Senior hurling championship round 5
Posted: Thu Sep 02, 2010 10:00 pm
Is it just me, or is the group stage even more low-key than last year, even though 4 teams are being eliminated this year, as opposed to last year when none were being knocked out?
Anyway, one team will be eliminated on Saturday when the defending champions could crash out. And at the hands of last year’s Intermediate champions to boot. It could be a great day for Brosna Gaels, as their Juniors contest a Junior ‘B’ semi-final in the O’Connor Park curtain raiser. Think about it – five years ago the Brosna Gaels first team won that same Junior ‘B’ title.
Brosna are not without hope here and not just because Tullamore are stuttering. It’s not inconceivable that they could have beaten St. Rynagh’s had they not given ’Rynagh’s a five-goal start. Indeed, Brosna utterly dominated the second half. They’ll probably start with a new full-back line after Richard Fox was introduced shortly after half time the last day. Chris McDonald and Kevin Lynam form two-thirds of a formidable half-back line, Des Egan and Sean Hackett form a serious midfield. The forwards will see plenty of the ball and while Fergal Daly is a county panellist, Thomas Spain is a real prospect while Jason Devery and Alec Moony can take a score.
The concern is that their dominance over ’Rynagh’s came from their physical dominance, where ’Rynagh’s have a young team and many of them are physically light. Brosna won’t have that advantage over Tullamore, who have Nigel Mannion, James Keane, Shane Kelly, Francis Kerrigan, Shane Dooley and several others. Kevin Martin is back in the fold too. Stephen Egan returned from injury against Clareen – a big boost, although they seem to have broken up their half-back line, as Nigel Mannion partnered James Keane the last day. Granted, Brendan Dagg was missing and Ger Treacy is a long term casualty, but they’d be better off if they kept the changes to a minimum.
On the basis of their greater physical strength and having more hurlers who can take a score – St. Rynagh’s don’t have a Shane Dooley – I’d expect Tullamore to prevail for now.
Elsewhere, though it’s not an eliminator, The Coolderry v Clareen clash catches the eye. Clareen hit form against Tullamore and while Joseph Bergin hit the headlines for scoring 0-15 (0-6 from play), that the others contributed 2-12 was more noteworthy in my view. They’ve did this before, last year when they hammered Shamrocks, scoring something like 1-23, but they should have beaten Kilcormac the next day but were caught with a last minute goal, and though they drew again in the replay, Clareen were beaten in extra time. Clareen would be a real prospect if they were more consistent and with revenge for the recent U21 final a possibility, they could make a real mark by beating Coolderry.
Coolderry should make the semi-final anyway, but they need to find a run of form soon if they are to go beyond that stage. They were poor against Lusmagh, though they were never in any danger of losing. Kevin Connolly and Michael Ryan would add some dash were they to be started but Brian Carroll would be a doubt with a shoulder injury. Still, Coolderry really need to perform here if they are to make a statement, and they were beaten by Clareen last year. It’s hard to know how this will go and I think there will be a bit of an edge to this. Maybe Clareen to make a statement of consistency?
There have been some memorable Shannonside derbies over the last 30 years so a low-key Lusmagh-’Rynagh’s clash is unusual. ’Rynagh’s are better than they demonstrated against Brosna Gaels – they certainly would be a different prospect with leaders like Diarmuid Horan and Conor Hernon returned.
Like ’Rynagh’s, Lusmagh have a young team, and between the two of them, six of the Banagher College side should line out. Still, the statement in the paper stating that they’d like to choose the referee, if you please, showed a lack of focus. They look destined to face Belmont in the relegation series, and though playing the match in Banagher won’t discommode them, it’s difficult to see them getting over the line here.
Kinnitty, too, would need to show a bit of form when they face Belmont. Kinnitty should win, but they’re blowing more cold than hot this autumn. Stephen Molloy would be a loss were he to be unavailable again, and this is the kind of game where he could prosper.
Elsewhere, Birr will beat Shinrone and Kilcormac will beat Shamrocks, both by what they like.
As for the permutations, we can take it Birr, Kinnitty and Kilcormac will all win in their group and if K/K don’t make up a 10 point scoring deficit then they will finish in that order.
The other group is more ‘volatile’. ’Rynagh’s will finish second if they win and Clareen don’t, while if they both attain similar results, Clareen have a nine-points scoring difference advantage.
I’s say it will be Birr v Tullamore, Coolderry v Shinrone, Clareen v Kilcormac (if Clareen beat Coolderry) and ’Rynagh’s v Kinnitty, with the latter two reversed if Coolderry prevail against Clareen.
Finally, there’s one eliminator in the IHC tomorrow (Friday) night when Carrig take on neighbours Birr in Moystown. While I’ve no problem with Birr, it would be great to see a rural club like Carrig advance. They might, too, if Ger Oakley can drive them on. Ballinamere, Clara, Killurin, Kilcormac, ’Rynagh’s, Drumcullen and Coolderry are already safely through.
