Impressive Birr power past Shinrone

Birr qualified for the semi-final of the Intermediate Hurling Championship, with a comfortable 13 point victory over Shinrone in Coolderry on Thursday evening last.

Molloy Precast and Environmental Intermediate Hurling Championship Quarter-Final

Birr 1-23

Shinrone 1-10

Playing with the wind in the first, despite dominating most of the play Birr led by just six points at the break 0-14 to 1-5. H

owever, on the resumption they took complete control of the game and by the 46^th minute they had stretched their lead to 15 points 1-20 to 1-5, with Shinrone failing to score during that period, the Birr goal coming from Cian Nolan in the 34^th minute.

Shinrone got off to the perfect start with Darragh Cleary finding the net inside the first minute. Birr opened their account a minute later with a Dylan Murphy point and Sam Smith and Cian Nolan (f) followed suit to leave the sides level after 6 minutes. Liam Clohessy edged Shinrone back in front, before Adam Fitzgerald levelled with a monster free. Shane Sampson and Darragh McNamara traded points to leave it all square 0-5 to 1-2 after 12 minutes.

Three in a row for Birr, were followed by a Fionn Carney point for Shinrone. Birr added five more before the break, three coming for the stick of Nolan and one each from Pilkington and Fitzgerald (f), Shinrone’s responded with a single point to leave the interval score 0-14 to 1-5. Shinrone did have a great goal chance just before the break, but Brian Watkins got in a vital hook to deny Fionn Carney.

On the resumption Birr hit the ground running, points from Nolan (f) and McNamara, were followed by a Nolan goal on 34 minutes. It followed a great move down the right wing which saw Watkins find Craig Shortt with a 40 metre pass, he transmitted to Nolan who rounded Denis Coonan (who went down injured as he turned and had to be replaced) and Nolan availed of the opportunity to hammer the ball to the top corner of the net.

From there to the finish there was only one team in it as Birr hit six without reply to go 15 clear. Birr were 1-18 to 1-5 ahead on 50 minutes when Shinrone were awarded a penalty, following a foul by Joseph Boyd on Conor O’Sullivan, however, Darragh Cleary blasted the resulting penalty wide. Shinrone responded briefly with three in a row as Birr took their foot off the pedal. The game fizzled out in the final 10 minutes with both sides making substitutions and Birr adding 3 more points to Shinrone's one.

MATCH ANALYSIS

MAN OF THE MATCH

Cian Nolan (Birr): Scoring 1-13, 1-4 from play made Cian Nolan an easy choice for Man of the Match. On another day it might well have been Brian Watkins, as the veteran defender turned in a masterful display at full back, winning ball after ball and getting in vital hooks and blocks. Darragh McNamara, Ricky Fitzsimons, Eoin Pilkington and Dylan Murphy were others who performed well in an impressive display by the winners.

For Shinrone Colin O’Meara, Denis Coonan (until going off injured), James Morkan, Fionn Carney and Shane Sampson all tried hard.

THE TEAMS

BIRR: Adam Fitzgerald (Capt), Joseph Boyd, Brian Watkins, Ben Pardy, Gavin Guilfoyle, Craig Pardy, Sam Smith, Ricky Fitzsimons, Craig Shortt, Darragh McNamara, Eoin Pilkington, Cian Ryan, Michael Dwane, Dylan Murphy, Cian Nolan Subs: Max Boyd for Cian Ryan (inj) 12min, Ronan Bergin for Dwane (45min), Adriano Szoma for Joseph Boyd (57 min), Kevin Tierney for Guilfoyle (58min)

SHINRONE: Gerard Egan, Colin O’Meara, Denis Coonan, Darren Crean, Shane McKelvey, Michael Cleary, Jack Ormond, Sean Liffey, Liam O’Regan, Darragh Cleary, Liam Clohessy, Seamus Morkan, Fionn Carney, JP Cleary (Capt), Shane Sampson Subs: Conor O’Sullivan for Clohessy (half-time), Cian Maher for Denis Coonan (inj) 35min, Paddy Sammon for Jack Ormond 35min, Eoin Egan for Sean Liffey 40min, Sam Young for Liam O’Regan 52min

Ref: Adam Kinahan (Clodiagh Gaels),

REFEREE WATCH

Adam Kinahan had his usual solid game with no major issues to report.

MOMENT OF THE MATCH

Brian Watkins' hook on Fionn Carney as he bore down on goal, moments before half-time.

VENUE WATCH

The Coolderry pitch was in its usual good condition, there was a sizeable crowd present and there were plenty of stewards on duty to park cars. The installation of flood lights in the venue has given the CCC an opportunity to play evening matches in this part of the county.

WHAT'S NEXT

Birr play Shamrocks or St Rynagh's in the semi-final.

STATISTICS

Yellow cards: Birr – 2 (Ricky Fitzsimons and Joseph Boyd); Shinrone – 0.

Red cards: 0.

SEE NEXT: Stakes sky high in last round of Offaly Senior Hurling Championship group games

THE SCORERS

Birr: Cian Nolan 1-13 (0-9f), Eoin Pilkington 0-3, Darragh McNamara 0-3, Adam Fitzgerald 0-2(f) Sam Smith 0-1, Dylan Murphy 0-1

Shinrone: Darragh Cleary 1-2 (0-2f), Shane Sampson 0-4 (0-2f, 0-1 65’), Fionn Carney 0-1, James Morkan 0-2, JP Cleary 0-1