Kilcormac-Killoughey opt against fielding two senior hurling teams

AS expected Kilcormac-Killoughey have opted against fielding two teams in the Offaly Senior Hurling Championship next year.

Kilcormac-Killoughey won both the Senior and Senior “B” Hurling Championships in 2023. The senior “B” hurling champions are normally promoted to senior and K-K had the option of having two teams in the top flight.

At their club Annual General Meeting last week, however, Kilcormac-Killoughey decided to only field one team in senior and keep their second team in senior “B”. That decision was always likely to emerge as having two teams in the one championship would create too many complications for the club as well as raising issues about the integrity of the championship and potential conflicts of interest.

K-K's decision will lead to speculation about what will happen with the Senior Hurling Championship next year. Seir Kieran were relegated this year and are now likely to seek a reprieve but it remains to be seen if this can be permitted under rule. The beaten senior “B” finalists Clodiagh Gaels would have equal claims to promotion, if they desired that and would have the right to seek it.

The Senior Hurling Championship was brought back up to ten teams a couple of years ago and they competed in two groups of five last year. The same format was approved at a recent County Board meeting but K-K's stance leaves authorities with a big decision to make.

It will be up to the Competitions Control Committee meeting to make recommendations on gradings and the County Board have to approve these. It could also be decided to honour relegation from this year, have a nine team championship in 2024 and return it to ten teams then.

Kilcormac-Killoughey will also apply to be allowed to regrade additional players next year. All players who played in senior “B” this year are now regarded as senior but they won't be playing upwards of thirty players next year as they bid to retain the Sean Robbins Cup.

Meanwhile Kilcormac-Killoughey didn't elect a chairperson and secretary at their AGM. Chairman Joe Slevin and secretary Paul Craven both said they were standing down and no replacements were secured. This will have to be done at an adjourned AGM while the appointment of team managements also has to be finalised – senior hurling manager Shane Hand is likely to get a third year if he seeks one after they performed very well in 2023 to win the championship.

A few clubs have struggled to elect officers in recent weeks and this trend will cause concern for the Offaly GAA County Board.