyman]

The writing was on the wall for Rynagh's when they only managed 1-02 from play in the first half playing with the gale. And the goal had a large amount of good fortune about it as it came back off the post when Breeder Mullins should really have collected it first time rather than trying to shepherd it wide. In fact Birr managed to score more points against the wind than Rynaghs did with it - 3 to 2. Diarmuid Horan did extremely well when he was introduced and a key aspect of his play was preventing any 30 yard passes to Dylan Hayden from the Birr half back line. Birr did this to great effect against Shinrone when Hayden gave Del Morkam the runaround in the second half. However Horan's deep lying roll prevented this from happening. However after that it was a shambles from Rynaghs. No scoring threat whatsoever and no semblance of a game plan either. Birr were easily the better team with much smarter hurlers when in possession. A comparison of the two teams centre-forwards tells you all you need to know. Also 0-05 from frees from Paul Cleary was an added bonus.

POTH made a point here during the week that K/K could be getting stale and yesterday's game didn't do anything to disprove that theory. However the big difference between this K/K team and all that went before is Peter and Thomas Geraghty. Their workrate in the forward line is outstanding and whenever Seir Kieran looked like they could push on, one Geraghty or the other produced something to engineer a free, create a score or score themselves. They have made some difference to that team. Dan Currams also had a fine first half and really K/K should have attempted to exploit his obvious superiority over Eanna Murphy more. K/K's back's however are not hurling well and really Ger Healion ought to have been sent off when he fouled for Seir Kieran's second penalty. He was booked in the first half for an altercation with Joe Bergin. Birr's hurling intelligence and good use of possession could pose serious problems for K/K's backs and they have a tendency to foul.

As for Seir Kieran, if only they had anyone to ease the scoring burden inflicted on Joe Bergin they would be contenders. However 1-8 from Joe (he also created the second goal with the most outstanding pass) out of 2-10 tells the story. Adrian Hynes needs to shoulder more responsibility and add some variety to his game. At the moment he is too predictable. Also could anybody tell me how many frees did Tom Carroll concede?

For some reason I think Birr have the momentum with them going into the final and if they can avoid it becoming a dogfight I think they can pull it off.

And as a an aside is it just me or does anyone else find it amazing this is Birr's first county final since 2008. After all those years of dominance!!

[Plain of the Herbs]

What (if anything) are we to read into the switch of Killian Leonard to corner-back with James Geraghty going to midfield?

[GreatDayForTheParish]

And as a an aside is it just me or does anyone else find it amazing this is Birr's first county final since 2008. After all those years of dominance!!

It's not.
They lost the 2011 county final to Coolderry by 4 points

[GreatDayForTheParish]

Rynaghs really were appalling yesterday. It's disappointing to see that after all their underage success, they have yet to really see the benefit in classy club/county level hurlers. That said, Diarmuid Horan was a cut above when introduced yesterday and Stephen Quirke should be pushing very close to a forwards berth on the Offaly senior team next year. Lord knows we haven't an abundance of riches to choose from in that department.

[The Bogman]

The writing was on the wall for Rynagh's when they only managed 1-02 from play in the first half playing with the gale. And the goal had a large amount of good fortune about it as it came back off the post when Breeder Mullins should really have collected it first time rather than trying to shepherd it wide. In fact Birr managed to score more points against the wind than Rynaghs did with it - 3 to 2. Diarmuid Horan did extremely well when he was introduced and a key aspect of his play was preventing any 30 yard passes to Dylan Hayden from the Birr half back line. Birr did this to great effect against Shinrone when Hayden gave Del Morkam the runaround in the second half. However Horan's deep lying roll prevented this from happening. However after that it was a shambles from Rynaghs. No scoring threat whatsoever and no semblance of a game plan either. Birr were easily the better team with much smarter hurlers when in possession. A comparison of the two teams centre-forwards tells you all you need to know. Also 0-05 from frees from Paul Cleary was an added bonus.

POTH made a point here during the week that K/K could be getting stale and yesterday's game didn't do anything to disprove that theory. However the big difference between this K/K team and all that went before is Peter and Thomas Geraghty. Their workrate in the forward line is outstanding and whenever Seir Kieran looked like they could push on, one Geraghty or the other produced something to engineer a free, create a score or score themselves. They have made some difference to that team. Dan Currams also had a fine first half and really K/K should have attempted to exploit his obvious superiority over Eanna Murphy more. K/K's back's however are not hurling well and really Ger Healion ought to have been sent off when he fouled for Seir Kieran's second penalty. He was booked in the first half for an altercation with Joe Bergin. Birr's hurling intelligence and good use of possession could pose serious problems for K/K's backs and they have a tendency to foul.

As for Seir Kieran, if only they had anyone to ease the scoring burden inflicted on Joe Bergin they would be contenders. However 1-8 from Joe (he also created the second goal with the most outstanding pass) out of 2-10 tells the story. Adrian Hynes needs to shoulder more responsibility and add some variety to his game. At the moment he is too predictable. Also could anybody tell me how many frees did Tom Carroll concede?

For some reason I think Birr have the momentum with them going into the final and if they can avoid it becoming a dogfight I think they can pull it off.

And as a an aside is it just me or does anyone else find it amazing this is Birr's first county final since 2008. After all those years of dominance!!

