Birr 3-12 Kinnitty 0-8

[Lone Shark]

When writing reports on hurling matches, more often than not the biggest difficulty is trying to condense a hard fought and incident packed 60 or 70 minutes into an article of appropriate size for publication. All too often subtle nuances and details must be sacrificed in the name of brevity and the writer can only hope that the reader has managed to gather a reasonably full account of what happened.

This match can only be deemed the exception that proves the rule – readers will automatically draw their own conclusions as to what happened based on the scoreline and in most cases they will have been spot on – the score is almost description enough. This game was nothing short of a walk in the park for Birr and at no time did Kinnitty come remotely close to offering any kind of challenge to the perennial kingpins of Offaly hurling. Birr led by two clear goals after the first quarter, and only once did Kinnitty manage to register two scores in succession. It was that kind of game.

Such a moribund summary is in one sense a dis-service to Birr, because they did all that was asked of them with clinical efficiency. Kinnitty’s build up to this game was anything but plain sailing, but they are still a side who would legimately argue to be in the top five or six sides in the county and they came within five minutes of a county final appearance only two years ago. The consummate ease with which such a team was soundly beaten shows that whatever one reads into Birr’s harrowing defeat to Ballyhale last November, the town side retain all the style, skill and panache we traditionally associate with them.

In classic underdog matches such as this, the opening exchanges are often crucial in determining the nature of the game ahead. A good start by the favourites can often rock an unfancied team back on their heels and that was just what Birr delivered here. Simon Whelahan had their first score on the board inside a minute and he restored Birr’s lead after Colm Coughlan equalised. That lead was never to be relinquished. At three points to two Stephen Brown created an opening for himself and hit a tame shot towards Liam Bergin who only succeeded in deflected the ball up in the air. Brian Whelahan was on hand at the back post to tap in as simple a score as he’ll ever have converted, and with ten minutes on the clock the result looked fairly assured.

Kinnitty were competing aggressively around the middle of the field with James Rigney particularly prominent, but Birr’s ability to retain possession with simple interplay was more than enough to keep them in control. While Birr were doing the simple things right, every so often Kinnitty would make a mistake and be punished. A loose handpass led to a Gary Hanniffy score, a fumbled attempt to control a ball at midfield saw Simon finish very well from 60 yards out, little incidents that Kinnitty could not afford. They had their moments too – a Rigney point from under the stand on the left hand side was nothing short of magnificent – but Birr always had more to hand.

On 22 minutes they crafted a fine goal when Gary Hanniffy crossed from the right corner for Simon Whelahan to bat the ball down to Brian, with the inevitable cool finish raising a second green flag.

If that goal was Birr at their most efficient, their third goal was Birr at their most majestic. Midway through the second half Simon collected a clearance and crisply laid off to Barry, who in turn delivered a wonderful low ball into Brian who drew the last defender before passing in to Michael Dwane. The finish was swift and clinical, and though the lack of Birr support coupled with the much larger Kinnitty following in the crowd meant the response was muted, nonetheless there was warm applause for a move that would have graced Croke Park on All Ireland Sunday as much as it did Rath on a May bank holiday weekend.

If this report gives the impression that the Whelahan brothers were running the show, it was anything but – it was a team performance throughout. Gary and Rory Hanniffy controlled key areas of the field, John Paul O’Meara manfully marshalled Colm Coughlan – Kinnitty’s only real attacking threat on the day – while even Brian Mullins will have given the county management a little food for thought with a very solid display, albeit when not too much was asked of him.

Birr’s true tests are yet to come, but future opponents will be hard pressed to find weak links to exploit based on this display. Kinnitty on the other hand must now regroup for what looks to be a fiercely competitive dogfight with Seir Kieran and Shinrone for second position in the group. Their cause will not have been aided by the needless last minute dismissal of Justin Kinsella for an off the ball offence on John Paul O’Meara, his likely suspension more than negating the good work he had done once coming into the game in the first half.


Birr – Brian Mullins; John Paul O’Meara, Paul Cleary, Neil Rodgers; Niall Claffey, Rory Hanniffy (0-1), Dylan Hayden (0-2); Barry Whelahan, Seán Ryan; Gary Hanniffy (0-1), Simon Whelahan (0-4, 0-2 frees), Stephen Brown (0-1); Brian Whelahan (2-2, 0-1 ’65), Liam Power, Michael Dwane (1-1).
Subs: None

Kinnitty – Liam Bergin; Andrew McRedmond, Noel Ryan, Liam Bergin; Liam Brewer, Paddy Whelan, Enda Grimes; James Rigney (0-1), Stephen Molloy; Odhran Kealey, Richie McRedmond (0-1), Mark Robinson; Joe O’Shea, Fergal Kealey, Colm Coughlan (0-5, 0-4 frees).
Subs: Justin Kinsella (0-1) for Joe O’Shea, John Clendennin for Mark Robinson, Matthew McRedmond for Odhran Kealey, Michael O’Shea for James Rigney (inj.)

Referee: Noel Flynn

[Overview]

Sean Ryan put away the goal chance superbly-Breeder looked class and Sid looked like he has a lot to offfer at full forward.Kinnitty looked like they had met for the first time but it has been a very difficult couple of weeks for their manager and they will have a say yet

[kinnittyman]

While it has been a very tough time for the kinnitty manager the writing was on the wall regards this performance for the last 6-8 weeks. Performances in the league have been below average and team selection has at times been baffling. On sunday we had our full back playin full forward, our best midfielder playing corner back, our corner forward hurling centre forward and our best forward from last year hurling midfield. One of our corner forwards that started isnt an intermediate hurler, our full back was nothing short of a disgrace and in my opinion we had four lads on the line that should have started. Couple all that with the fact that we had absolutley no tactics or game plan going into the match. Its quite obvious if u are an inferior team some sort of plan has to be put in place to try and make the game a level playing field and we had nothing. Did managment think we were going to beat Birr by beating the ball aimlessly down the field? No wonder we got a trimming. Its like we're hurling in the 70's. We've gone back a long way from 2005 when we were a puck of a ball from the county final. Only for James Rigney we would have been beaten twenty points. He tried to stop fires everywhere and was carrying some amount of passengers. Im very fearful for the rest of the year and it would come as no surprise if we didnt win a game in the group. As for Birr although they didnt get out of second gear they still look the team to beat. I see on another post that Breeder and Sean Ryan have got called into the county panel. While Breeder is the best goalie in the county and should be in, i cant see, judging by Ryans performance how he was called in. I know he was excellent in U21 semi but he was by no means a star performer last sunday. For me Dylan Hayden and James Rigney were the two best hurlers on the field. Hayden scored two tremendous points from wing back and although he isnt the most committed i would attempt to lure him back in to the county set up.

[borderfox]

Nothing to do with everyone hurling bad then, in the posistions they have been hurling for most of the year?

[kinnittyman]

Obviously most of our hurlers didnt play well on Sunday and to be blunt i thought some of them were a disgrace but this performance and its ineptness was very clearly signposted from the start of the year. To give ourselves a fighting chance we have to get our best starting 15 out on the field, play them in their right positions and devise some semblance of a game plan and tactical awareness and i can safely say the current managment at the moment are showing no signs that they are capable of doing this. Compare Sundays performance with any of our performances in 05 or last years group game with K/K and its glaringly obvious how far we've slipped. And its still the same group of players so management are going to have attempt something new and progressive.