Offaly Senior “B” and Intermediate Hurling Championships take shape

THE Offaly Senior “B” and Intermediate Hurling Championships are beginning to take shape after the second round took place last weekend.

In the Senior “B”, holders Kilcormac-Killoughey have established themselves as favourites with Carrig-Riverstown emerging as their main challengers at the moment.

K-K are top with four points in a championship where all six teams are in the one group with the top four qualifying for the semi-finals.

They aren't as good as last year and look more beatable but they have a great array of talent at their disposal. After a first round demolition of Birr, they did just enough to beat Clodiagh Gaels by 0-19 to 0-16 on Sunday afternoon in Tullamore.

The defeat leaves Clodiagh Gaels with one point from their two games but they have a lot of very good hurlers and are among the teams with very realistic prospects at this grade.

Last year's intermediate champions, Carrig-Riverstown have adapted very well to the higher grade, as expected. After drawing with Clodiagh Gaels in the first round, they had a comfortable 1-22 to 0-12 win over Lusmagh on Saturday to leave them on three points from two games.

Birr recovered from that first round mauling by Kilcormac-Killoughey to get an excellent 1-21 to 1-16 win over a fancied Clara on Saturday. Clara were missing two of the Offaly U-20 hurlers in Barry Egan and Marcas Dalton but it was still a very good win for Birr who now have two points – the same as Clara who beat Lusmagh in the first round.

Lusmagh are pointless after two games and their margin for error has narrowed greatly.

Round 3 takes place on August 16-17 and fixtures are:

Lusmagh v Clodiagh Gaels; Carrig-Riverstown v Birr; Clara v Kilcormac-Killoughey.

Intermediate Hurling Championship

The Intermediate Hurling Championship has moved very quickly into the business end of affairs. With two rounds played, just one remains and these will determine the knockout placings – the top team in each group qualifies for the semi-finals with 2^nd and 3^rd criss crossing in two quarter-finals.

In group 1, Drumcullen and Seir Kieran are top with three points while Shamrocks have two and Edenderry look to be heading for an early exit with none.

Seir Kieran and Drumcullen drew, 3-15 to 1-21, in an exciting game last Thursday evening while Shamrocks got their campaign going with an anticipated easy win, 4-25 to 2-8, over Edenderry on Sunday evening. After losing to Seir Kieran in the first round, Shamrocks had to win this and their victory was never in doubt.

In group 2, it is all to play for with Shinrone in front on 3 points, Ballinamere and Coolderry on 2 and St Rynagh's on 1. Every side can still qualify from this group where Ballinamere had a very tight 2-15 to 1-17 win over Coolderry last week and Shinrone and St Rynagh's drew, 0-20 to 1-17.

The decisive third round takes place on August 16-18 and pairings are:

Group 1: Seir Kieran v Edenderry; Drumcullen v Shamrocks.

Group 2: Shinrone v Coolderry; St Rynagh's v Ballinamere.