Breathtaking Kilcormac-Killoughey turn on the style as shellshocked Shinrone hand over title

GIVING as complete, as breathtakingly brilliant, as convincing a display as we have witnessed in an Offaly Senior Hurling Championship final in several years, Kilcormac-Killoughey left a shellshocked, stunned Shinrone reeling when they powered to a remarkably easy win in St Brendan's Park, Birr on Sunday afternoon.

Molloy Environmental Systems Senior Hurling Championship final

Kilcormac-Killoughey 3-26

Shinrone 3-8

It was a dream display by Kilcormac-Killoughey, a nightmare one from the reigning champions and the final scoreline of 3-26 to 3-8 shows exactly the way this went. In fact, if anyone was flattered by the score, it was Shinrone , whose three goals came in the closing eleven minutes when they were as badly beaten as any team can be and when K-K were emptying their bench. Two of those goals came from Dara Maher frees and it was just one of those days for Shinrone when nothing went remotely right for them.

That was down to the excellence of Kilcormac-Killoughey and the intensity of their performance, the way they kept it going for the full sixty minutes plus took most observers by surprise. Beaten by Shinrone in last year's final, K-K's hunger shone like a beacon from the throw in and it was not long before the champions were a beaten docket.

It was an extraordinarily one sided game, one that no one expected. In fact Shinrone were favourite in many people's books but they were completely over powered here. It was K-K's fifth title, their first since 2017 and one that they badly needed after a series of near misses in the last few years.They may have a lot of the ingredients for a spell of dominance but that is all for another day and for the moment, they will just enjoy a truly unique performance and win.

They were on top in absolutely every sector and they had a handful of players who performed at their optimum. Centre half back Cillian Kiely and centre half forward Conor Mahon were the two obvious ones in this category as they ran the game and their intensity, work rate and quality on the ball inspired all around them. Oisin Mahon, Brecon Kavanagh, Jack Screeney, Damien Kilmartin and Charlie Mitchell were others who performed at their best, at least for most of the game but it was one of these rare days where everything clicked as a unit and K-K were so much the better team.

Shinrone had no player who will look back on this game with any fondness and the only consoling factor is that their collective failure was so absolute that there will be no individual recriminations. Shinrone's achievement in winning their first title last year set Offaly hurling ablaze but this was a very painful dose of reality for them.

At times, you also had to pinch yourself to believe what was unfolding here. It almost defied description and it certainly defied all expectations of a tight, fiercely contested game that would be in the balance going down the closing straight.

In the first half, there were some similarities to last year as K-K hit the ground running but this time it was a very different story. Last year, K-K let Shinrone off the hook with a few goal misses in the first half and were over ran in the second but this time, they kept the pedal to floor, went for the jugular and never gave the losers a glimmer of hope.

K-K's intensity and work rate was phenomenal the whole way through. It was close to complete hurling as they tackled tenaciously, worked themselves to the bone and Shinrone never had a moment to settle or move the ball. K-K were assisted by Shinrone, whose work rate and intensity did not match them. Certainly in the first half in particular, K-K were able to find space with alarming ease as their opponents stood off them and allowed way too much freedom. By the time Shinrone alerted to the danger, doubts had seeped in and heads were dropping and this game was over early in the second half.

K-K set down marker after marker in the first few minutes. Jack Screeney flew from the throw in and all over the field, K-K were putting in big hits, turning over ball and winning their individual battles. Nowhere was this as pronounced than at centre half back, where Cillian Kiely dominated from start to finish and at centre half forward where Conor Mahon produced an age defying display, taking Conor Doughan to the cleaners, scoring six points, four of them in the first half.

As a spectacle and contest, it may have been disappointing but the excellence of K-K, the complete nature of their display provided ample compensation. It was exceptional and a joy to watch.

They tore into Shinrone from the throw in, firing over three points almost in the blink of an eye and Adam Screeney almost got in for a fourth minute goal but didn't finish with his usual conviction as Eamon Cleary made the save. They had five points on the board before Dara Maher got Shinrone's first point in the seventh minute. It was 0-8 to 0-1 when Shinrone got their second point, this time from a Donal Morkan free in the 13th minute but already they were sucking for air.

