Injury time point gives Birr dramatic victory and ends Belmont's championship ambitions

A POINT from wing back Ben Miller two minutes into injury time earned Birr a dramatic one point victory over Belmont in Lusmagh on Saturday to keep Birr on course for a place in the knock out stages of the Offaly Senior Hurling Championship while ending Belmont's hopes of making further progress.

Molloy Precast And Environmental Systems Senior Hurling Championship Group 1 Round 3

BIRR 1-15 BELMONT 1-14

It was a close and tight game throughout but Birr came up with the scores late in the game that edged them over the line by the minimum margin and leaves them in a strong position to challenge for a place in the quarter finals.

For Belmont their season has quickly imploded. Just six weeks ago they defeated Birr comfortably in the Division 1 Hurling League Final and were considered among the favourites to challenge Kilcormac/Killoughey for the Sean Robbins Cup but three narrow defeats in succession means they now can't make the knock out stages after just three rounds of the championship. The number of Belmont players sitting disconsolately on the pitch well after the final whistle told it own story.

They will look back on this game and rue missed opportunities that could have seen them claim the win that would have kept their championship hopes alive but just as in their opening round defeat to Kinnitty, their shooting let them down and they hit 14 wides. It must be pointed out that Birr were just behind them on this occasion with 13 wides and both sides will look back and reflect on some poor shooting and bad choice of shots.

After drawing with Ballinamere in their opening game Birr will be pleased to have avenged their league final defeat and got this victory. They were behind for much of the game but they never gave up and hit the front for the first time with two minutes remaining and although Belmont levelled after that Ben Miller came up with the winning score in injury time.

The game had a very bright opening and the sides shared eight points in the opening quarter, all from play and from eight different players. Belmont then hit a purple patch with four points in less than three minutes to go four clear and it took all Birr's efforts to keep in touch with them and at the interval the gap was three points, 0-10 to 0-7 in Belmont's favour.

Birr came out firing after the interval and were level after 10 minutes 0-12 each but within two minutes the momentum had swung again and Belmont hit a goal and a point to go four clear once more and seemed ready to take control but as it turned out they only added one further point, 19 minutes later, in the remainder of the game.

Birr hung in there and were level again with 11 minute left when they found the net. It stayed that way for another nine minutes before Birr went ahead for the first time and although Belmont levelled for the sixth time in the game, Birr grabbed the late winner.

The win was a reward for Birr's doggedness in never giving up. They competed well in the first half but hit a lot of wides, many of them almost aimless efforts from long distance, while they also dropped a number of balls short into the goalkeeper. They had nine wides on the board by half time but were much more economical in the second half and made more of their opportunities in that half.

In contrast Belmont looked sharper in the first half and took their chances well and were deserving of their half time lead but it was different in the second half and after scoring their goal they wasted some very good chances, including a number of frees. They also had a great goal chance just after Birr levelled but James Nally's effort was well saved by Sean Thompson to keep Birr in it. Even after Birr had gone in front late on, Belmont had another chance but weren't able to use it and registered their 14^th wide.

Eoin Hayes, Padraic Watkins and Barry Harding all played very well in the Birr defence while Luke Nolan put in a big shift around the middle of the field. Brendan Murphy also did well in this area in the first half and when he moved into a forward position after the break, where Ailbe Watkins almost made a good impression.

Patrick Taaffe had an excellent game in defence for Belmont where Mark Egan and Leon Fox also did well, particularly in the first half. David Kelly worked hard around the middle of the field while in attack Adam Egan, Cathal Flynn and Oisin Kelly battled hard througout.

Belmont took the lead after just 21 seconds when Oisin Kelly won the ball on the left and moved inside and pointed. David Kelly added a second before Ailbe Watkins got Birr off the mark after six minutes and Brendan Murphy quickly levelled. From the puck out Adam Egan restored Belmont's lead but Joe Ryan brought the sides level again. Patrick Taaffe and Luke Nolan exchanged points to leave the sides level 0-4 each midway through the first half.

Adam Egan then put Belmont in front from a free and Oisin Kelly extended it to two from a sideline cut on the left. Leon Fox from a free on his own 65m line and another from Cathal Flynn suddenly left Belmont four ahead after 18 minutes. Luke Nolan and Eoghan Cahill (free) halved the lead but Adam Egan and Ronan McEvoy stretched it to four again before another Eoghan Cahill free on the stroke of half time left three in it at the break, 0-10 to 0-7.

