Killeigh and Killurin

A forum to air your views on Offaly GAA matters and beyond.
kingscounty
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Killeigh and Killurin

Post by kingscounty »

Interesting to see another two clubs in recent times thinking of joining together . If it does get the go ahead it would make a strong enough team in hurling terms and surely see them start off at intermediate hurling, with Killeigh playing in division 2 hurling league for the past few seasons and Killurin holding their own in the intermediate championship since around 2008. Will we have another KK on our hands (Killurin/Killeigh ) or ( Killeigh/Killurin)!!!

timber
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Re: Killeigh and Killurin

Post by timber »

Yes should see them being strong contenders to win the intermediate.

Killeigh have been playing division two hurling and made the semi final stage of junior A last season. They have been one of the stronger junior A teams for quiet a while. Killurin made the quarter final of the intermediate championship in 2013 where they lost out to eventual winners Ballinamere. They had a poor season last year due to absent players.

There is a big opportunity for this amalgamation to win the intermediate championship. Its a grade, I thought was very weak last season. I had expected Skenach/Killavilla to be better and Rynaghs were weaker than they have been at that grade in a while. Lusmagh were short alot of players I suspect too.

The Killeigh/Kilurin combination will be quiet strong for the intermediate grade and should have ambitions of winning it.

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beirut
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Re: Killeigh and Killurin

Post by beirut »

Is the underage team Na Fianna made up of Killeigh, Killurn and Geashill? Do Geashill still have a adult team, if so would be great to see them join up with Killurn and Killeigh too and have it Na Fianna across all grades.

On the note of Amalgamations in Hurling, there's a few other teams that you would like to see join up, not sure who with but the likes of Drumcullen, Crinkle, Lusmagh, Carrig/Riverstown.
Seir Keiran/Drumcullen, Crinkle/Carrig/Riverstown, Ferbane/Belmont/Lusmagh perhaps.

Also Rhode use to have an adult hurling team, do the lads from Rhode play hurling with Edenderry now?

theoutsider
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Re: Killeigh and Killurin

Post by theoutsider »

Na Fianna underage (u8-u21) is made up of Ballinagar, Geashill, Killeigh, Killurin & Cloneygowan.

Raheen is a football and hurling club that is made up of Geashill and Raheen.

I dont know what way Killurin work with regard football, do they play with Killeigh? When it comes to hurling, as far as I know, players from ballinagar have permission to play hurling with Raheen. Would make sense for them to continue the Na Fianna underage to Senior level for hurling as Raheen are only Junior A and not been pesimistic I cant ever see them reaching Senior.

Rhode use to have a hurling team, and werent to bad, but the rise of their football team from early 00's coincided with the demise of their hurling team which is non existent now. They ply their trade with Edenderry, as do players from Daingean, Ballyfore, Croghan, Clonmore & Clonbullogue.

kingscounty
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Re: Killeigh and Killurin

Post by kingscounty »

beirut wrote:Is the underage team Na Fianna made up of Killeigh, Killurn and Geashill? Do Geashill still have a adult team, if so would be great to see them join up with Killurn and Killeigh too and have it Na Fianna across all grades.

On the note of Amalgamations in Hurling, there's a few other teams that you would like to see join up, not sure who with but the likes of Drumcullen, Crinkle, Lusmagh, Carrig/Riverstown.
Seir Keiran/Drumcullen, Crinkle/Carrig/Riverstown, Ferbane/Belmont/Lusmagh perhaps.

Also Rhode use to have an adult hurling team, do the lads from Rhode play hurling with Edenderry now?
Yeah there's 2 lads from Rhode , 1 ballyfore , 1 Croghan , 3 Daingean , 0 Clonmore , 0 Clonbullouge , that play hurling with Edenderry . Shocking when you thing of all the areas and they still can't put a good underage system in place . 5 or 6 lads from all these areas playing with Edenderry which gives them a maximum panel of about 18-20 players . Lack of underage up that end is eventually going to kill the game off completely . Great work been done in the boys school by a Kinnitty man they have won schools title couple of times , but when it comes to secondary level there's no hurling . If I remember rightly Edenderry Secondary back in the 90s won a Leinster title in hurling or were beaten in the final , there was some excellent talent . Killeigh/ Killurin should benefit greatly if all goes to plan , two good pitches , astro turf , underage doing well , be great to see them do well together.

theoutsider
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Re: Killeigh and Killurin

Post by theoutsider »

kingscounty wrote:
beirut wrote:Is the underage team Na Fianna made up of Killeigh, Killurn and Geashill? Do Geashill still have a adult team, if so would be great to see them join up with Killurn and Killeigh too and have it Na Fianna across all grades.

