Offaly Senior Hurling Championship 2013

[KillougheyGoBragh]

Yes, well done to Ballinamere
Best team won.

[Plain of the Herbs]

I made a (for me) rare trip to Athenry today to see Portumna v St Thomas, expecting to see a good match between the top two teams in a top-6 county.

The hurling was desperate. Hardly any brilliant fielding, very few passes completed, no imaginative play, constant poor tackling technique. All a player needed to do was to hold possession and a foul would be made. Put it down, let Canning or Cooney take the free. I went to the jacks at half-time, the exit gates were open and I was tempted to head for home. I stayed but the second half didn’t get any better. I needed to make a quick getaway and there was a mini-stampede at the exit gate on the final whistle. I wasn’t the only one anxious to get out. And I won’t be going to the Final.

Killeigh native Leonard Fay refereed. He handled the game well, keeping control throughout which is an achievement in that county. He probably cost St Thomas a first half goal when he blew too soon and didn't allow an advantage. Otherwise he quite correctly blew for most fouls - which exasperated the natives - that unofficial quota of frees thing again.

For the record Portumna won something like 0-18 to 2-11, the winners never looked like losing and a late goal from a 20m free reduced a 4 point lead to a single point. At this stage Kilcormac-Killoughey would have nothing to fear from Galway.

Quite how Galway are a top-6 county is a mystery to me this evening. There is no hope for that county.

[Plain of the Herbs]

Ballyboden St Enda’s and Lucan Sarsfields qualified for the Dublin County Final with semi-final wins over St Brigid’s and Craobh Chiaráin respectively this evening.

Lucan’s 1-13 to 1-9 win over Craobh was a poor game. Too much rooting, too much scraping (though admittedly the badly worn Parnell Park pitch didn’t help. Surprisingly for a Dublin team, Craobh tried to move the ball on the ground alot, which invariably turned over possession. Lucan, with a tall gangly half-forward line that included thr impressive Chris Crummy, got off to a flyer of a start and aided by Paddy Ward’s early goal and four points from play from Aidan Roche, were full value for their 1-8 to 0-5 half-time lead.

Chiaráins made a physical battle of it in the second half and with Alan McCrabbe being much more involved, quickly reduced the gap to two points. Lucan settled and though they were never really comfortable, ran out unimpressive winners.

St Brigid’s wired into Ballyboden St Enda’s from the start and John O’Loughlin got in for an early goal. Shane Durkin made a good run from deep, was picked out and scored a fine goal, and a good goal from Maurice Nagle gave Ballyboden a 2-6 to 1-5 half-time lead, the balance of play being pretty even during that opening half. St Brigid’s elected to pack their half-forward line and sometimes their furthest man forward was around the 45m line. This meant that a player under pressure was unable to drive the ball in long. It also afforded the sublime Gary Maguire the chances to pick out defenders with astute puckouts and clearances. The game was well on before Maguire went long with a puckout.

St Brigid’s were competitive during the third quarter but shooting eight second-half wides prevented them getting closer on the scoreboard. And Ballyboden had Conal Keaney to win ball and fire scores in attack, while they had Shane Durkin and Stephen Hiney in defence. The rain came down during the second-half too but Ballyboden were well able to pick off scores from angles and distances. As full-time approached BSE had hit 11 points from 12 shots (they ended the half with three wides, their last two attempts going wide).

Paul Ryan scored 0-7 (3 from play), Conal Keaney scored 0-3, Shane Durkin scored 1-1, Maurice Nagle 1 goal, Niall McMorrow and Gavin Corigan each scored 0-2, while Stephen Hiney and Conor McCormack each scored 0-1.

Lucan Sarsfields and one of Mount Leinster Rangers or Castletowngeoghegan stand between Ballyboden and a Leinster Final appearance. It’s hard to know where they stand after this evening. Freetaking will, as ever, be crucial, moreso if the weather deteriorates over the next month as seems likely. Ballyboden have Paul Ryan. You’d still fancy Carrickshock or Kilcormac to be well able for them – either would be on a roll by then. Ballyboden might be on the road too which wouldn’t be ideal for them.

Come to think of it, the Dublin County team are probably better off playing away from Parnell Park if they want to take things to the next level.