Offaly Hurling Championships 2014

[townman]

all this Birr better than k/k or k/k better than Birr, whats more important is their any new players
putting their hand up to be notice for the county team,

sam88885a Daniel Currams is in with offaly since 2010 most at fullforward and has done little of note
in there, his best game was out around midfield again Cork a few years ago, club hurling and intercounty hurling are two different kettles of fish.

[OffalySorry]

So moving on from the Birr/Kilcormac Dick Measuring contest,


Has anyone any insight on the intermediate qfs this weekend?
3 local derbys..

[Plain of the Herbs]

Getting serious now in the IHC. Quarter-finals this weekend and while two of the ties appear relatively clearcut, two of the six title contenders will depart the title race by Sunday lunchtime.


KILCORMAC-KILLOUGHEY v SHAMROCKS
The stakes are large here with both holding title aspirations and the winner, whoever they are, will probably be favourites to win the title. K-K have lost Dylan Murray to Senior grade but Trevor Fletcher, Mark Leonard and Martin Murray have enough Senior experience to lead the attack. Kevin Coyne, lining out at centre half-back, has Senior experience too and Colm Cassidy (who would still get on most Senior teams in the county) needs no introduction. Neither does John Grogan. The 0-20 to 0-6 win over St Rynagh’s made a statement, but on the other hand they were forced to settle for a draw when Carrig & Riverstown came with a late run.

Shamrocks too have impressed in attack with Trevor Darcy and Nigel Dunne taking the pressure off Brian Kearney in the scoring stakes. The defence is very young, though Ciarán Buckley, a year older, is leading the defence well. When I Shamrocks against Killurin they were attempting to play a short stick-passing and were doing a good job of it. Friday, playing against a physically imposing team, will test such a gameplan and Shamrocks may struggle with K-K’s grizzly attackers.

The sides met in round 1 last year with Shamrocks winning 3-11 to 1-9 though I suspect K-K’s greater strength will see them through.


BALLYSKENAGH-KILLAVILLA v CRINKILL
The Roscrea parish team are fancied to advance with a bit to spare here. Crinkill have probably achieved their target for the year (reaching the quarter-final and avoiding the relegation stage). The caveat for B-K is that they played the third of their four rounds quite some time ago. They did beat St Rynagh’s a fortnight ago but that was in torrential rain and while those conditions were a test of character they were not conducive to flowing hurling. And it is unlikely that Crinkill will provide a stern test here and so B-K will face into the semi-final at a slight disadvantage. That’s for another day though.


BIRR v CARRIG & RIVERSTOWN
After struggling for a few years at this grade, a settled Senior panel has afforded the club’s Intermediates the chance to regroup and become competitive again. Seasoned Intermediates like Clifford Colohan have been joined by Kevin Donovan, Craig Pardy and Eoin Pilikington in defence. Eoghan Cahill has been scoring freely (and not just from frees) and Seán T O’Connor, with Senior experience is good for 0-2 or 0-3 in every game. They were much closer to Shamrocks than the 0-16 to 1-20 scoreline suggests, while their 0-13 each draw with Lusmagh was a tremendous contest in atrocious conditions.

Carrig & Riverstown have been something of a surprise package, beating St Rynagh’s and Coolderry, and coming from behind to gain a draw with K-K. They probably don’t score enough, tallying 1-8 against B-K and 0-11 when beating St Rynagh’s. Other hand they beat Coolderry with 3-12 and 1-15 gained a draw with K-K. The CRC Gaels underage setup is bearing fruit and will continue to do so.

The last IHC meeting was a 3-10 to 0-13 win for C&R in 2012 but Birr’s graph has risen since then; Birr to win here.


LUSMAGH v ST RYNAGH’S
Sunday afternoon. The match of the weekend. Red and white versus blue and gold. Two neighbouring entities with a keen rivalry yet a healthy respect. A big crowd expected for a mighty match. Then we’ll head home to watch Cork v Tipperary on the television.

Lusmagh’s story so far this year – an incredibly young team, often lining out with seven who are U19, have showed style and class that belies their youth. Granted once they beat Shamrocks they were always likely to top their group and while Crinkill, Killurin and Shinrone were dispatched with some ease, it was impressive that they didn’t get dragged into a scrap. The tense draw with Birr was a test of their character which they passed.

To say St Rynagh’s have been inconsistent in this grade would put it mildly. They have used three different goalkeepers in their four games so far (and will have to use another here after Ben Conneely went Senior against Tullamore) and they are not scoring enough (0-9 v C&R, 0-6 v K-K, 0-8 v B-K). Other hand, Colm Keane and James Corrigan have consistently anchored the defence, while Declan Tanner has returned to bolster the attack in recent weeks.

