Offaly SHC: Shinrone will contest first final since 1960

The 2022 Offaly SHC final will feature a novel pairing of Kilcormac-Killoughey and Shinrone, following the two clubs’ victories which were secured in very contrasting styles over the course of the weekend

Sun, 18 Sep, 2022 - 20:34

Kevin Egan

Beaten 2020 county finalists Kilcormac-Killoughey will be the clear favourites for that decider, in part because Shinrone hadn’t won a knockout game in ten years before this championship and partially because Shinrone will contest just their second ever final and their first since 1960. But also because Kilcormac-Killoughey were far more dominant against Birr in O’Connor Park on Sunday than the 1-19 to 0-17 final score suggested.

After a slow start, points from Cathal and Cillian Kiely were followed by a ninth minute goal from Alex Kavanagh, and that lead was out to eight points with 18 minutes gone. Birr finally found some form coming up to half-time, and a point from Colm Mulrooney in between three Eoghan Cahill frees meant they trailed by double scores at the short whistle, 1-11 to 0-7.

The Kiely brothers and former Offaly centre forward Conor Mahon helped K-K to push the lead out to 11 coming up to the three-quarter mark, but Birr rallied in the final quarter to set up a tense finish.

Mulrooney continued to lead the charge for Birr as he brought his tally to 0-5 from play, while the town club were handed a huge lifeline when Seán Ryan won a penalty in the second minute of stoppage time. Eoghan Cahill stepped up but blasted his shot high and over the bar, leaving Cillian Kiely to wrap up the win with his fifth point of the game deep into stoppage time.

It was all very different at St Brendan’s Park in Birr on Saturday evening, where Shinrone scored two late goals to break Belmont’s hearts and record a 2-18 to 0-23 win. These two teams had already met in the group stages and on that occasion Belmont, featuring a host of players who also suffered semi-final heartbreak last week when Ferbane lost the senior football semi-final to Rhode on penalties, were the dominant side.

This contest kicked off in a similar fashion, with Belmont establishing a solid foothold. County star Oisín Kelly made his first start of the year in an unusual sweeper role but his fellow Offaly players Paddy Clancy and David Nally carried the scoring load well, particularly in the closing stages of the first half when they shot five points in a row to lead by 0-14 to 0-8 at the break.

Goalkeeper Barry Egan also played a key role, deflecting Dara Maher’s penalty up and over the bar, and while Shinrone rallied after the interval with three points in 90 seconds, five on the trot from Nally (two), Damien Egan, Kelly and Clancy made it 0-19 to 0-11 after 38 minutes.

However, just like the Ferbane footballers, who failed to defend a lead against Rhode, so it proved for the other half of the West Offaly parish here. Adrian Cleary and Donal Morkan scored good points from the half-forward line, DJ McLoughlin’s long ball from the 65m line went all the way to the Belmont net, and while it looked as if time might run out for Shinrone, the nervousness in Belmont’s play left the Tipperary-border club right in contention.

Brian Gavin added a total of seven minutes of stoppage time following a disjointed half hour of hurling and in the sixth of those minutes, Jason Samson shot from 45 metres out and the ball deflected off the hurl of goalkeeper Barry Egan and crept across the line.

Now behind for the first time in the game, Belmont were unable to convert their last possession into a scoring chance, so their dream of a first county final appearance in the club’s history was dashed.

In other significant games played on the Offaly hurling scene over the weekend, Tullamore had goals from Ciarán Egan, Shane Kelly and Shane Dooley to thank for their 3-9 to 0-9 win over neighbours Clara in the Senior “B” final, while Shamrocks will represent the county in the Leinster JHC after they crushed Seir Kieran by 4-24 to 0-9 in the intermediate final replay, played in Birr.