League & Championship hurling 2022

[greenairfield]

I think Ballinamere Durrow result shows where they really are with the result v Birr so their man could be gone too.

Birr had 2 years of Bugler he's gone almost certainly.

Would think Banagher man would be gone too.

[Onionbag]

Bugler I hear could be gone.

Didn't hear about Ballinamere. The football mgt team in Durrow gone.

Banagher staying same manager, new coaches and selectors... But early days yet.

[Onionbag]

Every year a case will be made to change the management for any team that doesn't win a championship... The nature of the GAA... There will be changes but it will be only 1 or 2 as discussed earlier

[private joker]

Coach in ballinamere is gone unless he's double jobbing

[frankthetank]

Probably Senior management availability in the following clubs:

Birr (Id be surprised is Brendan Bugler gets a 3rd year)

Coolderry (Coolderry really regressed this year under Brian Culbert so a change could be forthcoming)

Kinnitty (Denis Kelly has been appointed Tipperary Senior Camogie Manager)

[private joker]

Say kelly will do both

[Plain of the Herbs]

And lo! Shinrone went to their first county Senior final and gave what I believe was their best ever performance. We all saw it and indeed it was very good.

Quite an achievement to win on your first appearance in a final. An even bigger one to perform on the day. And absolutely massive to overcome the obvious early nerves that inhibited Shinrone until they found their rhythm around the 15th minute. Even moreso because it’s Shinrone, who we half expect to fold when the pressure comes on.

But this Shinrone team weren’t for folding. To raise 26 white flags in a final – something that’s never been done before. To raise 16 white flags in the second half, I doubt that’s been done before either. And the quality of the play never wavered. I expected a lull in their performance in the final quarter as the finishing line came into sight, but the Kilcormac goals merely drove them on.

This has been a long tie in the making. A long tradition of hurling, rarely having a ‘bad’ hurler in the ranks, it began with Joe Cleary NT in the school who put the boys and girls of Shinrone onto hurling’s conveyor belt in their formative years.

Casting their nets. Darren Crean and Darren O’Meara were defeated in 2005’s Minor final. (Indeed, the two Darrens lined out at midfield and wing-forward a decade ago.) Crean in particular had a massive second half last Sunday, attacking the ball with a midfielder’s instincts. The 2009 Minors included twins Seán and Michael Cleary, Jason Sampson, Dónal Morkan, Joe Cleary and a young Declan Cleary and were beaten by a strong St Rynagh’s team in the final. So was Conor Cleary, who went on to give a decade’s service in goal. And that team would break new ground with a 2013 U21 final win over St Rynagh’s and make it back-to-back U21 in 2014.

The Minor was finally landed in 2013, a heroic display in O’Connor Park over a strong Kilcormac-Killoughey side that had beaten them in U14 and U16 finals four and two years previously. Dan and Conor Doughan led that side, along with brothers Ciarán and Adrian Cleary, Declan Cleary and a promising Jordan Fogarty. And they went on to add the U21 in 2016.

Most of those lads were there for 2019’s bitterly disappointing quarter-final performance against Birr. But another wave of youth was on the way in the shape of the 2017 U16s, 2-13 to 0-18 winners over Kilcormac-Killoughey. And that team provided full-back Peter Cleary, Killian Sampson, Dara Maher, Luke Watkins, Paul Cleary and DJ McLoughlin who lined out last Sunday.

Senior progress was incremental. 2011 saw a first win over Kinnitty for a generation. 2012 saw four wins on the trot, including a first win over St Rynagh’s since the 1950s, and a quarter-final win before the flop came in the semi-final when St Rynagh’s were the opposition. In 2014 they went through the group unbeaten (three wins, two draws), including a first win over Birr since 1981 before Coolderry proved a bridge too far in the quarter-final. 2017 brought a rare win over the reigning champions when St Rynagh’s were overcome, albeit in a final group round, while 2019 saw arguably their most complete performance (until last Sunday) when reigning champions Coolderry were humiliated. Only for all of the above to end in disappointing quarter-final exits (except for 2012 when the disappointing exit came at the semi-final stage).

As the championship began over three months ago, there was no indication this year would be any different for Shinrone. Conor Doughan would be out for several months, which ordinarily would be enough to derail them. And they looked to be holed below the water line when Dan Doughan hobbled off as the house caved in against Belmont. But looking back now, ten Shinrone players started each of their seven championship games in the same position, while Darren O’Meara and Ciarán Cleary each missed one game, and Seán Cleary started five games in the half-forward line. Killian Sampson prospered when making the switch from attack to defence.

And as if to square the circle, Conor Doughan’s introduction provided a timely boost as Kilcormac threatened goals. Doughan provided an inspirational point (I think that was one where the goal was on for a split second), and a sublime reverse pass set up DJ McLoughlin for another score.

Ciarán Cleary’s stunning performance was one of the stories of the Senior final. Quite a turnaround for the big man, who showed indifferent form at Senior B grade last year. He has evidently worked on his game, particularly on his striking, he is physically powerful yet mobile enough to roam to the corners, and on occasion to make himself available for puckouts. He proved a handful for Ben Conneely, Shane Nally and for Enda Grogan and Thomas Spain in turn. Shinrone hit some wonderfully measured ball to him (nothing worse than seeing a ‘garryowen’ drop over the heads of full-forward and full-back, and harmlessly cross the end line), and the full-forward was assisted by some intelligent positioning of their other forwards. And Kilcormac-Killoughey dropping Damien Kilmartin back in front of him in the final’s second half afforded space for Seán Cleary to prosper.