Emigration and injuries (and promotion to Senior grade in ’Rynagh’s case) means each side will feature only about six of their respective sides who contested the 2012 Intermediate Final. St Rynagh’s are a couple of years older and stronger than their opposition, but Lusmagh have been hurling consistently well and so get the nod to advance here.

[Plain of the Herbs]

St Rynagh’s are going well and should have too much for Ballinamere.

On Saturday evening, Shinrone face Tullamore in Birr. Shinrone made a significant breakthrough against Birr a fortnight ago and could well find Tullamore a tough nut to crack. Different match, different challenge and all that. Still, if Shinrone keep their composure they should pull away in the final quarter and record just their fourth SHC win over Tullamore.

Coolderry face Belmont in the second part of Saturday’s double-header. That Coolderry were beaten by Clareen a fortnight ago was probably the worst possible result for Belmont. And the sooner David Kenny can recover sufficient fitness to line out at 6, while restoring Colin Egan to the attack, the sooner Belmont will prosper. As it is, Belmont need to be a bit more direct as they don’t create enough scoring chances. Coolderry are good at running up big scores and will probably do so here, leaving Belmont to face Drumcullen in an eighth-final in a fortnight.

Wherever K-K stumble, it won’t be against Brosna Gaels on Sunday. Incidentally, has a Senior hurling match ever been played before noon before? I can’t think of one.

Nor should Drumcullen trouble Clareen and Joseph Bergin should add to his 4-26 scored so far.

Which leaves Birr v Kinnitty. Kinnitty were massively disappointing when losing to Ballinamere. All grand hurlers, but never really got into the game at all. Not that Birr have impressed either and (as seems likely) Rory Hanniffy may or may not be recovered from a broken finger in time for the quarter-final. And so Paul Cleary will be restored to the defence. Kinnitty need James Rigney to be at the top of his game and in a central role at that, but haven’t beaten Birr since 1985 and nothing in their Ballinamere performance suggests they will end the famine here.

[sam88885a]

town i disagree with u d currams has only started a few championship games at full forward he was injured last year .no offaly player have played to their potental for offaly in years .
i think currams is our biggest goal treat so he should be near goal and r hanniffy is our our best midfielder and should always start in his best position in midfield .
one last point talking to a three of our top club managers lately, they all claim that lads that came back from training with the county team [, some dropped out others were dropped ,] but their fitness was behind their club players and they had to do extra work to catch up ..
i always felt that a club had a big advantage if the had a lot of players training with the county but it seem not to be the case.
maybe that explains what lads are not preforming at county level .

[Toxicity234]

sam88885a Daniel Currams is in with offaly since 2010 most at fullforward and has done little of note
in there, his best game was out around midfield again Cork a few years ago, club hurling and intercounty hurling are two different kettles of fish.

The same can be said about Dooley. Carroll, Bergin, Quirke, Cleary, Egan, Parlon and every other forward that pull on a jersey since 2010.
The only forward doing well is the one taking frees.

That down to the style of play not give the forwards a chance, than down to the forwards been not up to the task.
Currams was offaly best forward in the Wexford and Cork games this year and the Laois game he didn't start. The rest of the year he played centre forward wing forward and midfield. Cleary, Dooley and we used a two man full forward lines (which had the down side of kill our forward play) have all being used. Currams has only play full forward for 20 mins this year in a 3 man full forward line.

I hoping to get to a game or two at the weekend. I want to see Birr again. I think Cleary at full forward for them is a exciting addition to Birr forward line.
Coolderry, Belmont should be a cracked. Watched Belmont and think Damien and Mark Egan are two good hurlers. If Belmont can get around Joe Brady at centre back they have a chance and I think in Damien Egan they have the man to do that.

Coolderry, Last day in the 1st half they were poor but in the 2nd they were excellent and unlucky not to get something out of the game. they have the full forward to do a lot of damage. With Belmont half back line following they men out the field and they could be a lot of space for them.

[Toxicity234]

SHC Ballinamere 1-11 St. Rynaghs 3-22 FT.

IHC.
FT. Birr 1-23 Carrig / Riverstown 0-11
FT. Shamrock 1-14 Kilcormac Killoughey 1-14.

[shannonbanks14]

Rynaghs hittin form at right time great scoring tonight.

[Plain of the Herbs]

I dropped into Tellamore on my way down from Dublin this evening for the Intermediate quarter-final between Shamrocks and Kilcormac-Killoughey.

The match was on 15-20 minutes when I arrived, by which stage the goals were scored and Shamrocks led by 3 or 4 points. The remainder of the first half was evenly matched and Shamrocks, by dint of being that bit more direct and more economical, led 1-10 to 1-5 with Nigel Dunne looking sharp in attack.

