[b]its a succession of of the absurd having a talent for choosing real la la s for selectors lack of player discipline and the reaching 19teen ----i have become a man syndrome so let me party ---and this is the club that produced the greatest dual star of the past 30 years whats paddy powers odds on the kks producing another currams in the next ten long long long [/b]
County final day in the nineties became synonymous with entertaining minor finals, most of which were won in exciting displays of direct hurling by the young men of Kilcormac/Killoughey. We all waited for this to transfer to the senior fields but it never happened.
Many reasons for this. Chiefly the difficulties of merging old and new, as K/K persisted for many years with the old fashioned, robust style which had won them nothing at senior level for ninety-odd years.
Many of the minor winning teams, as well as being decent hurlers, were physically stronger than their minor opponents. The stronger fellas were among the first to be introduced to senior hurling and those who might not have been as strong were introduced later – and quickly discarded.
They also encountered difficulties when facing smaller clubs, clubs they mightn’t have faced at all at ‘A’ grade in underage hurling. They have had some difficulty with Clareen and Lusmagh in the past.
Discipline on the field has long been an issue. A prime example of this was in the 2000 semi final when they pulled some horrendous strokes to ensure the withdrawal of Joe Dooley. Still, even with an extra man themselves, they couldn’t close the deal and an ageing Clareen team won by a point.
It wasn’t until John Leahy’s management that K/K began to find a style which suited them, a mobile ball carrying style which many clubs find it hard to cope with. Quite a few of the old guard were quickly discarded and many of the 2006 title-winning K/K minor team have already graduated to senior ranks playing in Leahy’s style. Indeed, one of the best tributes I heard paid to John Leahy was that he “took the dirt out of Kilcormac”
Leahy has certainly been dismissed well before he should, having gone down to Birr in each of the previous three years. It will be interesting to see how they get on with Johnny Pilkington now in charge, as the Birrman will presumably bring a change to the direct style he himself played for Birr and Offaly. This might not be best suited to Kilcormac. Time will tell.
Pat Donegan. Signed out of respect for players and all involved with Offaly.
"Offaly's hurling is exact and abrasive: full of assurance on the ball, devoid of fumbling and slicing and sod-busting". Kevin Cashman RIP (September 1994).
Plain of the Herbs wrote:
Indeed, one of the best tributes I heard paid to John Leahy was that he “took the dirt out of Kilcormac”
I'd be of the opinion that it was a previous manager Seamus Gleeson who, as you crudely put it, "took the dirt out of" Kilcormac/Killoughey. John continued this, albeit with a different style of hurling.
One of the reasons why K/K didn't make the breakthrough in the 90s at senior level is that simply there were better teams in the county at the time like Birr, Clareen and Rynaghs. These 3 teams contained, at the same time, some of the best hurlers the county has ever produced and were able to beat K/K when it came to it.
Its one thing winning minor titles, senior is a different ball game.
An interesting topic and one that I have often mulled about. It could be debated until the proverbial cows come home but the answer is really quite obvious-Birr.
Birr were and remain a brilliant team, not only in Offaly but nationally. They quite simply have been better.
That said, Birr have not been K/K's downfall every year. But when considering K/K with regards to other clubs perhaps a comparison should be kept in mind. How many invaluable 'automatic choice' (a la Brian Whelahan, Rory Hanniffy, Kevin Brady, Brian Carroll) players have Kilcormac provided to the starting 15 of the Offaly senior hurling team since 2000? Stephen Byrne? On again off again Colm Cassidy? Truth be told, K/K have had very poor representation on the Offaly senior hurling team this decade not unlike St Rynagh's who would consider themselves to be in the deepest of troughs. Even allowing for Plain of the Herb's correct 'unsuitable style of play' analysis, surely if K/K had really good players then these same players would nonetheless be on the Offaly starting 15. This, however, has not been the case so one must presume there to be more to it than POTH'S assessment. Perhaps K/K are, and have been, a team full of good players but unfortunately lacking in one or two great players to get them over the line. Maybe despite the underage success they just didn't have the players.
This is not meant to be over critical and is very much an analysis of the past, not a prophecy of the future. K/K remain one of the best teams in Offaly with some promising young players on their senior team. They are infinitely capable of winning this year’s senior championship, a win that in all honesty would shock no one. As POTH concluded, time will tell. I for one wish them the best of luck, a one hundrerd year wait (Kiloughy 1907) is long enough in my books.
How Kilcormac’s interest in the championship ended in recent years:-
1994 – Beaten by Clareen in the semi final
1995 – Drew with Coolderry and beaten by Clareen in the group which knocked them out.
1996 – Beaten by Clareen in the replayed semi final
1997 – Beaten by Clareen and Lusmagh in the group.
1998 – Beaten by Clareen in the quarter final
1999 – Beaten by Ballyskenagh in the quarter final
2000 – Beaten by Clareen in the semi-final
2001 – Beaten by Birr, Shinrone & Lusmagh in the group
2002 – Reached the final, beaten by Birr
2003 - Beaten by Birr in the semi-final
2004 – Beaten by Coolderry in the semi-final
2005 – Beaten by both Ballyskenagh & ’Rynagh’s in a three way playoff
2006 – Beaten by Birr in the semi final
2007 – Reached the final, beaten by Birr
2008 – Beaten by Birr in the semi final
Pat Donegan. Signed out of respect for players and all involved with Offaly.
"Offaly's hurling is exact and abrasive: full of assurance on the ball, devoid of fumbling and slicing and sod-busting". Kevin Cashman RIP (September 1994).
The K/K senior team seems to have a lot of big cumbersome players in their ranks.
Probably another case of early developers getting the nod on underage teams at the expense of the light player. In smaller clubs, nearly every young fella gets accommodated and many eventually turn into fine adult players.
Smaller players tend to put more emphasis on working on their skills to compensate for not being able to dominate games with their physique.
Also it seems that Offaly clubs that also have a decent football setup tend to produce less wristy hurling players - Rynaghs, Shamrocks, K/K, Tullamore etc.
