Nervous Kilcormac-Killoughey under no illusions about Shinrone potential to end three in a row ambitions

LONG-time Senior Hurling Championship favourites Kilcormac-Killoughey will be under no illusions about the potential Shinrone possess to end their three in a row ambitions in a final to set the pulses racing in O'Connor Park next Sunday.

Hot favourites from the start of the season, Kilcormac-Killoughey have lost some of their air of invincibility this season but that is not a bad thing and will not worry them one bit.

Injuries played a big part in the early season but apart from Ter Guinan, they have been more or less at full strength in the past couple of weeks and they don't have that excuse to fall back on now.

Guinan is a big loss as his pace and running would be a big addition to K-K and would frighten Shinrone. He is on his way back and has played senior B but is not fully confident with his hamstring and it remains to be seen if he can play some role in this final.

The air of expectation around Kilcormac-Killoughey is unfair to an extent. It has been fuelled by the outstanding young talent they have at their disposal while they looked to be moving to a different level as they reached the Leinster club final last year, losing out to Dublin's Na Fianna.

The dismissal of manager Shane Hand in the aftermath of that created a lot of noise for a few weeks and the dust only settled on that when they got a very good, high profile replacement in Declan Laffan, a coach with Tipperary as they performed heroics to win the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship title this year.

For whatever reason, they have been a small bit off the boil this year, blowing hot and cold and haven't convinced in the way many expected. Injuries were a big factor as they drew with Belmont in the first round but they have been up and down throughout the campaign.

They looked unbeatable as they destroyed St Rynagh's but then drew with their final opponents, Shinrone in their final group game. That shroud of invincibility returned as they played very well when beating last year's finalists, Ballinamere in the quarter-finals but they once again showed feet of clay in the semi-final win over Birr. K-K survived a titanic battle by the skin of their teeth, a solitary point, and it could very easily have went the other way.

The draw with Shinrone meant that they had to go the quarter-final route instead of qualifying direct for the semi-final. It also opened up the probability of a final renewal with Shinrone as it meant they couldn't meet in a semi-final and could only meet again in the final.

It was clear from early in the year that Shinrone were emerging as Kilcormac-Killoughey's main threat. Early season word of mouth from their camp suggested that they were training very well, moving with dangerous intent. The championship has backed this up, though they have also displayed their share of vulnerability.

Wins over St Rynagh's and Kinnitty and a draw with Kilcormac-Killoughey ensured qualification for the quarter-finals while they were very disappointed to lose to Belmont, 0-23 to 1-17.

Shinrone have performed well in the knockout stages. They were given a severe wake up call by Coolderry in the first half of their quarter-final. Coolderry hit them with terrific intensity, closing them down and disrupting their fast, short passing flow. Shinrone looked to be on the way out at half time but turned it around spectacularly in the second half to get away for a 1-25 to 2-19 win.

That was a serious second half performance by Shinrone and it showed what they are capable of when they hit the high gears.

They brought that form with them into the semi-final against Belmont, winning convincingly by 4-18 to 0-22. Belmont were closer than the scoreline indicates but Shinrone always looked like they would win. They ground the life out of Belmont, able to answer every time they came at them and the manner in which they controlled the game was very impressive.

Shinrone and Kilcormac-Killoughey are now the great rivals in the Offaly hurling world. It is their third final meeting in four years and it is honours even at this stage.

Shinrone produced a terrific tour-de-force as they won their first ever title in 2022 but were quite simply blown out of the water by a flying K-K a year later. K-K went onto retain their crown last year, just getting the better of a ravenous Ballinamere and they are now one game away from their second three in a row.

While K-K never look beyond the next game, their wider ambitions have to and do transcend Offaly. Shinrone's lie entirely in Offaly and they have a desperate need to win a second title. They do not want to join the ranks of one title wonders and they know that this golden era won't last forever, that the window for getting a companion for their 2022 win could be a brief one.

Shinrone are a bit unlucky that their emergence co-incided with the arrival of a golden generation of Kilcormac-Killoughey hurler and K-K certainly have the ingredients to be a dominant force for some years to come. Yet Shinrone know that they can win this and K-K are also under no illusions that they can be taken out, that every team can be beaten.

It is not a 50-50 call and K-K are favourites but the possibility of an upset here is a real strong one. It should be an exceptional game of hurling between the two best sides in Offaly.

Both have several players in top form and forwards who can hurt. K-K have more star names but Shinrone have a very good, polished outfit who are supremely fit and very confident. They have mastered a short passing, fast game and will ask serious questions of the favourites.

Killian Sampson has anchored the team magnificently at centre half back and they have scoring threat from their half back line up to corner forwards. They will run at K-K at pace and worry them at every opportunity. They will bring huge intensity to the table, a big work rate and there could be a very big game in them.

It has looked at times as if K-K have not been fully up for every game. That may not be accurate and their stuttering displays could just be down to players not playing well and that can happen anyone on any given day.

They have a seriously good side, no real weak link and a few of the best hurlers in Offaly. There are ways that Shinrone can get under their skin and one of their big plans is likely to be to test the K-K centre back, Cillian Kiely, run straight at him at pace, try and force him into fouls and maybe even pick up an early card that will restrict him.

K-K do have more options on the line and they may need them. In Conor Slevin, Enda Grogan, Damian Kilmartin, Conor Mahon and James Gorman, they have a group of vastly experienced players who are crucial to the younger players but are approaching the end of their long careers- apart from Slevin who still has plenty of road ahead of him. Any one of them could be man of the match but equally, a couple of them are likely to be called ashore early. The back up is crucial here and K-K have players to come in and make a difference.

The absolute key for Shinrone is to hit the ground running and not allow K-K to open a gap. If they do, it could be curtains early whereas if Shinrone win, it is more likely to be in a real tight game, going down to the wire.

K-K have huge scoring threat with Adam Screeney and Charlie Mitchell in great form. Shinrone will have to cut out the supply to those as they are so difficult to stop with ball in the hand.

It will be a compelling game and we can't wait to see how it will unfold. Shinrone certainly have a very good chance and their form is excellent. Yet, K-K can make three in a row. For all the doubts we have expressed, they are still unbeaten in this campaign. Irrespective of whether they have been fully up for all their games, that shouldn't be an issue in the county final.

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If both sides play as well as the can, K-K win but that doesn't always happen in county finals and opponents can upset the best laid plans. K-K to edge a great game of hurling.

Verdict – Kilcormac-Killoughey.