Offaly Hurling Championships 2015

[Toxicity234]

Feck it lads. The weekend got away from me and did get yo any games.
A few thing I love to know.
Did David kenny play,
How did the birr team line out.

[SearingDrive]

Out of interest is anyone going to Clodiagh Gaels and Birr in Kinnitty at 12? On that note i wish the lads all the best vs Birr in the intermediate at 12 and the junior A lads vs Drumcullen at 6pm in Killeigh this evening.

Clodiagh Gaels 0-17 Birr 2-6 IHC. Good win for Gaels in a historic fixture, some promising players who didn't fold when Birr scored 2 goals when Gaels had edged ahead by 4 points on two occasions. A lot of young players impressed today, with a little luck might have notched a goal or two, plus a few point chances weren't put away.
JHC evening game. Just caught the closing stages, Clodiagh Gaels won by 1-8 to 0-7.

A good day for the new club, two wins on the one day.

[Killeighman]

Good win for the Gaels indeed without playing to the best of their ability. They go onto play St Rynaghs the next day out which will be a much stiffer test for the lads. The class of young Dwayne Dunne stood and four of the Offaly minors also with Cathal Curran and Peter Walsh solid at corner back and Liam Langton causing problems for the Birr defence. The introduction of David Buckley to score two magnificent points was great to see. Great potential in this team

[Toxicity234]

Senior In Black.
Intermediate in Blue

01.05.15 (Fri)
BALLINAMERE V ST RYNAGH'S HURLING CLUB
Time: 7 30 PM , Venue: O Connor Park, Tullamore

SEIR KIERAN V NA SEAMRÓGA
Time: 7 30 PM , Venue: Kilcormac
Referee: Noel Flynn

DRUMCULLEN V BALLYSKENAGH/KILLAVILLA
Time: 7 30 PM , Venue: Crinkle
Referee: Richie Fitzsimons

BIRR V CARRIG RIVERSTOWN
Time: 7 30 PM , Venue: Shinrone
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

02.05.15 (Sat)
KINNITTY V BROSNA GALES
Time: 5 00 PM , Venue: O Connor Park, Tullamore
Referee: Richie Fitzsimons

ST RYNAGH'S HURLING CLUB V CLODIAGH GAELS
Time: 5 00 PM , Venue: Rath
Referee: Kieran Dooley

COOLDERRY V SHINRONE
Time: 5 30 PM , Venue: Birr
Referee: Declan Cooke


TULLAMORE/AN TULACH MHÓR V BELMONT GAA
Time: 7 00 PM , Venue: Clara
Referee: Brian Gavin

KILCORMAC-KILLOUGHEY V BIRR
Time: 7 30 PM , Venue: Banagher
Referee: Kieran Pat Kelly

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
03.05.15 (Sun)

LUSMAGH GAA V KILCORMAC-KILLOUGHEY
Time: 12 00 PM , Venue: Carraig

COOLDERRY V SEIR KIERAN
Time: 12 00 PM , Venue: Kinnitty
Referee: TBC

[Plain of the Herbs]

Kilcormac stand to equal a significant milestone when they hurl Birr on Saturday evening. Currently, K-K are on an unbeaten run of 25 championship matches. K-K last tasted defeat in the 2011 semi-final. They have played 8 matches in each year of their three in a row run, plus their win over Brosna Gaels a fortnight ago and so are one shy of the record.

The irony is that the existing record of 26 unbeaten matches is held by Birr. In 2000, Birr were beaten by Lusmagh in a group game, and weren’t beaten again until Coolderry beat them in the 2004 Final. Indeed, following the 2004 Final defaet, Birr got back on the bike and went a further 20 matches unbeaten until Tullamore beat them in Moystown in 2008's first round.

Previous to Birr (2000-2004) the record was held by St Rynagh’s who went unbeaten throughout their five in a row run between 1972 and 1976, a run of 22 matches which ended when they were beaten by Drumcullen in 1977’s first round.


One other thing. While perusing the Seir Kieran GAA Wiki page (which is taken from Jimmy Blake's club history The music of the Ash and is well worth a look), I noticed that the 1974 Offaly GAA Convention passed a motion that the fixture-makers be mindful of the oil crisis then in progress when selecting venues. Fuel is far more expensive now than it was in 1974, and fixing Ballinamere v 'Rynagh's for Tullamore doesn't take cognisance of this.