They steadied the ship briefly for a few minutes but they never got a head of steam going. It was 0-12 to 0-5 after 25 minutes and Shinrone's predicament went from bad to worse before half time. They were outscored by 1-5 to 0-1 in those closing minutes with James Gorman doing really well to score their goal in the 30th minute – fielding a long Cathal Kiely delivery, shielding the ball and then getting it into the net.

K-K's half time lead was 1-17 to 0-6 and it was a first half that no one saw coming. Shinrone were on life support, waiting for the switch to be flicked and the expectation that they might have some sort of a purple patch was way off the mark. The half time deficit was too big, their performance levels too far off below par for them to win it and the second half was a stroll for K-K.

Shinrone were slow to make changes as things unravelled in the first half and by the time they began to make switches in the second half, it was beyond their reach. It was a measure of K-K's dominance that they had the luxury of using their five subs in the second half and running in two of their longest servants, Ger Healion and Killian Leonard who did not come on in their semi-final win over Shinrone and may not have been used in a tight battle.

K-K's dominance was not as pronounced in the second half but in its own way, their hurling was every bit as impressive. They kept the work rate up, they kept the score board ticking along and they killed the game off very early. They were 1-20 to 0-7 ahead when Charlie Mitchell brilliantly read a Damien Kilmartin ball and found the net in the 41st minute. That was that and by now Shinrone knew they couldn't win. Their third goal had an element of farce about it as a long Cathal Kiely ball was misread by Eamon Cleary and crept intpo the net in the 45th minute – in fairness to Cleary, he made some good saves and was in no way to blame for Shinrone's defeat.

3-22 to 0-7 ahead, K-K only added another four points in the closing quarter plus as they took off players who had been playing well, gave others a chance to enjoy the occasion and eased back.

Shinrone got three goals in the closing eleven minutes with two Dara Maher frees sandwiching a Jason Sampson goal from play but it was all of academic interest at this stage.

MATCH ANALYSIS

MAN OF THE MATCH

Conor Mahon (Kilcormac-Killoughey): Now in the Winter of his long career, Conor Mahon had arguably his greatest day in the green and gold of Kilcormac-Killoughey. A six point haul was phenomenal and the way in which he operated on the forty, winning possession, driving forward and closing down was a joy to behold. His contribution to K-K's success can't be understated. In the semi-final, Mahon had done what K-K wanted by stopping St Rynagh's centre forward Ben Conneely from dominating. They would have been happy with a similar type display on Conor Doughan but Mahon took it to another level altogether as he scored with such abandon and missed a couple of chances as well. Cillian Kiely was his closest contender, capping his best ever year with a dominant display at centre half back while the quality of Oisin Mahon's play at full back also took the breath away at times – it is a sign of K-K's dominance that Mahon had too many long periods watching play unfold up the far end of the field to get man of the match but when he was called on, he was immense.

THE SCORERS

Kilcormac-Killoughey: Charlie Mitchell 1-4, Adam Screeney 0-7 (5f and 1 '65'), Conor Mahon 0-6, Cathal Kiely 1-1, James Gorman 1-0, Jack Screeney 0-3, Cillian Kiely 0-2 (2f), Brecon Kavanagh, Damien Kilmartin and Thomas Geraghty 0-1 each.

Shinrone: Dara Maher 2-1 (2-1f), Jason Sampson 1-0, Declan Cleary, Donal Morkan (2f) and Killian Sampson (1f) 0-2 each, Luke Watkins 0-1.

THE TEAMS

KILCORMAC-KILLOUGHEY: Conor Slevin; Brecon Kavanagh, Oisin Mahon, Tom Spain; Jordan Quinn, Cillian Kiely, Enda Grogan; Cathal Kiely, Damien Kilmartin; Jack Screeney, Conor Mahon, Charlie Mitchell; Colin Spain, James Gorman, Adam Screeney. Subs – Peter Geraghty for Gorman (44m), Ger Healion for Conor Mahon (49m), Thomas Geraghty for Cathal Kiely (52m), Killian Leonard for Jack Screeney (58m), Shane Guinan for Kilmartin (58m),

SHINRONE: Eamon Cleary; Darren Crean, Darren O'Meara, Darragh Landy; Michael Cleary, Conor Doughan, Dara Maher; Declan Cleary, Luke Watkins; Adrian Cleary, Donal Morkan, Killian Sampson; Sean Cleary, Jason Sampson, Sean Cleary. Subs – Dan Doughan for Declan Cleary (39m), Ciaran Cleary for Paul Cleary (39m), JP Cleary for Morkan (46m), Joe Cleary for Watkins (46m), David Murray for Sean Cleary (53m)

Referee – Brian Gavin (Clara).

