minor A club hurling championship

[faithfulman11]

how are things shaping up in the minor A club hurling championship this year? who are the teams to look out for?

[kinnittyman]

I'm not to sure what the format is after the group stages but here how the groups finished:

Group 1:
1. Kinnitty
2. Seir Kieran
3. Ballinamere
4. St. Rynaghs
5. Birr
6. CRC Gaels
7. Na Fianna

Group 2:
1. Kilcormac
2. Belmont
3. Shinrone
4. Coolderry
5.Tullamore
6.Shamrocks

I'd be very surprised if the top 4 in each group went through.

It's either top two in each straight to semi's or top team in each group into semi and 2 quarter finals with second playing third in each group.

Either way I'm absolutely delighted to see our lads topping the group after a 0-14 to 2-6 victory over Banagher tonight. It's 2003 since we made a real impression at Minor A level and this is a great boost.

[Over The Black Spot]

At the risk of sounding unintentionally patronising kinnittyman, that's a massive achievement for ye to finish top of a group featuring Birr and Rynaghs. It's hard to compete with the bigger clubs (especially those based in a town/towns) at underage level so very well done so far. I've been away alot of work lately so I'm kind of out of the loop a bit but would I be right in thinking that Andrew Browne, Seanie Carroll, Keith Bergin etc would be of minor age this year.

Not sure of the exact structure but I see from the Master Fixture list that there are Minor Hurling Q-Finals down for All-Ireland weekend.

[joe bloggs]

Top team into semi final, second and third to quarter final

[Lone Shark]

I'd say there's two ways of looking at this. It's impressive from clubs like Clareen, Kinnitty, Belmont etc, and in fairness to K/K, they keep churning them out at this level. However the two biggest urban areas in the county are Birr and Tullamore and that's not impressive from either of them.

In relation to the Birr side of it, how much of that is down to small numbers due to the new boundary with Crinkill? I know Birr people will say it's all because of that, but what's the neutral view from around there?

[kinnittyman]

At the risk of sounding unintentionally patronising kinnittyman, that's a massive achievement for ye to finish top of a group featuring Birr and Rynaghs. It's hard to compete with the bigger clubs (especially those based in a town/towns) at underage level so very well done so far. I've been away alot of work lately so I'm kind of out of the loop a bit but would I be right in thinking that Andrew Browne, Seanie Carroll, Keith Bergin etc would be of minor age this year.

Not sure of the exact structure but I see from the Master Fixture list that there are Minor Hurling Q-Finals down for All-Ireland weekend.

You didn't come across as patronising as what you said makes perfect sense. It is a huge achievement for our lads to top that group and Ballinamere were the only team to beat them on an awful night for hurling.

Seanie Carroll is overage for minor so the main lads on the team are Paddy Rigney (brother of James), Keith Bergin, Andrew Browne and Brian Donnelly. I don't think Donnelly was on the county minor panel but the other three were.

Amazing to think Rynaghs and Birr didn't make the last 6 of the Minor Championship. By all accouts Birr have been fairly deplorable in U14, U16 and Minor this year. I know we beat them in all 3 grades. Doesn't bode well for the future in there.

Maybe Townman can fill us in to what the current malaise is in Birr with regards their underage??

[sadtimes2012]

The Kinnitty v Shinrone match in birr this evening really showed up the standard of referees in Offaly!! It was a disgrace to give straight red cards to two young players without even seeing the incident and taking the word of a Kinnity lines man. From where i was standing there was two players shouldering and jostling and then the Kinnity player connected with the Shinrone player. Yes a yellow for both but definitely not a RED!! I also need to add that at a semi final stage there should be impartial lines men.
As usual Martin Walsh "Dinger" controlled the game from the centre of the field awarding frees when some would think unnecessary and letting play go allowing dangerous play. And at times looking to favour one side over the other. There was unsightly behaviour regarding mentors who were concerned for a player after an off the ball incident which again the referee did not see and awarded a yellow card to the wrong player. The referee then splashed water at the mentors. This should not be accepted at any level. Referring is no doubt a tough thankless job but it's time for new younger referees in Offaly. Apparently Martin refereed 5 matches last Sat and one previous to today’s game. Fitness levels need to be at a high standard to keep with play especially at Minor level. This needs to be addressed at county board level if Offaly hurling is going to advance in any way!!

[Ahlethimoutwithit]

I agree totally re Dinger, 25 years ago I remember him making a balls of a football match and he is still at it. Its outrageous that he is allowed to referee games from the middle of the field.
Maybe there is a crisis with the number of referees that we have in the county, but its not right that he continues to get big games.

On the other hand, Noel Cooney is in his mid 60s and one of the best refs in the county, so its not defined by age. Cooney's fitness is a credit and his ability to stay with the play is as good as many of the younger lads.

[DAF]

I thought K/K had some nice hurlers yesterday.Number 6, Number 11 Number 17 and Number 13 who has the brilliant name Harley Dalzell were all excellent for them

[The Double K]

Very good win for KK minors at the weekend, this is a relatively young team with about 8/9 of that starting team eligable next year including the very skillful Harley who is only 15 years of age. They are also in the under 16 semi final again this year and with having won the under 16 championship last year all looks good for the future. The under 14's were beaten in the county final, under 12's are also very good and at present the only real opposition the have is Shinrone. Great work being done with under 10's and 8's too with big numbers to work with.