Offaly Senior Hurling Club Championship 2011

[townman]

Results from todays group game's

Belmont 2-11
Kilcormac/k 2-15

Seir Kierans 3-10
Lusmagh 1-12

[GreatDayForTheParish]

Then we had the obligatory slanging match where the most vocal was of course Paddy Kirwan. He shouted some absolute dung it has to be said.

Deplorable. This from the current county U-21 manager. The mind boggles.

[llkj]

With the final round of games down this weekend, I wonder would it make more sense for both groups to be played at the same time. That way it helps to avoid any jockying for final group positions (if that actually ever actually occurs). Would this be possible from a logistical point of view - refs, pitches, journalists, spectators, etc? or is the system we have now ok?

[Plain of the Herbs]

That’s what happened last year, llkj, but that was because the final round was a week later, on All-Ireland Sunday, and only the Saturday was available.

Thing is, because of ties between two teams being separated by the result of the respective match between the two, we know the exact order the group headed by Birr will end up, ie Birr, Coolderry, Shinrone, Kinnitty, Drumcullen and Shamrocks in that order.

Be assured there won’t be any faffing around in the other group. The top two will avoid Birr and Coolderry, which Clareen will do if they beat Belmont. Kilcormac can finish second if they beat ’Rynagh’s and Clareen slip up. Belmont need to win to be sure of going through. Tullamore need to win and hope Belmont slip up. Lusmagh will survive if they beat Tullamore. So everyone has something to hurl for – with the possible exception of ’Rynagh’s who will avoid Birr and Coolderry even if they lose to Kilcormac.

With the final round of games down this weekend, I wonder would it make more sense for both groups to be played at the same time. That way it helps to avoid any jockying for final group positions (if that actually ever actually occurs). Would this be possible from a logistical point of view - refs, pitches, journalists, spectators, etc? or is the system we have now ok?

[allstar2010]

That’s what happened last year, llkj, but that was because the final round was a week later, on All-Ireland Sunday, and only the Saturday was available.

Thing is, because of ties between two teams being separated by the result of the respective match between the two, we know the exact order the group headed by Birr will end up, ie Birr, Coolderry, Shinrone, Kinnitty, Drumcullen and Shamrocks in that order.

Be assured there won’t be any faffing around in the other group. The top two will avoid Birr and Coolderry, which Clareen will do if they beat Belmont. Kilcormac can finish second if they beat ’Rynagh’s and Clareen slip up. Belmont need to win to be sure of going through. Tullamore need to win and hope Belmont slip up. Lusmagh will survive if they beat Tullamore. So everyone has something to hurl for – with the possible exception of ’Rynagh’s who will avoid Birr and Coolderry even if they lose to Kilcormac.

With the final round of games down this weekend, I wonder would it make more sense for both groups to be played at the same time. That way it helps to avoid any jockying for final group positions (if that actually ever actually occurs). Would this be possible from a logistical point of view - refs, pitches, journalists, spectators, etc? or is the system we have now ok?

I'm not 100% but I think if KK beat Rynaghs they will top that group. They would be level on points but KK would go ahead due to them winning the head to head. Lusmagh and Tullamore should be a good battle, hopefully its not in OCP, level playing field and all that!! I'd imagine Clareen should have too much for Belmont if Kenny is still injured and on form Rynaghs should beat KK. So I predict that group to end up : Rynaghs, Clareen, KK, Tullamore, Belmont, Lusmagh.

Q/finals(prediction):
Birr v Tullamore
Coolderry v KK
Shinrone v Clareen
Kinnitty v Rynaghs

[puzzled]

Coolderry v Drumcullen
Coolderry wiil have too much for Drumcullen,10pts +
Shinrone v Shamrocks
Shamrocks are heading for Intermediate next year,Shinrone 10-12pts
Birr v Kinnitty
Kinnitty will put up a decent fight here but Birr will pull away in the end 7-9pts

Seir Kieran v Belmont
Tough call here Belmont are a decent outfit and if Seir Kieran dont perform Belmont could beat them,saying that i'm going for Seir Kieran 2pts
Tullamore v Lusmagh
Lusmagh could shock a few people here especially if Shane Dooley isnt home,Lusmagh 4pts
K/K V St.Rynaghs
Game of the weekend Rynaghs have been flying so far but this wont be easy for them,still i'm going for another Rynaghs win and the further they go in the championship the harder they will be to beat!