[joe bloggs]

POTH I don't think having to play ballinamere in OCP is major problem for rynaghs. It is only a half an hour spin after all, but when fixed to play Tullamore it is a different issue.
I believe another problem though with the fixture list is having a game starting in Birr at 5.30 and their own seniors playing in Banagher at 7.30. This is hardly fair on the club officers and volunteers looking after St. Brendan's Park who have to then rush out to Banagher at the final whistle, not forgetting someone having to lock up. Between after match traffic in Birr and then finding parking in Banagher it leaves them very tight to be there for the throw in.

[SearingDrive]

Kilcormac stand to equal a significant milestone when they hurl Birr on Saturday evening. Currently, K-K are on an unbeaten run of 25 championship matches. K-K last tasted defeat in the 2011 semi-final. They have played 8 matches in each year of their three in a row run, plus their win over Brosna Gaels a fortnight ago and so are one shy of the record.

The irony is that the existing record of 26 unbeaten matches is held by Birr. In 2000, Birr were beaten by Lusmagh in a group game, and weren’t beaten again until Coolderry beat them in the 2004 Final. Indeed, following the 2004 Final defaet, Birr got back on the bike and went a further 20 matches unbeaten until Tullamore beat them in Moystown in 2008's first round.

Previous to Birr (2000-2004) the record was held by St Rynagh’s who went unbeaten throughout their five in a row run between 1972 and 1976, a run of 22 matches which ended when they were beaten by Drumcullen in 1977’s first round.


One other thing. While perusing the Seir Kieran GAA Wiki page (which is taken from Jimmy Blake's club history The music of the Ash and is well worth a look), I noticed that the 1974 Offaly GAA Convention passed a motion that the fixture-makers be mindful of the oil crisis then in progress when selecting venues. Fuel is far more expensive now than it was in 1974, and fixing Ballinamere v 'Rynagh's for Tullamore doesn't take cognisance of this.

There was an oil crisis back then, the Arab nations decided to put the screws on the west by reducing oil production in 1973/74. It followed the 1973 Israeli/ Arab war. Petrol was rationed then, queues at pumps etc. First time the Oil producers realised they were literally sitting on a powerful asset.

[Buttons]

From 1 to 15 St Rynaghs easily defeated Ballinamere 5-18 to 0-10, playing with a strong breeze Rynaghs lead 4-11 to 0-3 at half time. There isnt too much else to say but Rynaghs ran the Ballinamere backs ragged playing in excellent ball into the forwards with Rynaghs constantly running at them. Ballinamere scored only three points from play in the game.

Two other points is that i dont think Ballinamere made one sub in the game, surely a few lads could have come in and is starting a game at half 7 a great idea, got pretty dark near the end.

[Plain of the Herbs]

Ah, there's an inequity there in terms of travelling time alright. Same token, it wouldn't be fair to ask Ballinamere to travel to Lusmagh to hurl Rynagh's, or to travel to Banagher to hurl Lusmagh. As regards Tullamore, while OCP is in Tullamore town, it wouldn't be Tullamore's home pitch in that they wouldn't be training there and they've actually played just one of their five group matches in OCP in each of 2012, '13 and '14, as well as the 2013 quarter-final.

I absolutely agree with you on your Birr point though.

POTH I don't think having to play ballinamere in OCP is major problem for rynaghs. It is only a half an hour spin after all, but when fixed to play Tullamore it is a different issue.
I believe another problem though with the fixture list is having a game starting in Birr at 5.30 and their own seniors playing in Banagher at 7.30. This is hardly fair on the club officers and volunteers looking after St. Brendan's Park who have to then rush out to Banagher at the final whistle, not forgetting someone having to lock up. Between after match traffic in Birr and then finding parking in Banagher it leaves them very tight to be there for the throw in.

[Plain of the Herbs]

Ballinamere won the toss and elected to hurl into the stinging east wind, effectively putting St Rynagh’s in to bat first. And what an innings. I thought Rynagh’s played a lovely brand of hurling, in the Gaelic Football method of pass-pass-pass-deliver out of defence.

