Knockout line-up decided in Offaly Intermediate Hurling Championship

THE knockout line-up has been decided in the Molloy Precast and Environmental Systems Intermediate Hurling Championship,.

St Rynagh's and Shamrocks are in the semi-finals as group winners while Birr meet Shinrone and Drumcullen take on Seir Kieran in two quarter-finals.

St Rynagh's secured top spot in group 1 with a 1-26 to 1-18 win over Seir Kieran – they have been going well and qualified with maximum points. Belmont were very unlucky to lose out on third place and qualification in the group. They got their first win of the campaign, 4-12 to 1-18 against Birr to tie with Birr and Seir Kieran on two points for the qualification spots.

However, they lost out by on scoring difference – the scoring difference applied from the three games involving Birr, Seir Kieran and Belmont. Birr qualified on +5, Seir Kieran were exactly level and Belmont had -5, meaning they face Ballinamere in the relegation play off.

In group 2, Drumcullen out fired Ballinamere, 3-24 to 7-9 in a remarkably high scoring game on Friday evening to finish second while Shamrocks 0-20 to 0-14 win over Shinrone on Sunday secured top spot – Shinrone's earlier win over Ballinamere means they qualify in third place.

Championship favourites Shamrocks had to work hard for their win. They were behind by a point, 0-10 to 0-9 at half time and only led by two 0-15 to 0-13 with fifteen minutes left. However, they finished very well with five of the last six points and they have been the team to beat in this campaign so far.

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St Rynagh's and Shamrocks will be kept apart in the semi-finals and there will be an open draw then to decide who plays which quarter-final winner.