Offaly Senior A Hurling Championship 2023

[faithfulfanatic]

Could you post the full fixture list please?

And there’s the full fixture schedule with no times or venues

[chimbonda]

One week to go, hard to make predictions as unsure who each team has available but il go with this:

Rynaghs 4-15 Tullamore 0-13
Belmont 1-18 Seir Kieran 2-13
Shinrone 0-16 Coolderry 0-16
Birr 1-15 Kinnitty 1-16

[Plain of the Herbs]

A sort of (but not much of) a formguide for round 1

ST RYNAGH’S v TULLAMORE
In 2014, St Rynagh’s won 1-12 to 0-13
In 2015, St Rynagh’s won 1-14 to 2-10
In 2017, St Rynagh’s won 3-21 to 0-12
Tullamore’s last win was in 2009’s quarter-final.
Fixtures secretaries will come and go, but in each of the last three years, St Rynagh’s have played two group games at Glenisk Park.

BIRR v KINNITTY
They drew in 2018, KInnitty 0-18 Birr 2-12
They drew in 2019, KInnitty 2-11 Bir 0-17
Last year, Birr won 1-14 to 0-12
Kinnitty’s last win was in 2017, winning 2-19 to 1-15

BELMONT v SEIR KIERAN
They drew in 2017, SK 0-19 Belmont 1-16
In 2018, Belmont won 2-24 to 0-18
Last year, Belmont won 1-13 to 0-15
Seir Kieran’s last win was in 2015, 1-17 to 1-13

SHINRONE v COOLDERRY
In 2021’s group stage, Coolderry won 1-18 to 0-19
In 2021’s semi-final, Coolderry won 3-13 to 1-16
Last year, Shinrone won 1-16 to 1-15

[frankthetank]

Teams will be putting the finishing touches to their preparations this week with a few selection headaches thrown in for good measure for many teams I'm sure. Always a great air of anticipation the week of the first round and lots of twists and turns before a long awaited county final return to SBP in October.

Kilcormac/Killoughey
The bookies and many peoples picks for 2023. Will feel they never really got going in last year's final and spurned some early goal opportunities which could have seriously changed the complexion of the game. A huge question on how they are going to integrate all the young hurlers. Regrading rules in Offaly mean all teams have to name 18 players who played senior last year who can only hurl senior this year. If K/K bring in 3 or 4 young players that means that some hurlers will get practically no championship game time all Summer. A tricky juggling act ahead in trying to keep the peace while doing what they think is best for their chances of winning the championship. Still the team to beat. Amazing to think since the 3 in a row in 2014 they have only won 1 championship.

St Rynaghs
4 in a row was bridge too far for them last year and the writing was on the wall after a draw with Kinnitty in the group stage. Poor performance in the Q-Final and that was all she wrote. Management freshened up with Liam Dunphy taking over with a coach from Toomevara whose name I can't remember. Highly regarded pair. Is there a kick in them left? Hard to see them winning the whole thing.

Birr
Built up a great head of steam last year with a do or die win in their last group game and then a demolition job on Ballinamere in OCP but fell to pieces in the Semi-Final vs K/K. Gary Cahill has replaced Brendan Bugler and a return to a more direct style is in the pipeline. Dylan Quegan is in Australia and Eoghan Cahill is injured so thats 33% of their forward line gone from last year for the early stages. Capable of great things but doubtful they will have enough to win it all.

Kinnitty
Failed to emerge from the group last year following a 5 point defeat to Birr after hurling very well two weeks previously in drawing with St Rynaghs. Huge game in the first round for them vs Birr. A loss and the year is nearly done already for them. Damien Fox has replaced Denis Kelly and will hope to develop a scoring forward unit as they find it hard to score freely in championship matches. Paddy Rigney's emigration to Australia is significant.

Tullamore
They return to big boys hurling following a victory over Clara in last year's final of the Senior B. Avoiding a direct return will be a successful year. Can they do that? Yes. Will they? Probably not. Targeting the Kinnitty match in the group.


Shinrone
Rode their luck, hopped on the momentum bus and claimed a famous county final win last year. Have probably read books about Second Album Syndrome over the Winter. Trevor Fletcher remains in charge having led them to glory (and a rocky few weeks mid summer). Ciaran Cleary's emigration robs them of a target man. He improved dramatically as the year progressed last year culminating in a MOTM performance in the county final. Fortunately for them they have a ready made replacement in Conor Doughan. Jason Sampson was Offaly's best hurler in 2023 and it will be interesting to see where Shinrone utilise him as the Summer progresses. A team to be respected but 2 in a row could be beyond them.