Fairly spot on there with everything. Just have a sneaky feeling Birr will shade the final

[kinnittyman]

Mea Culpa vis a vis Birr's final appearance in 2011. As a Kinnitty man I attempt to put all Coolderry's county final wins in a dark box, placed in a spot my memory can never access it.

Regarding James Geraghty I thought he struggled against Belmont and didnt really strike me as a natural corner back. However he didn't seem to impose himself on the game yesterday so maybe he'll be under pressure to keep his place for county final.

[puzzled]

Drumcullen 0-16 Lusmagh 0-13
Just seen this result on the Offaly website,great result for Drumcullen considering Conor Gath was suspended.
Anyone at the game?
Lusmagh go straight back down or does a KK win in the intermediate save them?

[Lone Shark]

A KK win keeps Lusmagh senior.

[Slieve Bloom Man]

County Final live on TG4 this Sunday. Hopefully will be a good game and showcase Offaly club hurling in a positive light to a wide audience. (just as Kk and Coolderry have done over past two years.)

Just reminds me Ger Loughnane was speaking as gaeilge to R Na G or Radio na Life in Dublin before first All Ireland between Cork and Clare. He was speaking about 2013 season and hurling in general. However he really believes that there is skill and talent in Offaly but we're not getting the most out of ourselves. That we're not actually training hard enough nor have we the right structures in place. It was very interesting that he started talking about Offaly hurling in this way when it is easy so easy to forget about Offaly in the 2013 season. Have to agree with him.

[bigmick]

are birr good enough to win sunday?

[townman]

Yes we are

[bigmick]

hope so townman as a laois man i would have great time for the birr club.

[KillougheyGoBragh]

hope so townman as a laois man i would have great time for the birr club.

Just like us Rosnaclonagh boys!

[Plain of the Herbs]

If life were simple, uncomplicated and everything turned out as planned, Kilcormac-Killoughey would come to Tullamore on Sunday, see, conquer and go home again, making plans for a road trip to Portlaoise in 4 weeks time. Come to think of it, if life was like that, K-K would be going for about their fifth Senior title on Sunday. But life isn’t like that, so something unforeseen is about to happen.

Kilcormac-Killoughey should win. But County Finals can be unforgiving events. Or at least will carry a few twists along the way. Even Birr, at their peak, drew semi-finals in each of 2001 and 2002, and were brought the distance by St Rynagh’s in the 2001 Final, and were brought to a replay by Coolderry in 2006.

I expect Birr will give this one hell of a go. No strangers to Final day, so the occasion won’t be an issue. A proud record against K-K, so belief won’t be a deterrent. And a score to settle from last year. Think about it, had Birr prevailed in last year’s semi-final (and K-K fell over the line), it’s likely Birr would be defending champions right now.

How ready and prepared K-K are will be key. Birr will aim to pressurise K-K from the very start, as they did to St Rynagh’s in the semi-final. K-K have recently been winning matches with a run of scores during the last 10 minutes (Belmont, Clareen). They did so by keeping their composure and hurling their way to the finish. Not falling behind was also a factor – how would they manage if Birr have their noses in front late in Sunday’s Final, K-K in arrears, time and patience running out and without the aid of St Ciarán’s wind in their backs as they had against both Belmont and Clareen?

As for personnel, there’s something appealing about Birr’s half-back line. I’d expect Brian Watkins to stick tight to Ciarán Slevin, while Seán Ryan is probably the best man available to get to the ball ahead of Peter Geraghty, on whom K-K depend. Slevin tends to roam, first infield, then back towards midfield and beyond, which won’t bother Watkins. On the other hand, Conor Mahon, new stroke and all, could be good for 0-3 and maybe a goal. Paul Cleary could well restrict Daniel Currams to very little at all. Brian Mullins is now a master of the short puckout, something that was never tried when he lined out in goals with an uber-conservative Offaly.

James Gorman generally roams outfield into the space left by Slevin. I wonder what Birr will do with Barry Harding. Perhaps put him on the left side of midfield to cover that space vacated by a rambling Slevin, as James Gorman is sometimes used as a puckout target in this eventuality. Mullins will have no option but to go short alot of the time, hard to see Colm Mulrooney winning primary possession with Brian Leonard for company.

Dylan Hayden will be the key man in Birr’s attack. Lining out at centre half-forward, he could well make hay on Peter Healion who generally holds the centre, Hayden will travel. Alot. Which will include spells deep in his own half. Healion will hold the fort so any long Birr deliveries will need to avoid obstacles wearing green and gold helmets. On his day Hayden could score up to five points from distance. And Birr must be tempted to start with Tomás Bolger in attack. If Birr are to win, 1-12 could suffice. Birr won’t win a shootout where K-K set them a target of 1-20.

All logic points to a Kilcormac-Killoughey win. Their defence has few vulnerabilities that could be exploited by Birr (Dylan Hayden the notable exception). Kilmartin and Leonard should overcome Barry Whelahan and his midfield partner, though both sets of midfielders will foremost aim to protect their half-back lines. K-K’s attack will be crowded out and will find scored hard to come by. Still, they should be able to make enough space for the Geraghtys to assist in posting a winning tally.

Hurling isn’t straightforward, and it won’t be on Sunday either. In a tight and nervous second half, K-K to come with a late rally to win, something like 1-18 to 1-13.