'They've been knocked and knocked and knocked' - Shinrone delighted to get over the line

Sean Cleary of Shinrone celebrates watches on during the final moments of the Offaly County Senior Hurling Championship Final match between Kilcormac-Killoughey and Shinrone at O'Connor Park in Tullamore, Offaly. Pic: Sam Barnes/Sportsfile

SHINRONE 0-26 KILCORMAC-KILLOUGHEY 2-13 

There was no shortage of style from Shinrone as the village that straddles the Tipperary border claimed a first Offaly senior hurling title in O’Connor Park.

Eight points ahead at two stages in the closing stanza, Shinrone’s annexing of the Sean Robbins Cup, which was first presented in their only previous final appearance in 1960, was the culmination of a handsome performance over a fancied Kilcormac-Killoughey.

If the towering full-forward Ciarán Cleary, one of four brothers on the Shinrone team, was their best performer throughout, the eight-point second half contribution from Killian and Jason Sampson, each raising four white flags, were the highlights in the latter period.

For Shinrone manager Trevor Fletcher, it was an unusual day as he plotted the downfall of a club he enjoyed plenty of glory with as a player but he was beaming afterwards on a job well done. "To be honest with you, I'm so passionate towards K-K. I hurled with them, I won county medals with them, I'm delighted for this (Shinrone) bunch of players. I know all the boys from K-K and I'm sure they won't begrudge us this one.” Kilcormac-Killoughey struck the net twice in the final 12 minutes of action but each time Shinrone responded with the next couple of scores. Goalkeeper Eamonn Cleary was also called on late to make a double save from substitute Mark Morkan but Shinrone’s composure was unshakeable.

“I'm just delighted for the players, to be quite honest with you,” said Fletcher. “They've been knocked and knocked and knocked and I knew there was huge talent in them. They just had to believe in themselves and I think this year they believed. I was so happy they put in the performance they did today and they got their just rewards.

"Anybody will tell you it's so hard to get that first win. We are lucky that this bunch of players have gotten over the line on the first go. I know other teams have tried so hard and just lost it in the semi-final or final.” Behind 0-8 to 0-10 at the break after an erratic demonstration of shooting, Kilcormac-Killoughey made it a one-point game with the first of the new period but didn’t score for another 14 minutes in which time Shinrone had stretched their lead to seven points.

Ger Healion touched the ball in for a goal in the 53rd minute to make it a five-point game but Shinrone were surging and responded with a couple of points. A second Kilcormac-Killoughey goal came from Cillian Kiely in additional time but once more Shinrone struck back a brace of scores.

Kilcormac-Killoughey had opened with the first three points of the game but their shooting went awry for the remainder of the half as they clocked up 12 wides aided by a gentle breeze in contrast to Shinrone’s five points.

Corner-forward Alex Kavanagh struck three wides, two of them goal attempts, while he was blocked by Darren Crean for a point attempt. Cathal Kiely had four wides to his name by the break, a couple of them from long distance frees.

“They could have went more up on us,” acknowledged Fletcher. “They were very unlucky with some goal chances. I thought our boys did a good bit of hooking and blocking as well. The composure was there. We have had this belief all year just to stick to the process, stick to the gameplan and in fairness to the boys they didn't panic.” The margin was three points in Kilcormac-Killoughey's favour up to the 17th minute when Shinrone strung together a couple of scores, the latter of them from Ciarán Cleary who was a constant threat in the opening period.

Trailing by two in the 22nd minute, they hit Kilcormac-Killoughey for three on the trot as Michael Cleary began to dictate matters at centre-back. Kilcormac-Killoughey twice levelled the game via Kiely and James Kilmartin but scores from Shinrone corner-forwards Paul Cleary and Jason Sampson gave the underdogs a deserved half-time advantage.

As early as the 41st minute when they went seven points clear through a Donal Morkan free, the signs looked ominous for Kilcormac-Killoughey. Their hope was the historic magnitude of what was in Shinrone’s grasp would sting them but the men in red and white gripped tight.

Scorers for Shinrone: D. Morkan (0-7, 4 frees, 1 65); C. Cleary (0-5); K. Sampson, J. Sampson (0-4 each); S. Cleary (0-2); D. Cleary, Paul Cleary, C. Doughan, D.J. McLoughlin (0-1 each).

Scorers for Kilcormac-Killoughey: C. Kiely (0-7, 4 frees, 1 sideline); Cillian Kiely (1-1, 0-1 65); G. Healion (1-0); C. Mahon, A. Spain, L. Kavanagh, J. Kilmartin, C. Mitchell (0-1 each).

SHINRONE: E. Cleary; D. Crean, D. O’Meara, Peter Cleary; K. Sampson, M. Cleary, D. Maher; D. Cleary, L. Watkins; S. Cleary, D. Morkan, A. Cleary; Paul Cleary, C. Cleary, J. Sampson (c).

Subs for Shinrone: C. Doughan for A. Cleary (48); D.J. McLoughlin for P. Cleary, C. Ryan for S. Cleary, J. Cleary for M. Cleary (blood) (all 56); M. Morkan for D. Cleary (60+1).

KILCORMAC-KILLOUGHEY: C. Slevin; T. Spain (c), E Grogan, O. Mahon; J. Quinn, D. Kilmartin, A. Spain; Cillian Kiely, C. Spain; C. Mahon, J. Kilmartin, Cathal Kiely; A. Kavanagh, G. Healion, L. Kavanagh.

Subs for Kilcormac-Killoughey: J. Screeney for J. Kilmartin (h-t); C. Mitchell for A. Kavanagh (37); J. Gorman for L. Kavanagh (38); T. Geraghty for A. Spain (40).

Referee: S.M. Maher (Drumcullen).