SHC weekend May7-May9

[kinnittyman]

Well the championship got off to a start tonight in terrible underfoot conditions in Kilcormac. Shinrone fancied as favourites going in to a game against unpredictable Shamrocks. Playing with a stiff breeze Shamrocks opened up a useful 5-1 advantage over the first 20 minutes with the spine of the team in Jimmy Conway, Kevin Cummins, Derek Molloy, Brian Kearney and Nigel Dunne to the fore. In fact as the half wore on there was only one team hurling and they were full value for their 9-3 lead at half time.

The expected onslaught from Shinrone in the 2nd half never materialised and an early goal from Nigel Dunne effectively ended the game as contest and over the next 20 minutes, the best thing to say is, the game petered out into its ineviatable conclusion with the final score seeing Shamrocks pull off a mild shock on the scoreline of 1-11 to 0-06.

Shinrone were absolutley woeful. Actually clueless springs to mind and the sight of 11 Shinrone jerseys inside the Shamrocks 45m line really summed up their approach to me.

While the standard was never going to be of any great level Shamrocks will be pleased with the win and a
had much more threat in their forward line. Having said that its hard to see them really challenging the fancied teams in the group. But then again, confidence will be high and they wont fear anyone. S

Shinrone may just go back to the drawing board. 3 points (to the best of my knowledge) from play wouldn't win a Junior game.

[beirut]

From the Offaly GAA Website:

Birr 3-15 1-13 Belmont
Coolderry 6-24 1-10 Lusmagh

Any Reports??

[Plain of the Herbs]

The scoreline tells the story really- this was a massacre. Coolderry were in complete control and led 3-12 to 0-7 at half time. Each of their six forwards scored at least three times from play. Michael Ryan had two goals scored before half time.

Ray Murray played in goal, not Shane O'Connor. Senior debuts for Brian Kelly at corner back and Kevin Connolly (who scored three points) at corner forward. Barry Teehan left the field with what looked like a bad hand injury.

Lusmagh were without David Moran, Aidan Hanrahan, Ger Gardiner & Austen Lynch for various reasons, and it looks like the Parish will be under severe pressure to retain their coveted senior status. Is it really only two summers since that great win over 'Rynagh's? Seems like a lifetime ago now.
scorers: Coolderry: Brian Carroll 2-5, Michael Ryan 3-2, Joe Brady 1-3, Martin Corcoran 0-4, Damien Murray 0-4 (1f), Cathal Parlon & Kevin Connolly 0-3 each.
Lusmagh: Gary Kelly 0-5 (4f), Paul Bermingham 0-4 (1f), Brian Troy 1-0, Fintan Kelly 0-1.

Belmont holding Birr to eight points is actually a good result for them. If they can stay injury free, and if they can get a right mix of the Egans up front and with David Kenny (presumably) at centre half back, they might finish third in t eh group.

[kinnittyman]

Ah good old Coolderry-cant beat teams enough this time of the year!!!!

The scoreline in the Birr Belmont game is not a true reflection in the gulf in class between the two teams. The game was over after 20 minutes with Birr leading 2-5 to 0-03. Rory had a stormer and seemed to be everywhere.

Very Very worryingly from an Offaly viewpoint David Kenny spent the vast majority of his 45 minutes on the pitch at Full Forward and was replaced then. Seemingly a hamstring injury has flared up again. If he's not ok for May 30 we have zero chance.

[baz]

Disappointed with belmont to be honest ,with a young team hoped they would improve from last year .Birr carried a few players clearly unfit but they hurled at a completely different level especially their stick work ,it really was a strole in the park stuff .Barry harding played corner forward (lack of hurling over the last couple of weeks ) scored 2 goals ( well taken too )worth a try keeping him there as plenty of cover in backline .Mark egan scored 8 of belmont`s points (6 frees ) which tells its own tale .John ryan scored 1-1 ,still reckon they will cause other teams fierce problems in the group but their backline is very pourise .kenny started midfield on hanniffy and moved to full forward when he lookrd like he picked up injury .They too him off 10 mins into second half ,they really should have taken him off after 20 mins because at that stage birr had it won ,and it wasnt doing kenny or belmont ( for next game ) any good .It looked like a slight hamstring ( hope im complete wrong ) but could have been a knock on the leg when in a rook of players when it happened .Jesus what a pity sean ryan went anywhere near the football .While he has the skills and speed he does some stupid things aswell and all thats wrong is he would get better with descion making totaly concentrating on the hurling .
Big worry for birr moving on from here ( and offaly ) is that verney seems to be gone completely backwards ,easily looked the weak link on the birr backline .The more hurling birr get the fitter they are going to get and looking at the other teams find it very hard seeing them being stopped .Also its going to be most of them last year i bet ,so they wil give it every thing ( the bullshit from last year behind the scenes ,judging by the young lads at challanage matches ,has atopped ) and they know who ever wins offaly will play the winners of westmeath v laois to get into leinster final .

[uibhfhailiabu123]

Clareen and Tullamore drew 3-11 to 3-11,i arrived in abit late but didnt miss too many scores,clareen wer about 4 up at h/t and were leading by 5 at one stag in second half and tullamore drew it back level and twice then clareen went a goal ahead and tullamore replied each time with a goal.draw probably fairest result but clareen will feel as if they let it slip away. Rynaghs beat k/k 0-22 to 0-13,k/k winning 0-09 to 0-08 at h/t and rynaghs totally dominated 2nd hald winning on scoreline of 0-22 to 0-13(got that on offaly website because had to leave early) k/k poor enough in 2nd hald..any1 know why ciaran slevin didnt start??

