Sensational Seir Kieran win leaves shocked St Rynagh's depending on results to survive

A SHELL shocked St Rynagh's were left depending on other results and with plenty to ponder after Seir Kieran produced their best performance of the year by a country mile to throw group 2 of the Senior Hurling Championship up in the air.

Molloy Environmental Systems Senior Hurling Championship Group 2 Round 4

Seir Kieran 1-20

St Rynagh's 1-17

The win completes St Rynagh's group games but almost in spite of themselves, they look like they will make the quarter-finals. Coolderry's hard earned win over Tullamore on Saturday evening ensures that St Rynagh's will be in on scoring difference, if Kilcormac-Killoughey beat Coolderry - even if Seir Kieran beat Tullamore and them, St Rynagh's and Coolderry tie on four points for two quarter-final places.

The scoring difference will only apply from the three games involving those three teams in that scenario and St Rynagh's are on +6 if this emerges. Coolderry are on +2 having played both Seir Kieran and St Rynagh's while Seir Kieran are on -8. Seir Kieran can't improve that as their game against Tullamore won't count following Coolderry's win in Kinnitty on Saturday evening and Seir Kieran can only qualify if they beat Tullamore and Coolderry shock K-K – and if they lose to Tullamore next weekend, they will be in a relegation play off.

St Rynagh's have four points, Seir Kieran now have two points from three games and one to go against Tullamore. There is a possibility that St Rynagh's could still exit the championship but it is in the very unlikely category. That will happen if Coolderry beat Kilcormac-Killoughey and Seir Kieran beat Tullamore. This would put Coolderry and Kilcormac-Killoughey through on six points with Coolderry in the semi-finals as group winners while Seir Kieran and St Rynagh's would tie on four points for the second quarter-final spot but with Seir Kieran through on the head to head rule.

This was an absolutely massive result for them, a huge morale boosting one but unfortunately for them, the reward is less than it might have been and they are still on thin ice. They have an opportunity that they didn't expect but the scale of their defeat to Coolderry, an 11 point one, is a major problem for them. They can't get ahead of St Rynagh's and Coolderry on scoring difference if those three teams tie and that possibility now looms large, though Tullamore could throw an ointment in the works.

At the moment, however, Seir Kieran can bask in the glory of a hugely rewarding, against the odds win. They looked utterly demoralised after a heavy defeat by Kilcormac-Killoughey in their last game and it took serious character to turn that around. They did so with a superbly hard working performance, mixed in with excellent, no holds barred hurling and they richly deserved their win. Indeed, it would have been a travesty if St Rynagh's had managed to salvage it late on, though they were not far away from doing that and Seir Kieran owed a debt of gratitude to goalkeeper Joseph Connors.

It was another substandard performance from St Rynagh's and had it resulted in championship elimination, they would have had no complaints whatsoever. It has been a poor championship campaign by the Banagher club to date. They were destroyed by Kilcormac-Killoughey and while they did what they had to do to beat Coolderry and Tullamore, they have definitely not impressed as champions in waiting.

They will probably squeeze it into the quarter-finals but it will take vast improvement for them to turn the corner.

This game was all about Seir Kieran and they showed fierce intent from the start. They showed they meant business by attacking the game with great enthusiasm and scoring the opening three points in two minutes. An excellent Luke O'Connor goal after he raced onto a breaking ball in the 4^th minute settled St Rynagh's and they led by 1-6 to 0-5 after twelve minutes but didn't build on that.

Their error count was worryingly high and Seir Kieran staged a terrific second quarter. The hard working Adrian Hynes brought them back into it with an 18^th minute goal when he batted the ball to the net after great work by Tom Dooley.

Seir Kieran deserved their half time lead of 1-9 to 1-8 and they came flying out of the blocks at the start of the second half.. They got two quick points to lead by two but St Rynagh's did well to level it up at 1-12 each after 43 minutes. Just when it was looking like normal service would resume, Seir Kieran found another gear. Working like men possessed all over the field, Adrian Hynes, Luke Carey and Tom Dooley put them three clear with opportunist points in the space of two minutes.

St Rynagh's were in serious bother and with seven minutes left, the gap was five, 1-18 to 1-13. It was sensational stuff by Seir Kieran and St Rynagh's had very little in the tank. Two Luke O'Connor frees brought it down to a score, 1-15 to 1-18 with four minutes left. Twice, Seir Kieran restored a safe four point lead after this and while St Rynagh's effort levels were where they needed to be late on, their composure and option taking was miles off. Their shot selection was poor, they hit harmless wides and just didn't play well enough to win it.