Anyway, one team will be eliminated on Saturday when the defending champions could crash out. And at the hands of last year’s Intermediate champions to boot. It could be a great day for Brosna Gaels, as their Juniors contest a Junior ‘B’ semi-final in the O’Connor Park curtain raiser. Think about it – five years ago the Brosna Gaels first team won that same Junior ‘B’ title.
Brosna are not without hope here and not just because Tullamore are stuttering. It’s not inconceivable that they could have beaten St. Rynagh’s had they not given ’Rynagh’s a five-goal start. Indeed, Brosna utterly dominated the second half. They’ll probably start with a new full-back line after Richard Fox was introduced shortly after half time the last day. Chris McDonald and Kevin Lynam form two-thirds of a formidable half-back line, Des Egan and Sean Hackett form a serious midfield. The forwards will see plenty of the ball and while Fergal Daly is a county panellist, Thomas Spain is a real prospect while Jason Devery and Alec Moony can take a score.
The concern is that their dominance over ’Rynagh’s came from their physical dominance, where ’Rynagh’s have a young team and many of them are physically light. Brosna won’t have that advantage over Tullamore, who have Nigel Mannion, James Keane, Shane Kelly, Francis Kerrigan, Shane Dooley and several others. Kevin Martin is back in the fold too. Stephen Egan returned from injury against Clareen – a big boost, although they seem to have broken up their half-back line, as Nigel Mannion partnered James Keane the last day. Granted, Brendan Dagg was missing and Ger Treacy is a long term casualty, but they’d be better off if they kept the changes to a minimum.
On the basis of their greater physical strength and having more hurlers who can take a score – St. Rynagh’s don’t have a Shane Dooley – I’d expect Tullamore to prevail for now.
Elsewhere, though it’s not an eliminator, The Coolderry v Clareen clash catches the eye. Clareen hit form against Tullamore and while Joseph Bergin hit the headlines for scoring 0-15 (0-6 from play), that the others contributed 2-12 was more noteworthy in my view. They’ve did this before, last year when they hammered Shamrocks, scoring something like 1-23, but they should have beaten Kilcormac the next day but were caught with a last minute goal, and though they drew again in the replay, Clareen were beaten in extra time. Clareen would be a real prospect if they were more consistent and with revenge for the recent U21 final a possibility, they could make a real mark by beating Coolderry.
Coolderry should make the semi-final anyway, but they need to find a run of form soon if they are to go beyond that stage. They were poor against Lusmagh, though they were never in any danger of losing. Kevin Connolly and Michael Ryan would add some dash were they to be started but Brian Carroll would be a doubt with a shoulder injury. Still, Coolderry really need to perform here if they are to make a statement, and they were beaten by Clareen last year. It’s hard to know how this will go and I think there will be a bit of an edge to this. Maybe Clareen to make a statement of consistency?
There have been some memorable Shannonside derbies over the last 30 years so a low-key Lusmagh-’Rynagh’s clash is unusual. ’Rynagh’s are better than they demonstrated against Brosna Gaels – they certainly would be a different prospect with leaders like Diarmuid Horan and Conor Hernon returned.
Like ’Rynagh’s, Lusmagh have a young team, and between the two of them, six of the Banagher College side should line out. Still, the statement in the paper stating that they’d like to choose the referee, if you please, showed a lack of focus. They look destined to face Belmont in the relegation series, and though playing the match in Banagher won’t discommode them, it’s difficult to see them getting over the line here.
Kinnitty, too, would need to show a bit of form when they face Belmont. Kinnitty should win, but they’re blowing more cold than hot this autumn. Stephen Molloy would be a loss were he to be unavailable again, and this is the kind of game where he could prosper.
Elsewhere, Birr will beat Shinrone and Kilcormac will beat Shamrocks, both by what they like.
As for the permutations, we can take it Birr, Kinnitty and Kilcormac will all win in their group and if K/K don’t make up a 10 point scoring deficit then they will finish in that order.
The other group is more ‘volatile’. ’Rynagh’s will finish second if they win and Clareen don’t, while if they both attain similar results, Clareen have a nine-points scoring difference advantage.
I’s say it will be Birr v Tullamore, Coolderry v Shinrone, Clareen v Kilcormac (if Clareen beat Coolderry) and ’Rynagh’s v Kinnitty, with the latter two reversed if Coolderry prevail against Clareen.
Finally, there’s one eliminator in the IHC tomorrow (Friday) night when Carrig take on neighbours Birr in Moystown. While I’ve no problem with Birr, it would be great to see a rural club like Carrig advance. They might, too, if Ger Oakley can drive them on. Ballinamere, Clara, Killurin, Kilcormac, ’Rynagh’s, Drumcullen and Coolderry are already safely through.
