Offaly Club Hurling Championship 2025

[private joker]

Your threading on very thin ice with that kind of post, can you not just let them enjoy their win. Who cares about what Drumcullen do or don't do next year. This is not the forum for such a discussion.

[private joker]

On a serious note, think they will hold their own. Makes senior b, which is already very competitive even more so now.

[Plain of the Herbs]

Shockin’ carry on in Banagher to see Drumcullen celebrating like that. Don’t they know that if Kilcormac were relegated from Senior B last year they would have been playing Kilcormac today and that’s not an insult that’s the truth.

Seriously though, great to see Drumcullen win that. They needed it, and I hope they let rip with the celebrations. Nothing like winning something after an extended fallow period. They were hampered last year with Colm Gath not aways being available, and his availability this year was a huge boon. And they might be all the better for the dominant display today as opposed to falling over the line. It was only an extra seven days. Some excellent young talent – some excellent old talent too – and there’s more in the pipeline, and they’ll be all the better for hurling in Senior B next year. Beir bua.

[Drumcullen man]

What a day Sunday turned out to be for the club. On sunday morning in banagher the lads put on a great display to win the intermediate championship and return to senior B next year. Then in birr after dinner the girls won the senior B camogie title after a trilling battle with tullamore to cap off a great day for all drumcullen followers. It's great to have 1 championship to celebrate but to have 2 cups in killyon on sunday night was extra special. Well done to all involved in both success. Killyon was hoping for the last two days. Delighted to see lusmagh win the week before. Always a great club who provided many fantastic hurlers for offaly down the years. Senior B will be a big step up year but that's for another day. Looking forward to the county final on sunday. Hopefully will be a cracker and may the best team win

[Hasselhoff]

Who will win on Sunday

[Offaly Hero]

Shockin’ carry on in Banagher to see Drumcullen celebrating like that. Don’t they know that if Kilcormac were relegated from Senior B last year they would have been playing Kilcormac today and that’s not an insult that’s the truth.

Seriously though, great to see Drumcullen win that. They needed it, and I hope they let rip with the celebrations. Nothing like winning something after an extended fallow period. They were hampered last year with Colm Gath not aways being available, and his availability this year was a huge boon. And they might be all the better for the dominant display today as opposed to falling over the line. It was only an extra seven days. Some excellent young talent – some excellent old talent too – and there’s more in the pipeline, and they’ll be all the better for hurling in Senior B next year. Beir bua.

Slightly off topic - but with this reaction and your reaction to Lusmagh's win - do these respective victories in 'non A grade level competitions' change your mind on the Taitleann Cup?

I apologise in advance if I'm mistaken but my impression is that you view the Taitleann Cup less than favorably, calling it the 'Tall Chin' Cup on occasion. Genuine question, not looking to antagonise.

[chimbonda]

Who will win on Sunday

KK by 5

[Doon Exile]

KK by 7 -9 points

[Plain of the Herbs]

No bother OH. Alot going on at the moment. Your query taken in the spirit you intend, and I'll reply when I get a chance.

Slightly off topic - but with this reaction and your reaction to Lusmagh's win - do these respective victories in 'non A grade level competitions' change your mind on the Taitleann Cup?

I apologise in advance if I'm mistaken but my impression is that you view the Taitleann Cup less than favorably, calling it the 'Tall Chin' Cup on occasion. Genuine question, not looking to antagonise.

[Bogman123]

Who will win on Sunday

Expecting a great game, going against the grain here with Shinrone by 2-3 pts. Think there is an upset on the cards!

[oneshot]

kk haven't got going this season hurling in spots at times. if they put in a good 60 plus mintues on sunday they will win bye 7.

[Plain of the Herbs]

To start at the end - Killoughey will win. But I don’t believe it’s a 1/4 shot. There’s a lot to recommend about Shinrone, and for me it’s closer to 4/6 Killoughey.

It’ll be a tactical one. Killian Sampson in a free role at one end, Brecon Kavanagh free at the other. Sampson either counter attacking himself, or allowing others to do so. Kavanagh at the end of any imperfect delivery.

Shinrone are great ball players. Incredibly skilful, arguably the most skilful in Offaly. But they tend to have these 20 minute unproductive periods where they don’t score enough.

Apart from the obvious, Killoughey have Conor Mahon, James Gorman and Damien Kilmartin. Shinrone can’t afford to have Conor Mahon roaming to do what he likes. Adam Landy tends to drop back, but that’s still a big ask against a colossus such as Mahon. Ball winner, puckout target, can score 0-4. James Gorman arguably in the form of his life, though Michael Cleary won’t be fazed. Someone like Daniel Hand – hurling well at the moment – could run up a match winning total.

Shinrone still need to get more out of their forwards. Killoughey don’t concede frees – as noted by the Offaly Independent earlier this month. But Shinrone don’t depend on them for scores either. DJ McLoughlin is their leading scorer, all from open play. But they’ll need more from Eoin Bailey O’Brien and Paul Cleary. The champions’ full-back line didn’t look balanced earlier in the year, but the move of Jordan Quinn to square’s edge gives them better traction. Tom Spain has been hurling well all year too.