On the note of Amalgamations in Hurling, there's a few other teams that you would like to see join up, not sure who with but the likes of Drumcullen, Crinkle, Lusmagh, Carrig/Riverstown.
Seir Keiran/Drumcullen, Crinkle/Carrig/Riverstown, Ferbane/Belmont/Lusmagh perhaps.

Also Rhode use to have an adult hurling team, do the lads from Rhode play hurling with Edenderry now?
Yeah there's 2 lads from Rhode , 1 ballyfore , 1 Croghan , 3 Daingean , 0 Clonmore , 0 Clonbullouge , that play hurling with Edenderry . Shocking when you thing of all the areas and they still can't put a good underage system in place . 5 or 6 lads from all these areas playing with Edenderry which gives them a maximum panel of about 18-20 players . Lack of underage up that end is eventually going to kill the game off completely . Great work been done in the boys school by a Kinnitty man they have won schools title couple of times , but when it comes to secondary level there's no hurling . If I remember rightly Edenderry Secondary back in the 90s won a Leinster title in hurling or were beaten in the final , there was some excellent talent . Killeigh/ Killurin should benefit greatly if all goes to plan , two good pitches , astro turf , underage doing well , be great to see them do well together.
I think your a bit wrong with your figures regarding players from other clubs but that's neither here nor there. Think Edenderry and surrounding area is a hurling wasteland. Ballyfore, Daingean, Rhode all had teams now they provide roughly 6/7 players to Edenderry. Edenderry have no secondary schools team where as before they use to have 2.

Even though edendery are going good work underage with hurling I still think they could do a lot better with the means team. They are very badly organised. Single numbers training, lads coming and going when they like. There are a good few people and players that are Edenderry hurling to the bone but they are in small numbers.

The best thing to do would be to either get a big name involved to promote hurling the area and get hurling up and going around the town. Do a lot more promoting in the surrounding clubs, get people involved in the background - not just get players from the clubs.

Or maybe a divisional team would be the correct option. It can be done if the right People and right attitude are applied. Look at brosna Gaels, 4 teams and they are hurling away at senior after coming from junior B to senior in 8/9 years. The pick would be massive and could easily field 2 teams. Now this is nothing against Edenderry as they are good in terms of letting players from surrounding clubs have a chance to hurl with them, but I know from my own club that there are a few hurlers that won't play as the club is "Edenderry". Some players can be apprehensive as it's another "club" where as if it was a team, say North Offaly Gaels, they be more relaxed in playing as they might feel it's their club as opposed to edenderrys club.

That's my two cents anyway, sorry for the rant.

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Re: Killeigh and Killurin

Post by SearingDrive »

theoutsider wrote:Na Fianna underage (u8-u21) is made up of Ballinagar, Geashill, Killeigh, Killurin & Cloneygowan.

Raheen is a football and hurling club that is made up of Geashill and Raheen.

I dont know what way Killurin work with regard football, do they play with Killeigh? When it comes to hurling, as far as I know, players from ballinagar have permission to play hurling with Raheen. Would make sense for them to continue the Na Fianna underage to Senior level for hurling as Raheen are only Junior A and not been pesimistic I cant ever see them reaching Senior.

Rhode use to have a hurling team, and werent to bad, but the rise of their football team from early 00's coincided with the demise of their hurling team which is non existent now. They ply their trade with Edenderry, as do players from Daingean, Ballyfore, Croghan, Clonmore & Clonbullogue.
Killurin play junior football with Killeigh. The proposed merger if it goes ahead will be a good thing for hurling in this parish, provided it gets the required 75% approval at a special meeting of both clubs, that's a lot. I hope that members will attend the respective meetings, and debate the issue in an objective manner. One issue will be a name for the new club, and colours if the motion succeeds.
Fair play to both clubs for discussing the matter, the underage success of parish team,Na Fianna, has shown what can be achieved. Up to 1985 players from both Killeigh and Killurin played as one team, and were a senior team in the 70's and 80's.

Killeighman
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Re: Killeigh and Killurin

Post by Killeighman »

Talks are positive between the two sides i am told. They will continue to talk over the next number of weeks.

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beirut
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Re: Killeigh and Killurin

Post by beirut »

Thanks for the update Killeighman.

If all went to plan, would this merger look to happen this year or am I jumping the gun?

Killeighman
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Re: Killeigh and Killurin

Post by Killeighman »

beirut - I think it may be a bit late to merge in time for this years games but if successful it would be together for 2016. I am not sure about being together for 2015 but i think it will not be done in time.

kingscounty
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Re: Killeigh and Killurin

Post by kingscounty »

Id like to see it go ahead this year , a year is a long time to let people change their minds. If Killeigh were to win the junior A hurling championship this year they would be intermediate next year on merit so thinking would be why do we need to join up now!!

