Offaly giants aim to maintain status quo in Leinster
Kilkenny may be long time kings of the castle at inter-county level in the eastern province, but back at the ranch, it’s a different story, especially in recent years.
Birr are once again champions of Offaly, a title they’ve practically owned for the last decade, only Seir Kieran challenging them with any frequency locally. In fact, Birr won two Offaly county senior hurling titles last year, due to the fact the 2000 final was postponed to the spring of 2001.
Birr then went on to collect the Leinster and All-Ireland club titles, the latter by virtue of a win over first time Galway champions Clarinbridge last March.
The fact that it was Birr’s third All-Ireland title in seven years gives the first indication of the size of the task facing the Kilkenny champions, Young Irelands. The second is that the Offaly champions have more club All-Ireland titles than Young Irelands have Kilkenny senior counties.
However, Young Irelands strength in depth worries Brian Whelehan, one of Birr’s own inter-county stars.
“They will be very hard to beat. There’s a lot of talk about DJ and Charlie, and rightly so, the way they’re playing, but as a unit, we haven’t come up against a forward line like Young Irelands in a long time the last time was probably Athenry, in the semi-final of 2000, and we lost that. Besides DJ and Charlie, they also have David Carter and Dick Carroll, the two corner forwards, and they’re very dangerous.
“Typical Kilkenny, when they get the ball in their hand, they go for goal, always the most dangerous kind of corner forward.
“Jack Carey at centre forward is doing a great job for them, breaks up a lot of play, does an awful lot of unseen work yet manages to contribute a few vital scores as well. I’m sure anyone who’s come up against him would tell you, he’s more than a handful.
“Their backs also do a very good job, very impressive in their county final. Conceded a few frees towards the end, but all they were doing at that stage was making sure they did what they had to do to prevent Dunnamaggin from scoring goals.
Of course Birr haven’t been standing still over the past successful decade either. Five of the side that won their first Leinster title, in 1991, are still there (Brian Whelehan, Johnny and Declan Pilkington, Joe Errity, Gary Cahill), but brilliantly managed by Padjoe Whelehan, Brian’s father, the side has been in continuous transition, a couple of new faces added each year. This year, even as All-Ireland club champions, it is no exception.
“We have a few young lads waiting to come in, Neil Rogers, Michael Dwane, Dylan Hayden, though they’re not quite ready to start just yet. They’re learning their trade, 17, 18 years of age, being introduced gradually; they came on the last day towards the end, looked good, getting the experience.”
A hell of an encounter in prospect then. Birr will be favoured, a fact of club hurling life recognised even by Charlie Carter.
“It’s a big one for us, a very big one, we’ll have to hurl really well to beat them. We played them under lights in a challenge game recently, a draw; they were missing a few, we were missing a few, but the good thing that came out of it was that we won’t be in awe of them. Our boys see that we can match them. It will take a major effort alright, but we’ll go and give it a lash.”
Yes, the old order turned on its head, Offaly the big guns, Kilkenny the ones trying to upset the odds. But no one will be fooled by that, least of all Birr. In keeping with what’s gone on generally in the club scene this year, this one could be hot, badly needed to warm the cockles in these miserably cold and damp days.
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