Offaly Senior A Hurling Championship 2023

[frankthetank]

Pretty uninspiring stuff in SBP today.

K/K vs Rynaghs was very physical but lacked any real quality I felt. Adam Screeney was starved of possession. I feel he is going to get it tougher as the year progresses and the pitches begin to slow down.

Except for the 2nd quarter Coolderry easily had the measure of Clareen. They raced into a 0-05 to 0-1 lead, let 0-8 to 0-07 at HT and had the aid of the stiff breeze in the 2nd half. Game over. Adrian Hynes did hit the crossbar near the end which could have made it a bit more interesting but probably not.

Coolderry now have a winner takes all game (probably) vs Belmont in a fortnight. Don't write them off just yet for a knockout spot.

Clareen on the other hand are in serious relegation bother. It's really difficult see them getting a win. Confidence must be on the floor at this stage.

[private joker]

It will definitely get tougher for screeney if kk don't improve their style of play. Long high ball really not good enough for the quality player within the club.

[private joker]

Tullamore bet kinnitty, 3 16 to 2- 14.

[Onionbag]

Ballinamere and KK to Semi.

Rynaghs v Belmont

Birr v Shinrone

1/4 and semi predictions...

[private joker]

Belmont and shinrone to win

[Buttons]

Was at the ballinamere vs Belmont game, wasn’t a game of the highest entertainment but overall ballinamere much the better team. Troy in goals will be a happy guy to get the win as he was at fault for the goal which I think brought it back to a level game and a couple of puck outs which were intercepted.

Think this might be a year too soon for ballinamere but with 8 players on either the senior or u20 Offaly team they are going in the right direction.

Don’t think either team will be over happy with simons reffing, won’t say too much only when there was an incident in injury time he could have at least blown the whistle to get it to stop rather than just standing 5-10 feet away.

Overall promises to be 2 great games on the last day, winner straight to semis in shinrone vs ballinamere and a quarter final spot for winners of Belmont vs coolderry.

[bracknaghboy]

Don’t think either team will be over happy with simons reffing, won’t say too much only when there was an incident in injury time he could have at least blown the whistle to get it to stop rather than just standing 5-10 feet away.

The couple of previous times I seen him ref I thought he was excellent and I'd always respect past players who step up to refereeing like he has.
Today he just wasn't assertive enough from the start and probably let a bit too much go.
Now, when this happens I think players subconsciously start feeling they can get away with a little more and more as the game goes on and the boundaries get pushed more and more......that's what happened today and it's hard to put the genie back in the bottle when it does.
He lost control by the end.
I hope rather than getting too harshly criticised he's allowed learn from it and go again. Ballinamere were the better team and deserved the win, they might be guilty of overplaying it at times but they'll take a fair bit of beating all the same.

[private joker]

Big win for Tullamore. Kinnitty and clareen in the relegation final.
If Tullamore can stay senior A for a few years I think they will be a force to be reckoned with. Kinnitty to beat clareen by 4 or 5. Clareen to go down and come back immediately back up. Too good for senior B

[greenairfield]

Super win for Ballinamere fancy them to go a long way

[Behindthegoal]

That’s a false score line lads ballinamere are nowhere near as good as everyone thinks they are. The goal came in the 69th minute on a counter attack and it was a one point game with 5 minutes to go and Belmont played the whole 2nd half with 14 men already minus their two best players Oisin Kelly and David nally, If nally had been playing for his free taking alone Belmont could easily have beaten ballinamere and Belmont won’t be winning anything either. Shocking game quality wise if we are being honest about it poor striking and shooting from both sides littered with mistakes seemed to be scrums off the ball every five minutes ref lost control of it altogether

[frankthetank]

Big win for Tullamore. Kinnitty and clareen in the relegation final.
If Tullamore can stay senior A for a few years I think they will be a force to be reckoned with. Kinnitty to beat clareen by 4 or 5. Clareen to go down and come back immediately back up. Too good for senior B

I wouldn’t be too convinced Kinnitty or Clareen would straight back up.

Kinnitty are an ageing team with their key players all the wrong side of 30.

While Clareen have a young team but seem to lack that bit of quality needed.

Regardless there’s a strong possibility both will remain senior as K/K look the best team in the Senior B.

[frankthetank]

Big win for Tullamore. Kinnitty and clareen in the relegation final.
If Tullamore can stay senior A for a few years I think they will be a force to be reckoned with. Kinnitty to beat clareen by 4 or 5. Clareen to go down and come back immediately back up. Too good for senior B

I wouldn’t be too convinced Kinnitty or Clareen would go straight back up.

Kinnitty are an ageing team with their key players all the wrong side of 30.

While Clareen have a young team but seem to lack that bit of quality needed.

Regardless there’s a strong possibility both will remain senior as K/K look the best team in the Senior B.

[jimbob17]

Senior B probably between KK and Clodiagh Gaels.

Here is a question. Tullamore got two teams into Junior A football last year in two separate groups somehow. Could KK get two teams into Senior A hurling in separate groups for same reason if they win Senior B? The precedent is there and if you look at their 2nd team, it could easily compete in Senior A from talent perspective.

Re Ballinamere capability, fully agree. Belmont played most 2nd half with 14 and missed shocking wides in last 10 mins when only a point down. That would have put them ahead. Included a free about 30 yards out straight in front of posts that was struck wide. 1 point in difference on 54 minutes. Troys puckouts wereva bit kamikazi in last 20 mins and could have been more costly. Belmont had some goal chances too and final scoreline doesnt in any way give the true story of the game. Kelly and Nally would have turned it in Belmonts favour I'd imagine. That said, teams were evenly enough matched and some serious physicality on both sides. Would not be surprised one bit to see both teams reach semis though.

[TownieInOz]

Ballinamere had a very off day yet still came out winning by 8 points no matter what way you look at it, in previous years Ballinamere would definitely have lost that game. They were missing players too and john murphy is only after returning and looked promising when he came on. As a neutral I must say I'm warming to them a bit, they wont be as bad the next day against Shinrone and that physical game will stand to them. I still wouldn't fancy them to go on and win it but would be picking them over Belmont if they faced them again.

[del]

The reason Tullamore were allowed 2 Junior A teams is because Junior in Offaly is considered a competition by leinster Gaa not a championship Leinster treat our senior B as intermediaries and intermediate as Junior A So clubs can have 2 teams in a comp but obviously not in a championship.