Kilcormac-Killoughey set down frightening marker of intent as St Rynagh's make tame group exit

ST Rynagh's exit at the group stages for the first time in recent memory should be the big talking point from this Senior Hurling Championship tussle in Birr on Saturday afternoon but it is a sign of Kilcormac-Killoughey's brilliance that their performance was the only real topic for discussion.

Molloy Precast and Environmental Systems Senior Hurling Championship Group 2

Kilcormac-Killoughey 1-31

St Rynagh's 1-18

Playing at 75% for extended periods, Kilcormac-Killoughey only hit the top gears in patches and this makes their performance so frightening. With St Rynagh's having to win to have a chance of making the quarter-finals after opening round losses to Shinrone and Belmont, K-K won pulling up, registering 32 scores almost at leisure and with the capacity to step on the gas at any time if required.

Some of their hurling, their passing, interplay and composure in possession was breathtakingly brilliant and they are very definitely the team to beat, the clear title favourites. They had Charlie Mitchell and Adam Screeney back for this one, leaving twins Peter and Thomas Geraghty off, and they didn't bring in Cillian Kiely who was on the bench after a long injury lay off.

Fortunate to draw with Belmont in the first round, K-K were in no mood for messing and there was not one second that they looked like losing. As you would expect from a proud club who were a dominant force until just a short few years ago, St Rynagh's gave it a real go but they were operating on borrowed time from the start. They hung in there to an extent and they had it back to five points on three occasions in the second half but every time, K-K nonchalantly came up with the right response and St Rynagh's were resoundingly beaten.

Any remote chance St Rynagh's had was ended by a 41^st minute red card for Aaron Kenny when his hurl came in contact with Jordan Quinn's head. There was only five points in it at that stage, 1-17 to 1-12 and K-K hadn't closed the door completely on them but they hadn't a snowball's chance of winning with fourteen men on the field.

They did try to rally the forces and had the gap down to five at 1-19 to 1-14 and 1-21 to 1-16 after 45 and 48 minutes but they were swimming against a strong tide into a strong wind and it was no surprise that K-K pulled out of sight late on. St Rynagh's could only manage two more points and their heads finally dropped, their resistance went as K-K engaged in shooting practice late on, firing over ten points from a variety of distances and angles.

Considering they looked to have more in the tank and were complacent in spells, 32 scores was a remarkable haul for K-K. There is another startling statistic in this. It was achieved without their starting half forward line of Daniel Hand, Conor Mahon and Charlie Mitchell registering a solitary score. Mahon was a bit off the boil, threading cautiously after picking up an early yellow card but Hand worked hard and should have scored, drawing a good late save from Conor Clancy and passing to team mates when he could have taken shots on himself. Mitchell didn't provide a scoring threat but he by no means played poorly and K-K will be quietly happy with the way he played and his capacity for improvement.

The winners' full forward line inflicted terrible damage on a beleaguered St Rynagh's defence – Adam Screeney top scored with 1-13, 1-2 from play and it could have been bigger as he had a few wides from placed balls and play. James Gorman hit a whopping seven points and Alex Kavanagh will be very happy with his four point haul – they will also be happy with their spread of scorers, nine players contributing including the Geraghty twins who came on in the closing quarter.

Screeney showed some wonderful touches, magical stick work and as always, it was a pleasure to watch him hurl. His fifth minute goal was worth the trip to Birr. It was superbly set up by Alex Kavanagh but the way Screeney dummied the advancing Conor Clancy and tapped to the net could only have been done by a player full to the brim with confidence. That gave K-K a 1-2 to 0-1 lead and already St Rynagh's were fighting the inevitable.

They were 1-9 to 0-6 behind after nineteen minutes and 1-2 without reply in the next two minutes cut the deficit to a point gave their supporters some hope. The goal was a fantastic strike by Shane Rigney in the 21^st minute but even with that, there was no sense whatsoever that Rynagh's were going to survive.

With James Gorman in scintillating form, K-K got five in a row and led by 1-15 to 1-9 at half time. A six point deficit is always retrievable in hurling but K-K's capacity to go up through the gears when required meant that it was never anything other than a winning lead here.

They were 1-17 to 1-10 ahead after 36 minutes and while St Rynagh's did well to get it back to five points on three occasions, they were never going to win this one – even with the full quota of players on the field.