REFEREE WATCH

Brian Gavin had an excellent game as he showed his vast experience. He allowed play to develop and once he became aware of ongoing agro between Cillian Kiely and Donal Morkan in the first half, he spoke to both – and this cut out the messing that had been going on. His refereeing was close to exemplary, apart from one decision when he somehow didn't give Conor Doughan a yellow for blatantly flinging James Gorman to the ground early in the 2nd half. Cillian Kiely should have got a first half yellow as he got into a couple of those altercations with Donal Morkan but there may have been two of them in these, they happened behind the referee's back and weren't spotted by his officials.

MOMENT OF THE MATCH

K-K were so much the better team that they would have won this game no matter what they did but James Gorman's goal coming up to half time was influential. Had Shinrone got a goal at that stage, it would have given them a great boost and sowed seeds of doubt in K-K. Instead Gorman's goal helped K-K to a 1-17 to 0-6 half time lead and they would have had to collapse to lose it from here.

VENUE WATCH

It was Birr's first county final to host since 2006, a hugely emotional occasion for the club and their pride in it was both obvious and heart warming to observe. They were so happy to host the fixture and they left no stone unturned to make sure it all went off well.

The facilities at St Brendan's Park don't match O'Connor Park under any heading but it was a tremendous occasion, with a near sell out crowd creating a fastastic atmosphere. Birr GAA Club turned it into a real event and carried out a lot of necessary upgrades to ensure it met required standards. It was a two way effort between Birr and the County Board and there is no doubt that, there was occasional tension in the build up but both had the same goal in mind, that there would be no hiccups and issues on the day, and worked together. There was loads of very professional, experienced stewards on hand and it went off very well. They were welcoming, helpful, friendly and obliging, wearing a smile on their face and they greatly added to the enjoyment of the afternoon.

The good weather was a big help as it could have been in bother if it was similar to the conditions that prevailed for the senior football final in O'Connor Park a few weeks ago but they deserved that. The long time home of Offaly hurling, it was a very special day and you just had to admire Birr and the County Board for the way they joined forces and worked together.

Getting local singer Mundy to entertain the crowd before hand was a master stroke as it brought in a lot of people early as well as creating a great feel good mood. A highlight of the whole day was another local man, the internationally aclaimed John Molloy singing the National Anthem – a son of Offaly hurling folk hero, the bass baritone is a son of Offaly hurling folk hero, Paddy Molloy and a truly special talent. The introduction at half time of the Offaly team that won the 1998 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship was another great part of the day.

They also went to the trouble of getting a Pipe Band up from Limerick for the pre-match parade, as none was available in Offaly.

The ground has a charm of its own with spectators in close to the pitch and with it near enough full, there was a type of magic in the air – it was just a pity that it was so one sided.

There will now be an inevitable debate about future county finals and it was interesting and amusing to hear some Birr people giving out about the fact that a replay would have taken place in Tullamore, if it happened. O'Connor Park is the main and premier ground in Offaly and it is where the really big games should be held but Birr GAA and St Brendan's Park deserve the utmost of respect. It has a special hold on some hurling people, it is a special venue and it is entrenched in the Offaly hurling story. Perhaps holding every third county final in Birr would be a fair compromise – though one can only imagine the reaction of some Birr people on reading this suggestion!!

WHAT'S NEXT

Kilcormac-Killoughey are away to Wexford's Naomh Eanna on November 11.

STATISTICS

Wides: Kilcormac-Killoughey – 7 (2 in first half); Shinrone – 6 (4 in first half).

Yellow cards: Kilcormac-Killoughey – 1 (Jordan Quinn); Shinrone – 1 (Darren O'Meara).

Red cards: 0.