Connors did make a couple of outstanding saves to keep them out and his last one from Stephen Quirke in the 60^th minute was pivotal. With four points separating the sides, Quirke looked certain to find the net as he bore down on goal but Connors saved brilliantly, though it really should have been in the net from five metres. Aidan Treacy sent the '65' wide before O'Connor's free reduced it to a goal again two minutes into the four of injury time. St Rynagh's didn't get within sight of the goals against as Seir Kieran defended heroically and if anything, they should have added to their tally late on.

MATCH ANALYSIS

MAN OF THE MATCH

Joseph Connors (Seir Kieran): All the contenders were on the Seir Kieran team and you could pick anyone of Joseph Connors, Dermot Mooney and Kevin Dunne. Mooney was immense on the full back line, getting through a mountain of work while Dunne's first half tour-de-force, when he scored three points and delivered in a lot of ball, put Seir Kieran in a position to win it. Joseph Connors just edges it as his second half saves were out of the top drawer and without them, St Rynagh's probably would have snatched it.

Pat Gilligan, Tom Dooley, Luke Carey, Adrian Hynes and sub, Darragh Guinan also did trojan work on a day when every Seir Kieran player did his job.,

St Rynagh's didn't have many players who played at top form. Conor Clancy handled a lot of ball very effectively in the goals, Simon Og Lyons defended very well for much of it and there were periods when Ben Conneely dictated the game. Stephen Quirke, Luke O'Connor and Aaron Molloy looked dangerous at times for St Rynagh's up front, showing pace and skill, but neither will be fully happy with their display and it was an overall bad day at the office for the losers.

THE SCORERS

Seir Kieran: Luke Carey 0-9 (5f), Adrian Hyes 1-1, Kevin Dunne 0-3, Tom Dooley and Adrian Hynes 0-2 each, Barry Kealy, Michael Gilligan, Eanna Murphy 0-1 each.

St Rynagh's: Luke O'Connor 1-9 (9f), Stephen Quirke 0-3, Aaron Molloy 0-2, Aidan Treacy (f), Ben Conneely and Darragh Scully 0-1 each.

THE TEAMS

SEIR KIERAN: Joseph Connors; Stephen Gilligan, Pat Gilligan, Dermot Mooney; John Coughlan Eanna Murphy, Conor Dooley; Kevin Dunne, Michael Gilligan; Joe Bergin, Luke Carey, Barry Kealy; Billy Connors, Tom Dooley, Adrian Hynes. Subs – Darragh Guinan for Billy Connors (44m), Tomas Connors for Bergin (57m),

ST RYNAGH'S: Conor Clancy; Keelan Rigney, Dermot Shortt, Simon Og Lyons; Matthew Maloney, Ben Conneely, Sean Dolan; Joey O'Connor, Ciaran Daly; Shane Rigney, Stephen Quirke, Aidan Treacy; Darragh Scully, Luke O'Connor, Aaron Molloy. Subs – Conor Hernon for Daly (39m), Aaron Kenny for Scully (44m), Eoin Woods for Shane Rigney (44m),

Referee – Matthew Farrell (Tullamore).

REFEREE WATCH

Roscommon native Matthew Farrell had a very solid game. He knew the rules and enforced them well with no big issues cropping up.

MOMENT OF THE MATCH

Joseph O'Connor's 60^th minute save from Stephen Quirke was a huge moment and with Aidan Treacy sending the '65' wide, it summed up St Rynagh's day.

VENUE WATCH

St Brendan's Park was in great condition. The unfortunate diagonal scar through the middle of the field, caused by an accident a few weeks ago, has obviously been worked on intensively and while still visible, it was much less noticeable than a couple of weeks ago. - it has improved much quicker than expected. Birr hosted the fixture with great professionalism as usual.

WHAT'S NEXT

Seir Kieran play Tullamore in the final round while St Rynagh's group programme is completed.

STATISTICS

Wides: St Rynagh's – 12 (5 in first half); Seir Kieran – 10 (7 in first half).

Yellow cards: St Rynagh's – 0; Seir Kieran – 2 (Dermot Mooney and Conor Dooley).

Red cards: 0