If Shinrone are in it at the time of Declan Cleary’s introduction – which may need to be earlier than usual tomorrow – the Final will ‘go the distance’. He brings an energy to them. Other hand, the champions have two Geraghtys in reserve. Alex and Leigh Kavanagh too. And I was surprised K-K left it so late to turn to the bench in the semi-final.

Similarities to 2006 here. In 2004, Coolderry made a surprise breakthrough (similar to 2022), and a year later Birr blew them away in a revenge mission (parallels with 2023). Primed in 2006, Coolderrry dug in, determined not to get blown away, and the final went 120 minutes before Birr prevailed by a point (or maybe it was 2). Tomorrow, Shinrone’s first priority is to stay in the game – not get blown away early on as they did in 2023. And they may well do.

Across the board, the Offaly players have not been performing to their optimum this year. And in fairness, it’s been a long year. Shinrone have been up and down within games. Killoughey have appeared flat during the group stage before blowing Ballinamere away with a performance for the ages. And while Birr were well up for their semi-final, Killoughey shuldn’t have been relying on a late moment of brilliance to win it. It is a hallmark of tired teams that they are up one day, down the next, up again the next day. All of which points to a Killoughey landslide. And an iffy semi-final performance is no barrier to a sparking Final one.

I don’t anticipate a landslide. I do expect Killoughey to see whatever Shinrone hand play and to raise them - perhaps a moment of Charlie Mitchell genius.

Killoughey then, in a tactical one, something like 2-18 to 2-14.

[Hasselhoff]

Good analysis there Plain

[Dodge83]

To start at the end - Killoughey will win. But I don’t believe it’s a 1/4 shot. There’s a lot to recommend about Shinrone, and for me it’s closer to 4/6 Killoughey.

It’ll be a tactical one. Killian Sampson in a free role at one end, Brecon Kavanagh free at the other. Sampson either counter attacking himself, or allowing others to do so. Kavanagh at the end of any imperfect delivery.

Shinrone are great ball players. Incredibly skilful, arguably the most skilful in Offaly. But they tend to have these 20 minute unproductive periods where they don’t score enough.

Apart from the obvious, Killoughey have Conor Mahon, James Gorman and Damien Kilmartin. Shinrone can’t afford to have Conor Mahon roaming to do what he likes. Adam Landy tends to drop back, but that’s still a big ask against a colossus such as Mahon. Ball winner, puckout target, can score 0-4. James Gorman arguably in the form of his life, though Michael Cleary won’t be fazed. Someone like Daniel Hand – hurling well at the moment – could run up a match winning total.

Shinrone still need to get more out of their forwards. Killoughey don’t concede frees – as noted by the Offaly Independent earlier this month. But Shinrone don’t depend on them for scores either. DJ McLoughlin is their leading scorer, all from open play. But they’ll need more from Eoin Bailey O’Brien and Paul Cleary. The champions’ full-back line didn’t look balanced earlier in the year, but the move of Jordan Quinn to square’s edge gives them better traction. Tom Spain has been hurling well all year too.

If Shinrone are in it at the time of Declan Cleary’s introduction – which may need to be earlier than usual tomorrow – the Final will ‘go the distance’. He brings an energy to them. Other hand, the champions have two Geraghtys in reserve. Alex and Leigh Kavanagh too. And I was surprised K-K left it so late to turn to the bench in the semi-final.

Similarities to 2006 here. In 2004, Coolderry made a surprise breakthrough (similar to 2022), and a year later Birr blew them away in a revenge mission (parallels with 2023). Primed in 2006, Coolderrry dug in, determined not to get blown away, and the final went 120 minutes before Birr prevailed by a point (or maybe it was 2). Tomorrow, Shinrone’s first priority is to stay in the game – not get blown away early on as they did in 2023. And they may well do.

Across the board, the Offaly players have not been performing to their optimum this year. And in fairness, it’s been a long year. Shinrone have been up and down within games. Killoughey have appeared flat during the group stage before blowing Ballinamere away with a performance for the ages. And while Birr were well up for their semi-final, Killoughey shuldn’t have been relying on a late moment of brilliance to win it. It is a hallmark of tired teams that they are up one day, down the next, up again the next day. All of which points to a Killoughey landslide. And an iffy semi-final performance is no barrier to a sparking Final one.

I don’t anticipate a landslide. I do expect Killoughey to see whatever Shinrone hand play and to raise them - perhaps a moment of Charlie Mitchell genius.

Killoughey then, in a tactical one, something like 2-18 to 2-14.

Question , why do you call them Killoughey and not Kilcormac/Killoughey??

[Plain of the Herbs]

Because it would take me too long to type Kilcormac-Killoughey all the time.

Question , why do you call them Killoughey and not Kilcormac/Killoughey??