When it works, it’s lovely to watch. Thing was, such movements often broke down – the ‘turnovers against’ column on the Rynagh’s stats sheet will make for interesting reading. About twelve of their hurlers revel in this style which suits them, about three aren’t good enough to execute it. And that’s against poor opposition. What will they be like when Kilcormac are the opposition?

When it worked it was a treat to watch. And they delivered some great ball to Ger Rafferty and Aidan Treacy in the inside forwards, into space where the pair made hay, and scored goals and points. They used every yard of the width of the O’Connor Park pitch, which was in great order, to their advantage and kept the defence stretched. Ballinamere seemed to play man-for-man and could never really fill the spaces that often appeared in their defence. The ’Rynagh’s touch was far superior, their striking was far superior and they thought their way around O’Connor Park. For that they are to be commended.

When the moves broke down, well, it didn’t really matter because they generally won the ball back a few seconds later. That’s something that won’t happen against better quality opposition. Still, there is the outline of a good plan, and ’Rynagh’s have the summer to go away, sharpen up and perfect the plan, and perhaps pick their optimum 15 who can implement the game they want to play.

And the 5-18 they tallied equals the 5-18 they struck against Ballyskenagh in 2009, and hasn’t been exceeded by them since they hit 5-20 against Kinnitty in 1998.

Just on buttons’ point on subs – Ballinamere lined out without David Magner, and being Junior finalists last year they quite likely have designs on going one better at that grade this year. I don’t think there was anything to be gained by ‘stripping’ their Junior team in order to gain a few consolation scores as this was a ‘lost cause’ for them from quite early in the game.

[Lone Shark]

Just to be aware, due to the light issues last night, Shinrone vs Coolderry is gone to 5:15pm this evening, and KK vs Birr will now throw in at 7:15pm.

[timber]

Yes its nice to win a title here and there but if a team is in senior hurling they should have 20 hurlers that they are willing to play. A few clubs in the county hold players every year to win an auld junior championship.

On a totally different note, I wonder how weak is senior hurling in the county. We are seeing some of the traditional hurling strongholds struggling against dual teams who are doing very little hurling training. I find it bizarre that these teams cant beat the dual clubs with ease. It is a sign that the standard is very poor.

[allstar2010]

On a totally different note, I wonder how weak is senior hurling in the county. We are seeing some of the traditional hurling strongholds struggling against dual teams who are doing very little hurling training. I find it bizarre that these teams cant beat the dual clubs with ease. It is a sign that the standard is very poor.

Who's struggling against who? You'd hardly say Rynaghs struggled last night? Clareen seem to be just doing enough to win matches. At the end of the day I reckon the "bigger" clubs are just tipping away getting these 2 rounds out of the way knowing that the real championship gets going after Offaly exit. I wouldn't read much into any results this weekend. I don't know what matches you are judging your statement of hurling being of a poor standard. Every county in the country is going to have weak senior teams like shamrocks, Brosna Gaels and ballinamere.

[timber]

Id be looking at the likes of clareen for example. They stuttered their way to victory the other night against a team who are in chaos and juggling football championship aswell. Clareen are a team training only for hurling which is a massive advantage on its own. Yet they struggle badly to get a win. And this is not the first year.

to listen to some of the ignorant middle aged men looking on slagging off "the footballers" is a joke in itself. Is it more to do with frustration with their own. I was just thinking about it after and wondering is senior club hurling very weak in the county. Take out coolderry, kk and rynaghs and its pretty substandard.

[allstar2010]

Id be looking at the likes of clareen for example. They stuttered their way to victory the other night against a team who are in chaos and juggling football championship aswell. Clareen are a team training only for hurling which is a massive advantage on its own. Yet they struggle badly to get a win. And this is not the first year.

to listen to some of the ignorant middle aged men looking on slagging off "the footballers" is a joke in itself. Is it more to do with frustration with their own. I was just thinking about it after and wondering is senior club hurling very weak in the county. Take out coolderry, kk and rynaghs and its pretty substandard.

What??? Clareen supporters slagging off another team?? That's a first