[biffoabroad]

Any word on venues and times?

[puzzled]

Any word on venues and times?

Saturday 27th
Coolderry v Drumcullen in Clareen ref C Groome 7pm
Shinrone v Shamrocks in Crinkle ref D Cooke 7pm
Kinnitty v Birr in Rath ref N Flynn 7pm
Sunday 28th
Tullamore v Lusmagh in Kinnitty ref M Kirwan 6.45pm
Seir Kieran v Belmont in Birr ref M Walsh 6.45pm
K/K v St.Rynaghs in OCP ref T Carroll 6.45pm

[biffoabroad]

Cheers puzzled. Should be a good one in OCP

[townman]

The last of the group games before knock out

Birr v Kinnitty- Birr to stretch their legs in this one places up for grap's for the Q/Finals Kinnitty will battle hard but Birr by 7 +

Coolderry v Drumcullen - expect a Coolderry backlash here after the Birr lose can't see Drumcullen keeping it puck out to them coolderry by 15 point's.

Shinrone v Shamrocks - Shinrone are doing well this year Diggy is hurling well they will have far to much for a shamrock's side that look like they are gone Shinrone by 10 point's.

Seir Kierans v Belmont - Belmont have been unlucky this year David Kenny has been a big lost to them, Seir Kierans with big Joe on fire this year will take it by 5 points

Tullamore v Lusmagh - should be a tight one will Dooley missing for tullamore it will give Lusmagh hope but with tullamore after been in the last two county finals will stand to them
plus Lusmagh will have to wait for the Rel play off for their first win Tullamore by 4 points.

K/K v St. Rynaghs - the game of the weekend two clubs that could be dark horses for the sean Robbins cup this year Pa Joe will have K/K well up for this tie Rynaghs are hurling well
this year and have a good squad together won't be a lot in this maybe a draw or Rynaghs by 2 points.

[Plain of the Herbs]

Chances are that by Sunday night we will have the same eight quarter-finalists as last year. And the year before. Nothing wrong with that, if they are the best eight clubs in it. It merely shows that Lusmagh, Belmont and Shamrocks are making no progress in a bid to break into the top-eight.

COOLDERRY v DRUMCULLEN
Firstly, Coolderry will win the match. Secondly, Ciaran Groome is a strange choice for what could be a piquant one. There’s history between these two, not recent history but the memory of the dead generations. The sledges may well be produced and Groome is no Kofi Annan. Add to that a different match being fixed for Rath at the same time Drumcullen Seniors play Coolderry elsewhere! Someone doesn’t know Rath is Drumcullen’s home ground meaning the club will be short numbers for stewarding.

BIRR v KINNITTY
What’s gone wrong with Kinnitty? One thing to be out of form in spring and to replace your manager; far more serious to carry that form into the autumn. Mark Robinson has been Kinnitty’s most consistent forward in the wins over Drumcullen and Shamrocks, while several others have hurled for a mere five minutes per match. James Dempsey doesn’t have the required conversion rate for a penalty taker and these should be given to someone else.

As for Birr, it’s interesting that, of the team which beat Coolderry, only four are older than 26 year-old Dylan Hayden – Brian Mullins, Paul Molloy and Gary and Rory Hanniffy. Yea, they have a few veterans ready to return, but they can create a new generation of leaders if they stick with the new lads. Expect Kinnitty to hurl better here than they have against Drumcullen and Shamrocks, but Birr will still win convincingly.

SHINRONE v SHAMROCKS
Both clubs wear mainly red – and having an alternate strip of white. The arguments over who wears what could be as exciting as it gets here. Shinrone remain an oddity – lacking the belief against better teams, getting dragged down by inferior ones. Shamrocks will have one eye on the relegation Final against opposition to be confirmed. That, and Jimmy Conway’s suspension, will see Shinrone advance, unconvincingly.