[kinnittyman]

Kinnitty beat Ballyskenagh 4-20 to 2-8. Got some good scores but Skenagh were poor. Brendan Murphy is some hurler though!!Top class.

[backofthenet]

The scoreline tells the story really- this was a massacre. Coolderry were in complete control and led 3-12 to 0-7 at half time. Each of their six forwards scored at least three times from play. Michael Ryan had two goals scored before half time.

Ray Murray played in goal, not Shane O'Connor. Senior debuts for Brian Kelly at corner back and Kevin Connolly (who scored three points) at corner forward. Barry Teehan left the field with what looked like a bad hand injury.

Lusmagh were without David Moran, Aidan Hanrahan, Ger Gardiner & Austen Lynch for various reasons, and it looks like the Parish will be under severe pressure to retain their coveted senior status. Is it really only two summers since that great win over 'Rynagh's? Seems like a lifetime ago now.
scorers: Coolderry: Brian Carroll 2-5, Michael Ryan 3-2, Joe Brady 1-3, Martin Corcoran 0-4, Damien Murray 0-4 (1f), Cathal Parlon & Kevin Connolly 0-3 each.
Lusmagh: Gary Kelly 0-5 (4f), Paul Bermingham 0-4 (1f), Fintan Kelly 0-1.

Belmont holding Birr to eight points is actually a good result for them. If they can stay injury free, and if they can get a right mix of the Egans up front and with David Kenny (presumably) at centre half back, they might finish third in t eh group.

It was a good win for Coolderry but this was really over after ten minutes. Coolderry have given debuts to two minors...brian kelly done well at corner back before getting injured...most likely out for the birr game next week. He was given the nod as brendan omeara is still missing. Barry Teehan also got injured but id be pretty confident he will be back for next week.

Michael Ryan done well, he had been playing a little under par recently so hopefully this is a return of form. Brian Carroll was the usual, Joe Brady done quite well, Martin Corcoran is hurling brilliantly at the moment, damien murray was ok as was cathal parlon. A great debut by Kevin Connoly, i think he is definately one for the future, he fought for every ball and dispossed some of the lusmagh defenders to score some of his points which is great to see from a forward.

Ray Murray was put in the goal. In my opinion it is about time, Ray is at least the second best goalie in the county after mullins so I doubt that you will see shane OConnor in goals for coolderry for quite a time to come.

Coolderry Team

Ray Murray
Brian Kelly, Trevor Corcoran, Alan Corcoran
Kevin Brady, Barry Teehan, Kevin Teehan
Mark Bergin, Martin Corcoran
Damien Murray, Brian Carroll, Cathal Parlon
Kevin Connoly, Joe Brady, Michael Ryan

[bluemoon]

Was at a couple of the matches over the weekend namely the Tullamore/Clareen and the KK/Banagher match. It is evident that teams are only going through the motions at this stage. Lads have it in there heads they only have to win one match which will more than likely see them thru. It looks likely even at this stage that both Lusmagh and Shinrone will be the teams to lose out for a quarter final place, with all other teams getting through. I expect KK to improve from what was a very poor show compared to last years effort.

[Lone Shark]

Can anyone confirm what is the story regarding the qualification from these groups? Different people are telling me that all six go through and yet more tell me that it's only the top four - can anyone say for absolute certain what the case is?

[thecornerback]

the situation for the knockout of the championship is as folows:

top two teams in each group progress to quarter finals.
the remaining eight teams play in the 1st round of knockout series.

First round of knockout:
1. 3rd team from group 1 v 4th team from group 2
2. 3rd group 2 v 4th group 1
3. 5th group 1 v 6th group 2
4. 5th group 2 v 6th group 1

In quarter final top two teams from groups on one side of draw and will be drawna against the four first round winners
Semi finals will be open draw

Relegation play off between the losers of the matches concenrning the 5th and 6th placed teams (Numbered 3 and 4 above)

[bluemoon]

So a team can lose all matches? I was told a different way but all ways seem farcical

[True Red]

Would more games not mean more competitive matches for the ordinary club player therefore increasing the standard of hurling?

[TheManFromFerbane]

Would more games not mean more competitive matches for the ordinary club player therefore increasing the standard of hurling?

I think the key word in that there is competitive.

[joe bloggs]

The system put in place is similar to kilkenny. It is designed to give more games to players in a championship format. It is a better system than last year as for example when shamrocks lost their first round they knew they were as good as out. This years system keeps everyone going through the summer which is a step forward, and as the league format is part of the championship then county players must be released to their clubs.
However in my opinion a simple split of top 4 in each group qualifying for 1/4 final with 1v4 and 2v3 would be better. It would reward the team that finishes 1st and maybe the rounds could be seeded so that the group favouites didn't meet until near the end.
The teams that finish 5th and 6th would play a relegation semi and final and there would be a bit of a scrap probably to avoid dropping into the relegation group at the end of the group stage.
All teams would play a minimum of 6 games with 6 teams guaranteed 7 games and the finalists 8 games.