Belmont
Oh what could have been? Probably the longest winter ever in Moystown. It was there for the taking. Been knocking on the door since 2017 so this will be their 7th real crack at it. Getting close to squeaky bum time. Arien Delaney stays in place despite the murmurs of discontent about the positioning of Oisin Kelly in last year's semi. Speaking of Kelly, what a stoke of bad luck to pick up another cruciate injury. Belmont with Kelly are real contenders, they just look a bit short without him. If David Nally is also unavailable for the first round Seir Kieran might smell blood.

Ballinamere
Mark Troy, Sam Bourke, Ciaran Bourke, Dara Bourke, Dan Ravenhill, Ross Ravenhill, Brian Duignan, John Murphy. Surely a team with those players should be in contention? Disappointed hugely on the big day vs Birr last year and will surely have learned from that chastening experience. Should make the knockouts and will be interesting to chart their progress from there. Very capable.

Coolderry
The tradition and the history. 31 titles. But. New management has by all accounts dispensed with the elder statesman and gone for youth. However that youth has won nothing of note and Coolderry's underage development is in a bad place at the moment and has been for the last 4 or 5 years. But it's Coolderry and they'll be licking their lips for a crack at Shinrone in the first round. As amazing as it sounds are they in danger of playing in a relegation final?

Seir Kieran
Barry Whelahan's 2nd year and Barry is no fool. There's potential there and he knows it. They are young and big. Some of them are very big. Barry Kealey and Tom Dooley spring to mind. As does Adrian Hynes. One huge caveat though - Joseph Bergin's unavailability. He has been their scoring threat for 17 years and it will be a culture shock to see a Clareen team without him. Still haven't won a championship group game since they returned to Senior A for the 2020 season. This could change this year.

Qualifiers in no particular order - Kilcormac/Killoughey, Shinrone, Ballinamere, Belmont, St Rynaghs, Birr.

Enjoy the games!!!

[frankthetank]

Here is the link to Kevin Corrigan's preview of each team.

https://www.offalyexpress.ie/news/home/ ... nship.html

James McGrath is the name of the St Rynagh's coach I couldn't remember. I do know he and Liam Dunphy come as a duo and he is from Toomevara. Liam Dunphy is from Killavilla to the best of my knowledge.

Also, would anyone know if the Coolderry manager, Denis Byrne from Kilkenny, is the Denis Byrne who hurled for both Kilkenny and Tipperary in the 90's early 2000's?

It seems that Kevin fancies Kilcormac/Killoughey to go all the way with St Rynaghs and Shinrone their nearest challengers.

And he seems to think Seir Kieran are nailed on to be in the relegation final where they will meet Tullamore or Kinnitty.

[private joker]

It is the Denis Byrne that hurled for both Tipperary and Kilkenny. Coolderry will be playing old school hurling this year.

[frankthetank]

It is the Denis Byrne that hurled for both Tipperary and Kilkenny. Coolderry will be playing old school hurling this year.

Thanks for that PJ

[greenairfield]

Kevin Corrigan articles are average to say the least he has two star players who may not start and another who is very ordinary. Not much surprises me though.

[faithfulfanatic]

Kevin Corrigan articles are average to say the least he has two star players who may not start and another who is very ordinary. Not much surprises me though.

He also doesn't have new players or injuries/absentees for a number of clubs.
This could be from clubs not offering the information, I don't know.

[Anonymous1]

Predictions:

Champions: KK
Runners up: Rynaghs
Beaten semi finalists: Belmont and Shinrone
Beaten quarter finalists: Ballinamere and Birr
Relegated: Tullamore

[greenairfield]

No upsets tonight.
All favourites winning

[faithfulfanatic]

Has anyone got teamsheets from tonight’s games?

[Doon Exile]

Has anyone got teamsheets from tonight’s games?

972B8B3E-9C90-4C8D-A767-001B0ACF3338.jpeg (2.15 MiB) Viewed 74589 times

Appreciate its not senior A but best I could do!!!

[frankthetank]

Did Adam Screeney hurl at any stage?

[Plain of the Herbs]

Nope.

Did Adam Screeney hurl at any stage?

Both lined out as selected. James Geraghty and Alex Kavanagh came on for Kilcormac.