So what now for Shinrone? We will see soon enough (Leinster championship v Naas) whether their new found confidence can drive them to new heights or they will revert to type. As for the team, Only Darren O’Meara and Darren Crean are near to retirement age, while the next four oldest are 30 this year, so plenty of hurling left there. The Doughans will return in due course, while DJ McLoughlin and Cillian Ryan will be in line for promotion.

On the other side of the coin, many point to Kilcormac’s first quarter profligacy, probably 3-2 missed, and argue ‘what if?’. But really, Kilcormac were flat. They caved in as the final progressed, starting with the half-forward line. The chances were missed due to the flatness – not the other way around. They’ve won one championship out of the last eight, they caved in similar circumstances against Coolderry in 2018 and the reality is that there isn’t a championship win in this team.

Belmont, naturally, will believe a glorious chance was lost. And it was. But next year can be their year. A fully fit and hungry Oisín Kelly returning, hopefully no retirements, Kilcormac now heading deeper into a rebuilding phase, Coolderry too, Rynagh’s probably entering a rebuilding phase. Next year is nine months away, but a Shinrone v Belmont final wouldn’t surprise.

[Fairplayalways]

A fine post POH, personally I think Belmonts defeat this year while it won't finish them it has to set seeds of doubt sub consciously, not going to point fingers but unless they can change one or two aspects of their game, and maybe get another player or two, the same mistakes might be made again. they should never have lost against Shinrone but did and in the circumstances I fear it might be almost "Mayoesque" on them..Shinrone a great win indeed, surely will be motivated to try and put two back to back as a few gaels I have spoken to (privately and not online) seem to think this is a, one off win for them, as a neutral I hope they are wrong.. Interesting to see who the favourites will be in the print media next year.. Great to see Shinrone go abit further now..

[kingscounty]

Edenderry 3-14 Ballinamere 1-13 game won with a blistering start from Edenderry who were never behind in the whole game. Very good displays from , Keogh , Cummins up front.
Ballinamere were poor, Edenderry were fitter and hungry for work all day tackling in 3/4 ‘s. I must mention The ref, I think Simon did an excellent job today.
Edenderry Junior A Champions 2022.

[Dodge83]

Edenderry going from junior B to intermediate in 3 years. That’s great going. Only seen them hurl once this year and I’d think they might struggle at intermediate from what I seen. Nevertheless it’s a great achievement. Well done to them

[kingscounty]

Considering there was no team after they lost the 2013 final, up until they won junior B in 2020 it’s very good going. There was always good hurlers in Edenderry what let them down was the attitude of the club regarding underage. There seems to be an underage in place now, and this can only help going forward.
While they might struggle at intermediate, the aim would be to consolidate there place at the grade for the next few seasons.

[allstar2010]

Interesting to note that all 5 Adult hurling championships were won by 1st team clubs. Good to see.

Just wondering would POTH or any other good GAA historian know when this was last achieved? Might have happened recently enough when there was only 4 championships. But curious to note when it last happened. Thanks in advance.

[Plain of the Herbs]

That’s an interesting observation, allstar10. So I’ve gone back to check. Firstly, Senior B has always been won by a clubs ‘first’ team, so the reintroduction of that grade hasn’t changed things.

It is actually quite a rare occurrence. Since 2000, it’s happened just once. That was 2013 when Kilcormac-Killoughey, Ballinamere, Crinkill and Gracefield were Senior, Intermediate, Junior A and Junior B champions respectively. And if Junior B is excluded, its happened in 2002, 2008 and 2015 that Senior, Intermediate and Junior A have been won by first teams.

Then I looked at 1990 to 1999, and it’s happened just once in that decade. That was 1995 when Ballyskenagh, Carrig and Crinkill won the Intermediate, Junior A and Junior B respectively. Junior B was introduced in 1982, making four championships, and each of the first three years of the four championships saw ‘first team’ winners, but that’s only happened three times since, in 1995, 2013 and 2020.

Interesting to note that all 5 Adult hurling championships were won by 1st team clubs. Good to see.

Just wondering would POTH or any other good GAA historian know when this was last achieved? Might have happened recently enough when there was only 4 championships. But curious to note when it last happened. Thanks in advance.

[allstar2010]

Thank you POTH for that. Wow, only 3 times in 40years. That’s interesting. Did Clareen win the senior ‘95? So Ballyskenagh were senior from 1996 and if memory serves me right they got to a senior final in 2003?

[Plain of the Herbs]

Yes, Seir Kieran were Senior winners in 1995, so that was quite the year for small rural clubs all ‘round.

And yes, Ballyskenagh were Senior from 1996 through to 2007, during which time they were Senior finalists in 2003 and semi-finalists in 1999. Before that, they won Junior in 1961 and remained Senior until 1974 when they regraded to Junior. They won the Intermediate in 1979 and spent two years at Senior, before regrading.

Thank you POTH for that. Wow, only 3 times in 40years. That’s interesting. Did Clareen win the senior ‘95? So Ballyskenagh were senior from 1996 and if memory serves me right they got to a senior final in 2003?