Mountain man
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Re: Killeigh and Killurin

Post by Mountain man »

From what I've heard there could be a greater number of lads from north Offaly playing their trade with Edenderry hurlers were it not for the actions of some senior football managements. I've heard stories of players being told point blank that their participation with Edenderry hurlers would seriously dent their chances of playing senior football for their club. In a relatively small county such actions are truly unacceptable as we need more players actively participating than ever before. One of the major issues with Offaly GAA at present is this stereotypical nonsense that their is no hurling in North Offaly and their is no football in South Offaly. Both games should be encouraged and practised in both ends of the county and proper coaches should be provided by the county board to establish proper coaching to all club managers throughout the county. Good players start with good coaching practice, sadly this is an area which we are lacking in considerably. Some extremely talented underage players have emerged from that Na Fianna team which won the u16A county title in 2013. They are a prime example of what can be achieved if a club puts proper coaching standards in place.

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Re: Killeigh and Killurin

Post by Sharp Eye »

It is very hard in Offaly for Club Senior Football Team Managements allow Club Players play hurling as well when the County Board wish to eliminate the "Club Dual Player". The County Board will not allow players who are members of the Offaly Senior Hurling Panel be released from County Hurling Training for 4 days before Club Football Championship Games. Kilcormac/Killoughey Football suffered last year. It appears that Kilcormac/Killoughey are getting little support again this year and may not be able to compete in the Football Championships. The GAA was founded to enable its members play gaelic football, hurling, handball and rounders if they wish. While it is now accepted that it is very challenging to have Dual Players at County Senior Level, we need Dual Players at club level as many rural clubs will be no longer in a position to field teams. The current Anti Club Dual Player Policy of the Offaly Co Board will force many rural clubs to amalgamate.

kingscounty
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Re: Killeigh and Killurin

Post by kingscounty »

Spot on mountain man . The main problem is that there are lads who want to hurl in Edenderry and surrounding areas but the club hasn't an ounce of interest in hurling . I was told by a former hurler that the lads who hurl went to agm 2 or 3 years ago and asked the club to let them set up a sub committee that would look after hurling and it was shot down and not even let go to a vote . He also told me that some of them boxed in a fundraiser event and not a penny was put into the hurling from money's raised . There really is no excuse from a club that is getting 90k+ a year from the rent of a school . Maybe as a few suggested before a combined area team like Brosna Gaels is the way to go . No one should be telling lads that if they play hurling they won't be on a football team . Having played hurling with Edenderry a few years ago I do know that the hurlers always welcome lads down to play, I would encourage anyone that wants to play hurling to go down whenever it starts and don't let anyone dictate what you can and can't play.

Plain of the Herbs
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Re: Killeigh and Killurin

Post by Plain of the Herbs »

For me one of the joys of having been a sports reporter for a number of years was that I sometimes got assigned to cover matches I wouldn't otherwise have attended, and that occasionally one of those matches might be a real classic. That mightn't necessarily be for the quality of the hurling, mind, rather there may be a significant breakthrough for the winners.

One such memorable occasion was Killurin’s Junior Final win over Ballinamere in 2008. Killurin’s first Junior Final win, that they came from behind to overtake their opponents, that the occasion was tinged with grief as they had seen the tragic passing of a key club man earlier that week, all made it a Final to cherish. O’Connor Park wasn't packed, or anything like it, but it didn't have to be to capture the emotions of the winners. The captain didn't lift the cup, two leading players did, but not before the captain proudly instructed them to “lift her up good and high lads, we’re going up to Intermediate”.

Therefore I am sorry that Killurin probably will be no more. They put up a great struggle from their inception and developed a fine grounds. They languished in the basement division for long enough before their breakthrough years finally arrived. Then three years ago the club had a county man when Dwayne Dunne lined out for Offaly in the Walsh Cup. In earlier years Owen Dillon was part of a Leinster Minor hurling Final win when he was sub goalkeeper to John Troy. Dillon was probably the only one of that Offaly Minor panel still hurling last year, and his van is a familiar sight at Killurin’s matches.

I read somewhere previously that the Killurin club were drawn from just three townlands, which is quite phenomenal. Sadly smaller families and the ensuing falling birth rates make it impossible for the very small clubs to survive. Killavilla were in a similar boat and I recall reading around the time the tricolours won their Intermediate title that they were drawn from just 29 houses.

However, while mergers will become more commonplace at underage level, I think the smaller clubs such as Lusmagh, Clareen, Drumcullen and Kinnitty have sufficient resources to continue as independent entities, at least for the foreseeable future.
Pat Donegan. Signed out of respect for players and all involved with Offaly.

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