MATCH ANALYSIS

MAN OF THE MATCH

James Gorman (Kilcormac-Killoughey): James Gorman showed his value to Kilcormac-Killoughey here, especially in the first half. Now in the advanced veteran stages of a long career, he fired over a sensational seven points from play but brought a lot more to the table. He set up other scores and his hurling intelligence was evident as he knew when to go hard for the ball and when to stand back and wait for the ball to come his way; when to shoot and when to lay it off.

Tom Spain, Jordan Quinn, Brecon Kavanagh, Jack Screeney, Alex Kavanagh and Adam Screeney all performed at a high level for K-K but Gorman has to be man of the match.

It was a bleak afternoon for St Rynagh's and a harmless exit. They had to get a result in their first two games and it was always asking a lot of them to do anything against K-K, especially as they needed points after the first round draw with Belmont. St Rynagh's have been a terrific force of nature for well over a decade, almost unbeatable in Offaly in their pomp but the legs are gone on a few of their older players while some of the young players have yet to transition from talented hurlers with real ability into game winners. That process will take time, St Rynagh's need others to emerge and they are facing into a rebuilding phase that needs patience.

The first challenge for them is to beat Kinnitty in their last group game and make sure the dreaded spectre of relegation doesn't loom in front of them – that is unlikely but not impossible and they have to quickly lick their wounds and dust themselves off.

Conor Clancy made some fine saves in goals here and Shane Rigney had moments of excellence up front but overall, there weren't many positives for St Rynagh's to grasp on.

THE SCORERS

Kilcormac-Killoughey: Adam Screeney 1-13 (10f and 1 '65')), James Gorman 0-7, Alex Kavanagh 0-4, Jack Screeney 0-2, Conor Slevin (f), Mark Mulrooney, Brecon Kavanagh, Peter Geraghty, Thomas Geraghty 0-1 each.

St Rynagh's: Stephen Quirke 0-5 (3f and 1 '65'), Shane Rigney 1-1, Matthew Maloney, Darragh Scully, Aaron Kenny 0-2 each, Ben Conneely, Aidan Treacy (f), Ciaran Daly, Aaron Molloy, Paul Cannon, Eoin Woods 0-1 each.

THE TEAMS

KILCORMAC-KILLOUGHEY: Conor Slevin; Mark Mulrooney, Tom Spain, James Mahon; Jordan Quinn, Brecon Kavanagh, Jack Screeney; Damien Kilmartin, Colin Spain; Daniel Hand, Conor Mahon, Charlie Mitchell; Alex Kavanagh, James Gorman, Adam Screeney. Subs – Peter Geraghty for Mahon (54m), Thomas Geraghty for Gorman (57m),

ST RYNAGH'S: Conor Clancy; Keelan Rigney, Paul Cannon, Dominic Healy; Matthew Maloney, Ben Conneely, Aidan Treacy; Daniel Healy, Ciaran Daly; Shane Rigney, Joey O'Connor, Darragh Scully; Aaron Molloy, Stephen Quirke, Aaron Kenny. Subs – Eoin Woods for Daly (HT), Niall Flannery for Molloy (44m),

Referee – Shane Guinan, Drumcullen.

REFEREE WATCH

Shane Guinan was busy. He showed cards when required and the second half red card to Aaron Kenny was a talking point. Kenny is the complete opposite of a dirty player and certainly didn't mean to hurt Jordan Quinn but he did come down on the helmet and you are always in danger of a red card when that happens. He is unlikely to get it rescinded if St Rynagh's appeal – St Rynagh's complained at Guinan's refereeing at times but the Drumcullen man handled it well and was clearly trying to do things right.

MOMENT OF THE MATCH

Adam Screeney's early goal was a work of art and kept K-K going in a first half in which they weren't fully tuned in while Aaron Kenny's red card effectively decided the match, even if there was only going to be one result anyway.

VENUE WATCH

Birr managed the double bill well and their pitch was in excellent condition.

WHAT'S NEXT

Kilcormac-Killoughey host Kinnitty while St Rynagh's have a bye until they meet Kinnitty in the final round.

STATISTICS

Wides: Kilcormac-Killoughey – 13 (5 in first half); St Rynagh's – 9 (3 in first half).

Yellow cards: Kilcormac-Killoughey – 2 (Conor Mahon, Brecon Kavanagh); St Rynagh's – 3 (Aidan Treacy, Ciaran Daly, Matthew Maloney).

Red cards: St Rynagh's – 1 (Aaron Kenny); K-K – 0.