ST RYNAGH’S v KILCORMAC-KILLOUGHEY
St Rynagh’s are one of the form teams in the county. Their Intermediates and Juniors are also flying high and they are an early candidate for ‘club of the year’. Conor Clancy appears to have lost weight and while he was untested against Tullamore he will be a huge addition. Danny Maloney is a sticky corner-back in the mould of a Billy Keane or a Mickey Whelan. He and Niall Wynne can alternate to mark whatever corner-forward combination the opposition offer. Conor Hernon looks happier at centre-back. They make plenty of room for their forwards who generally have a good turn of speed and can take a score. Their sideline offers alternatives for every occasion.

Kilcormac were frustratingly inconsistent against Belmont. They should have been home and hosed after 20 minutes, given the possession they enjoyed. That they weren’t is partly down to their trying to play direct hurling but weren’t getting the hang of it. For that to work they need much more movement in attack. They also need to get out in front. Instead, they made Belmont full-back Joe Kenny look like Dublin’s Peter Kelly. In defence they struggled to cope with a route one ball to Colin Egan, who drew 4 yellow cards in 3 separate incidents. Yet when the pressure came on K/K were able to pick off 3 quickfire points in response to the goals. Odd.

Both teams will have periods of dominance. Presumably Cathal Horan will again be centre half-forward and be marked by Ger Healion. If Horan can get to the ball first and drag Healion away from his full-back line St Rynagh’s should win.

LUSMAGH v TULLAMORE
Pressure on Tullamore here, who must win. They were well up for the Clareen match yet faded in the final straight. Shane Kelly, who is eligible, will be the big addition who might just save their season. The attack will revolve around Stephen Egan who will probably be opposed by the in-form Seán Gardiner. Nothing wrong with the defence though, and with so much at stake, Brendan Dagg will surely start, somewhere, and maybe in the forwards.

Nothing wrong with the Lusmagh backs. As conceding 3-10 to Clareen backs up, despite being on the back foot for the entire hour. Problems remain the depleted attack. Were David Moran and Kevin Birmingham available they could perhaps release Alan Kelly and maybe Seán Gardiner to attack. Not to be though. A return to form for Paul Birmingham would be a huge boost. Play him close to goal, play Aidan Hanrahan on the wing and they might just save their season. Lusmagh to win.

SEIR KIERAN v BELMONT
Every year Clareen have one mighty performance, clock up a big score in the process, then revert to being ordinary. Happened two years ago, happened last year. This year it was the league final. Since then they were unimpressive against Tullamore and Lusmagh. A midfield of Tom Carroll and James Mulrooney shouldwork. Their backs are solid.

Needing to win (unless Tullamore slip up), David Kenny will surely start. Where though? He is probably the best man to mark Joseph Bergin and should follow his countyman wherever he goes. While Joe Kenny is hurling well, Kenny is good at hurling his man from in front, which is not the way to hurl Bergin. Perhaps putting Jamie Flynn at midfield on either Carroll or Mulrooney would cancel one of the Clareen midfielders. At the other end, Colin Egan mightn’t make hay against Seán Coughlan though he might do prosper on Christopher Connors. Belmont are a lovely team to watch and play a fine brand of hurling. For all that hurling though, they create relatively few scoring chances and they really struggle for scores in the second half of matches.

On that basis, Clareen should hold a narrow lead throughout and win by that amount, as Belmont turn to the mobile phones for news from elsewhere.

[___]

My predictions in football are:

SENIOR - Rhode
INTERMEDIATE - St.Brigids
JUNIOR A - Cappincur
MINOR - St.Vincents


hurling:

SENIOR - Birr
INTERMEDIATE - Rynaghs
JUNIOR A - Killeigh
MINOR - Rynaghs




m'up owa that High School Musical!!

[kinnittyman]

If anybody is interested the Birr vs Kinnitty match which was originally fixed for Rath has been changed to Kilcormac with a 6.45 throw in.

[underdogs]

Wonder wat odds you`d get on Rynaghs for all 4
Senior
Inter
Junior
minor
Now wouldnt that be worth the wait since 93

[underdogs]

My predictions in football are:

SENIOR - Rhode
INTERMEDIATE - St.Brigids
JUNIOR A - Cappincur
MINOR - St.Vincents


hurling:

SENIOR - Birr
INTERMEDIATE - Rynaghs
JUNIOR A - Killeigh
MINOR - Rynaghs




m'up owa that High School Musical!!

wonder wat odds wud get on rynaghs for all 4???