Offaly Senior A Hurling Championship 2023

[Plain of the Herbs]

Tank, your Clareen man is correct.

In 2018, they beat St Rynaghs and Kinnitty in the group, before losing the relegation final to Kinnitty by a single point.
In 2019, they won Senior B and advanced to the Leinster final in what was their ladt hurrah.
In 2020, they lost their three group matches to Coolderry, Birr and Kilcormac.
In 2021, they lost their four group games before beating Drumcullen in the relegation game

Last year, they lost their four group games before ensuring survival with a relegation match win over Clodiagh Gaels.

That said, they have seen a severe turnover of players since 2019, which was the last hurrah for the group that won the U21 in 2008 and reached Senior semi-finals in 2014 and 2017. New since then are Joseph Connors, Kieran Connor, Conor and Tom Dooley, Pat and Stephen Gilligan, John Coughlan, Luke Carey and Darragh Guinan. I haven't seen Clareen since the Covid shutdown so I can't comment on these lads' Senior credentials, but as Tank said, it's difficult to swim against a losing tide.

[greenairfield]

I think it will be very interesting to see how clubs like Clareen,Kinnitty, Coolderry and to a lesser amount St.Rynaghs and Birr are in about 10 years.
All these clubs have struggled with success at underage and some of them have been relatively weak at alot of age groups.

[Fairplayalways]

an interesting debate indeed, very hard to see these rural clubs holding out if you could call it that..additionally such a scenario would also be a cancer to the intercounty prospects which is also in intensive care (excuse the medical terminology)at the moment despite small signs of improvement in some ways...Shinrones success is the only bit of current proof that things can be maintained or over turned but that's far from guaranteed for some of the rural clubs mentioned above..

[private joker]

I think kinnitty, clareen, coolderry are heading towards lean timesand only a change in format will keep them consistently in senior A hurling. I think they will yo yo between the grades. I can see ballinamere, who are now an established senior A club, Tullamore and possibly Clara replacing these clubs. There is potential for growth in these areas. Ballinamere have brilliant structures in place and there are new estate s going in both Tullamore and clara. Whether they lead to a growth in GAA is yet to be seen. Think Birr will always be there or there abouts and can see them challenging every couple of years. Kk if they could maybe have a more progressive mentality could easily be the Ballygunner of offaly. Have to wait and see on that one.

[biffinbanner]

did shinrone get 2 late goals similar to last year to beat belmont?

[Doon Exile]

did shinrone get 2 late goals similar to last year to beat belmont?

They had the game won by the time they got the second (of the 2 late) goals. I stand corrected but think they got the first goal to maybe level it and then got a few points quickly after that and no coming back for Belmont then even without the second goal.

I’m sure Belmont will be disappointed that they didn’t push on when they had a comfortable enough lead midway in the second half.

[Doon Exile]

Big win in the for KK yesterday but Tullamore gave them plenty of it in the first half but result never really in doubt . Tullamore missed a great goal chance just before half time when they were 3 points down and that would have levelled it. Instead KK went straight down from the goal chance to get a point so a 4 point turnaround. KK got a goal in literally the first minute of second half and it was game over then.

KK had a lot of wides and their shot selection was poor at times. Cormac Egan did a lot of direct running in the first half and caused KK a lot of bother. Adam Screeney did ok and always laid off the pass if the shot wasn’t on - but he did hit a raster of a goal in the second half. KK didn’t hit in an awful lot of clean ball into him though. Conor Mahon was very good and must have got 5-6 points from play. Charlie Mitchell got 3-4 points too and was always dangerous when he got possession.

Shane Dooley’s free probably kept Tullamore in it for the most of the first half.

[frankthetank]

Shinrone really have the hex over Belmont at this stage. 3 smash and grabs in a row.

[Plain of the Herbs]

Two, isn't it? Shinrone's late run of scores in 2022's group game against Belmont merely reduced an enormous deficit to seven points.

Shinrone really have the hex over Belmont at this stage. 3 smash and grabs in a row.

[frankthetank]

Two, isn't it? Shinrone's late run of scores in 2022's group game against Belmont merely reduced an enormous deficit to seven points.

Shinrone really have the hex over Belmont at this stage. 3 smash and grabs in a row.

Indeed. I stand corrected.

That late 1-06 was a sign of things to come!!

[Toxicity234]

Was at the Birr Rynagh game.

It was a good game. they say goals change games and Ryangh goal in the 1st half changed the game.
Both teams had to work hard to get scores birr more so and that showed in the end.

[bracknaghboy]

Niall Rigney will drive those Ballinamere players bananas before the year is out.

Yep thats Niall, seen him in sideline action plenty of times a few years back.
So no stone will be left unturned in terms of preparation and by God they'll be fired up.
Here's the thing.......the constant commentary from him on the sideline telling lads they should have done this or that instead when they miss has little effect on players when when the going is good like it was last Saturday, they tend not to even hear it.
The problems start when the game is in the melting pot or slipping away and there is a barrage of advice coming from the manager......it tend's to make things worse from my memory of playing.
It's certainly something to keep an eye on over the next few weeks.

- Ballinamere should not be taken lightly.
- Birr are improving steadily but this won't be their year.
- Rynagh's are Rynagh's but don't have the firepower of K/K.
- Shinrone, might sound weird but feels like they are coming in under the radar. Won't be giving up their title without a fight thats for sure.
- K/K....What do you say here? In all my years I've never seen a hurling or football panel with anything like the depth their panel has this year. About 10 lads on the bench that are current or former county players. It'll be a massive failure if they can't get the job done and go all the way in my opinion.

[Doon Exile]

- K/K....What do you say here? In all my years I've never seen a hurling or football panel with anything like the depth their panel has this year. About 10 lads on the bench that are current or former county players. It'll be a massive failure if they can't get the job done and go all the way in my opinion.

That’s for sure. As a nuetral, it’s a pity for the county that their talent is not spread out amongst a few clubs as there will be county underage players that just won’t get a chance within such a strong club side. Whereas if they were at a lesser clubs, they’d be the focal point of the team.

[faithfulfanatic]

- K/K....What do you say here? In all my years I've never seen a hurling or football panel with anything like the depth their panel has this year. About 10 lads on the bench that are current or former county players. It'll be a massive failure if they can't get the job done and go all the way in my opinion.

That’s for sure. As a nuetral, it’s a pity for the county that their talent is not spread out amongst a few clubs as there will be county underage players that just won’t get a chance within such a strong club side. Whereas if they were at a lesser clubs, they’d be the focal point of the team.

I think last night’s u20 results surmises that quite well.

Birr beat by Na Fianna.
Coolderry draw with Shinrone/Ballyskenach.
A very strong Ballinamere team shocked by Clara/Brosna Gaels.
Aaaand Kilcormac demolish Clareen/Drumcullen.

I honestly think they would have a fair chance at the u20 without their best 3-4 lads.

[greenairfield]

Predictions for the weekend

K/K by 3
Kinnitty by 4
Coolderry by 6
B/D by 2