Though always lively, the second half was a biteen of a mess. Evenl y matched again, but this time it was K-K who were the more direct. Though score-for-score for 20 minutes of that second half, both team’s forwards lost all shape and there resulted a game of tennis where mighty raking clearances were met by defenders who returned the clearance, only to see the ball come straight back to them again. K-K were the more direct in that second half but didn’t transfer the advantage of territory and possession into scores. Significantly, K-K pressed the Shamrocks defenders on their puckouts (as you should do anyway) and Shamrocks were forced to puck long.

Brian Gavin refereed and I have issues with the way he handled the game. Basically, he blew his whistle four times during the match, and refereed as if it were an inter-county match. Pulling, dragging and holding an opponent were all permitted, and only a ‘chop’ tackle where the sound of timber hitting off timber was audible were blown consistently. On one particular occasion in front of me a Shamrocks forward, in possession, was swung around when well surrounded – referee stuck his hand out to signal the ‘advantage’ was applied. There was no advantage! The advantage would have been the award of a free, which was within scoring distance. The chance was lost and the ball was cleared. Crazy refereeing.

The highlight was a John Grogan point from beyond halfway which should have inspired K-K but didn’t really, though K-K later came with three late points to claim a draw. Neither side can really complain, and the replay will do the eventual winners a power of good.

Finally, I was under the impression that Offaly’s bye-law was that extra-time was to be played in the event of a draw in quarter-finals, but not semi-finals and finals. Or am I wrong?

Finally finally, whoever marked the Tellamore pitch allowed his machine to wobble a bit. Nothing major, but a wobble nonetheless.

[Toxicity234]

Offaly SHC - Shinrone 0-12 Tullamore 1-9 FT
IHC Q/F result Ballyskenagh/Killavilla 2-18 Crinkle 1-11 FT

Coolderry 0-26 Belmont 2-6. ft

[Plain of the Herbs]

Shinrone learned that the pats on the back they received for beating Birr were mere inches away from the kick in the arse they got from Tullamore. Their forst touch, with hand and hurl was superb, but after that? Weren’t up for the fight, lost shape, paniced when they weren’t 17 points ahead after 20 minutes. They might well have lost too, and Ger Treacy should have been awarded a free in that last play after being cleaved, but because the sides were level no free was awarded. Consistency in refereeing remains a pipe dream – when the same referee can’t be consistent from one minute to the next.

The exception to this was Darren Crean who was outstanding. Read the game so well, always out in front of his man and cut off the supply to his direct opponent.

Shinrone can wallow in this, or it can be the making of them. My guess is the latter.

So Tullamore bow out, having drawn with Shinrone, lost to St Rynagh’s and Kinnitty by two points and lost by a narrow margin to Ballinamere. I don’t expect them to go down though.

That misfortune might well fall to Belmont who continue to deteriorate. Now they were never likely to beat Coolderry anyway, but their hurling is far too indirect, the team looks to be selected all wrong and too many of their leaders aren’t performing. We’ll see how Drumcullen are shaping up tomorrow but I think they are vulnerable to a defeat there.

Coolderry played with a purpose earlier this evening. Brian Carroll’s distribution has improved, Kevin Connolly is hurling confidently, as now is Eoin Ryan (Connolly and Ryan each hit 0-6 against Belmont). Granted Belmont were poor but Coolderry went about their business – their touch was sharp and they hurled as a unit. Their next match against K-K will be very interesting – the winner will likely face Ballinamere in the quarter-final (a Coolderry win would see them top the group on the head-to-head).

[tmorelad]

Second time this weekend I seen some brutal reffing against Tullamore the worst being one of the dirties strokes I've ever seen to a Tullamore players head in the junior Friday night by the kk goalie resulting in the player having a burst ear drum when umpire brought it to the refs attention he replied " it's a bit late in the game to be sending anyone off" if u ask me that's not good enough

[kingscounty]

Second time this weekend I seen some brutal reffing against Tullamore the worst being one of the dirties strokes I've ever seen to a Tullamore players head in the junior Friday night by the kk goalie resulting in the player having a burst ear drum when umpire brought it to the refs attention he replied " it's a bit late in the game to be sending anyone off" if u ask me that's not good enough

I'm not surprised I've seen this goalie do this before , he is an absolute disgrace and it's only a matter of time before he seriously hurts someone and when the refs keep letting him away with it he will keep on butchering lads.

[tmorelad]

And fond of hitting young lads or lads with there back turned to him cowardly bollocks

[allstar2010]

And fond of hitting young lads or lads with there back turned to him cowardly bollocks

Who is he??