Another Cahill free 42 seconds into the second half cut the lead but Ronan McEvoy replied for Belmont. Colm Mulrooney and an Eoghan Cahill '65' cut the gap to a single point and after Adam Egan's free pushed it out to two again, two more Eoghan Cahill frees brought Birr level 10 minutes into the half.

A good point from Cathal Flynn put Belmont back in front and then they struck for their goal. A long ball from Patrick Taaffe broke for Shane Nally after a player from each side collided and he took it on and fired to the net and Belmont were four up for the third time in the game.

It could have got away from Birr at that stage but they dug in and Brendan Murphy pulled one back midway through the half. Then four minutes later they got the levelling goal. It started when a Belmont shot dropped short and Sean Thompson gathered and his long delivery was well caught by Eoghan Cahill. Luke Ryan and Mogan Watkins carried the ball forward before Lochlann Quinn fired goalwards but Damien Egan made a fine save and in the follow up Brendan Murphy forced the ball over the line.

Just over a minute later Belmont had a chance to respond when Darragh Flynn and David Kelly combined to set up James Nally but Sean Thompson saved his low effort and David Nally's follow up effort was also blocked before the ball went out wide. Both sides hit wides in the eight minutes after that before Ailbe Watkins took a pass from Brendan Murphy and put Birr in front for the first time with two minutes to go.

Belmont weren't done and in the first minute of injury time a long free broke in the Birr goalmouth and David Nally's first time effort flew over the bar when it could just as easily have been under. Birr kept goal and when an attempted Belmont clearance was blocked down near the left sideline, Ben Miller picked up the loose ball and took his time before steering over what proved to be the winning point.

MATCH ANALYSIS

THE TEAMS

BIRR: Sean Thompson; Cian Nolan, Eoin Hayes, Padraic Watkins; Brian Watkins, Barry Harding, Ben Miller; Brendan Murphy, Luke Nolan; Lochlann Quinn, Joe Ryan, Eoghan Cahill; Morgan Watkins, Colm Mulrooney, Ailbe Watkins. Subs. Jimmy Irwin (for Brian Watkins, 52 mins), Ian Kerin (for Colm Mulrooney).

BELMONT: Damien Egan; Darragh Flynn, Ciaran Cahill, Jack Egan; Patrick Taaffe, Leon Fox, Mark Egan; David Kelly, Ronan McEvoy; James Nally, Adam Egan, Jack Clancy; Cathal Flynn, Oisin Kelly, Shane Nally. Sub. David Nally (for Shane Nally, 46 mins).

REFEREE: Joey Deehan (Clara).

MAN OF THE MATCH

Patrick Taaffe had an excellent game for Belmont while Barry Harding held the Birr defence together well from centre back but I've gone with Brendan Murphy. He finished with 1-2 from play and he was involved in a number of other scores and his hard work around the field had a big impact.

MOMENT OF THE MATCH

Birr's winning score was the decisive moment. Belmont were in possession and looked set to launch an attack of their own but two Birr players blocked down the ball and when Ben Miller gathered the ball he remained calm and, despite missing an earlier effort, took on the chance and found the target for the winning score.

REFEREE WATCH

Joey Deehan had a fairly straightforward day. He only had cause to award seven frees in the first half as both teams concentrated on hurling. The referee played his part and handled the game well.

WHAT’S NEXT

Birr take on Shinrone in their next game on Sunday September 1^st in Banagher where a win would secure their place in the knock out stages before the final round of matches. Belmont have a bye in the next round before facing Shinrone in the final round where they will be hoping that results in between will leave them with a chance of avoiding the relegation play off.

VENUE WATCH

The Lusmagh pitch was in excellent condition for the game and the host club had parking very well arranged, while they also ensured traffic exited safely after the game. There were plenty of stewards on duty to ensure everything ran off well.

STATISTICS

Wides; Birr 13 (9 in first half) Belmont 14 (6 in first half)

Yellow Cards: Birr 0 Belmont 1 (Oisin Kelly)

Black Cards: None

Red Cards: None

THE SCORERS

Birr; Eoghan Cahill (0-6, 0-5 frees, 0-1 '65'), Brendan Murphy (1-2), Ailbe Watkins, Luke Nolan (0-2 each), Joe Ryan, Colm Mulrooney, Ben Miller (0-1 each).

Belmont; Adam Egan (0-4, 0-2 frees), Shane Nally (1-0), Oisin Kelly (one sideline cut), Cathal Flynn, Ronan McEvoy (0-2 each), David Kelly, Patrick Taaffe, Leon Fox (free), David Nally (0-1 each).