Kilcormac-Killoughey win fourth consecutive Offaly SHC title with hard fought victory over Ballinamere
Kilcormac-Killoughey players celebrate with the Sean Robbins Cup. Pic: Michael P Ryan/Sportsfile
The absence of county captain Charlie Mitchell and club captain Jordan Quinn left many feeling that Kilcormac-Killoughey were vulnerable to an upset from Ballinamere yesterday afternoon in Tullamore, but the champions are back in possession of the Sean Robbins Cup for the fourth year in a row on the back of a display that was more about resilience and competitiveness than it was class or style.
These sides last met in the final two years ago when in dismal weather, they produced a thrilling battle that was edged by Kilcormac-Killoughey. With pretty much the same team, only two years older, Ballinamere chose to lean heavily into physicality and fire for this final, but it didn’t work out in their favour as Declan Laffan’s side slowly got to grips with a game and built up a six-point lead going into the closing stages.
Brian Duignan hit three frees and the prospect of extra-time loomed large when Mike O’Brien had a late chance to flash a shot at goal, only to see his effort fly over the crossbar.
“It played a little bit like a semi-final, there were lots of bad mistakes, nobody could really get to take the game by the scuff of the neck,” Laffan said afterwards.
“We kind of had a handle on it, I thought when we got six up we'd push on, to try and get the next score. But credit to Ballinamere, they didn't go away and they probably had maybe a half chance or two there near the end.
“To me, the biggest strength of this panel was we didn't make an issue of the lads we were missing,” he continued.
“Obviously, we referenced it in our own dressing room, but we weren't going out making noise about it. Anytime you lose an inter-county hurler at (Charlie Mitchell’s) standard, it's going to affect the team. Jordan as well has been playing unbelievable stuff there at full back for the last two years. But we just got on with it, to the credit of the players”.
With TG4’s cameras in the house, it was anything but a showcase occasion as a Ballinamere side that was averaging nearly 28 points per game so far this year looked to try and physically unsettle their neighbours, to no avail.
Ter Guinan, Colin Spain, Conor Mahon and Cillian Kiely all put big shifts in for the winners in the middle third, helping Kilcormac-Killoughey to lead by 0-10 to 0-6 at half-time after a scrappy opening where they were heavily dependent on Adam Screeney frees.
Peter Geraghty, Ter Guinan and Damien Kilmartin all found the target as Kilcormac-Killoughey turned the screw in the third quarter, albeit in a game where there was a lack of flow and continuity, despite perfect conditions underfoot.
It was only in the closing stages that Ballinamere started to get a little bit more possession and control, but the clock ran out on their bid to win their maiden Offaly senior championship.
“I thought we defended brilliantly all day from start to finish, even early on in the game. But look, we got there and that's all that matters, didn't it?” Laffan smiled.
“I know I'd say you should be doing this, you should be doing that. But every year extra, every other team is preparing that bit better and doing a bit more to try and get up to you. So it gets harder all the time and you can't take anything for granted.
“Any time you can stay putting county titles on top of the other, and now we have four back-to-backs, it's a phenomenal feat. So all credit to the players and all within the club like this, it's a wonderful club.”
A Screeney (0-8, 0-7f), T Guinan (0-2), D Kilmartin (0-2), C Mahon (0-2), P Geraghty (0-2), C Slevin (0-1f), D Hand (0-1), L Kavanagh (0-1).
B Duignan (0-8 0-7f), D Ravenhill (0-3, 0-1f), M O'Brien (0-2), A Maher (0-2), J Maher (0-1), S Bourke (0-1), J Maher (0-1), S Bourke (0-1).
C Slevin; B Kavanagh, T Spain, J Mahon; T Guinan, C Kiely, E Grogan; C Spain, D Kilmartin; D Hand, C Mahon, Leigh Kavanagh; P Geraghty, T Geraghty, A Screeney.
J Screeney for T Geraghty (39), B Guinan for Kilmartin (46), A Kavanagh for P Geraghty (51), Lochlann Kavanagh for Leigh Kavanagh (60+1).
M Troy; E Boland, C Burke, C Kinnarney; C McDonald, R Ravenhill, J Fogarty; D Bourke, S Bourke; D Ravenhill, J Maher, M O'Brien; J Murphy, B Duignan, A Maher.
L Wyer for Murphy (44), D Magner for J Maher (48), J Maher for Wyer (59).
M Farrell (Tullamore).
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