Professional Coolderry pushed all the way by gallant Shinrone in Senior Hurling semi-final

IF Coolderry do go on and capture another Offaly Senior Hurling Championship, they will look back on this semi-final win over Shinrone as a big defining moment in their season.

Molloy Environmental Systems Senior Hurling Championship semi-final

Coolderry 3-13
Shinrone 1-16

They were given a major test of character in Birr's St Brendan Park by a very brave Shinrone side and had to call on all their experience to qualify for a final against St Rynagh's or Kilcormac-Killoughey.

It was a very competent, very professional performance by Coolderry and Offaly hurling's most successful club are now within touching distance of extending their lead at the top of the roll of honour. They remain a very serious force of nature and their good health was very evident here as they took the best that Shinrone could throw at them and still got home.

Shinrone were not far off an upset win here. There is no such thing as moral victories at this stage of the championship and very little will console Shinrone this week but they can be proud of the way they battled here. They were nine points down, 3-7 to 1-4, five minutes into the second half and Coolderry looked home and dry. In previous years, Shinrone could have folded here and lost by fifteen but it was different here as they rallied superbly, fighting their way back into contention.

The closest they could get, however, was three points and the goal they so desperately needed never really looked like coming but they had Coolderry seriously worried inside the closing quarter. That is a tribute to the character that Shinrone showed and it gives them something tangible to take out of this season and build on for next year.

At the same time, no one could dispute the worthiness of Coolderry's win. When Shinrone had the gap down to three points on a few occasions in the final quarter, an upset loomed large but it never really looked like it was going to happen. It wouldn't have taken a lot for them to have won it but Coolderry's vast experience, their ability to lift the siege and get crucial scores at the right time, their awareness of how to win big games got them home.

It represents a remarkable turnaround for Coolderry who failed to qualify out of the group last year. Indeed many people were writing their obituary after last year but they have resurrected themselves quite spectacularly and you just have to admire their hurling ethos and their ability to keep coming back.

The final will ask an entirely different set of questions for them but they did what they had to do here. Once again their key players stood up here. Stephen Corcoran was superb between the posts as well as getting four crucial frees, David King was absolutely immense at the heart of their defence, Brian Carroll ran the game for much of the first half while Kevin Connolly was wonderfully sharp up front, scoring 1-3 from play. Eoghan Parlon was also a pivotal figure for them. He didn't score but on a tough day in difficult conditions, his physicality was a crucial part of Coolderry's armament and he showed how well he can hurl – indeed, he visibly revelled in the conditions and the toughness of the hurling. Conor Molloy, Gearoid McCormack, Shane Ryan and Daniel Miller also prospered at different stages for Coolderry.

Shinrone gave it their best shot on the day. They weren't quite good enough and they paid a dear price for a disastrous second quarter and the concession of a soft goal coming up to half time but they did really well to be in the hunt late on. Darren O'Meara, Killian Sampson, Adrian Cleary, Sean Cleary and Jason Sampson were among their best players and the key for Shinrone now is to instill the belief in their players that they can make a final.

That may have been an issue for them here, though they did come up against a stronger team. It was a very enjoyable game, intense, hard hitting and with spells of good hurling. Attention never wavered for a second and both sides deserve admiration for the way they performed in heavy conditions on a windy day, though at least the sun did creep through after a few minutes.

Coolderry started well and led by 0-3 to 0-1 after four minutes but Shinrone were fighting hard and got a crucial, if very fortunate 11th minute goal. Coolderry's Gearoid McCormack misplaced an attempted sideline pass to a colleague and Jason Sampson raced through to fire Shinrone into a 1-2 to 0-3 lead.

Coolderry replied with a brilliant Kevin Connolly goal three minutes later, as he clinically finished a fine move involving Conor Molloy and Brian Carroll. A Killian Sampson free and a Sean Cleary point from play made it 1-4 each after 19 minutes and it was very easily poised. A swirling wind did favour Coolderry but its advantage was limited and does not fully explain the gap that opened up before the interval.

Shinrone, however, badly lost their way late in the half, conceding two points and the concession of a goal to Daniel Miller in injury time was a fierce body blow – Miller's strike could have been saved by Eamonn Cleary and Stephen Corcoran's free gave Coolderry a 2-7 to 1-4 half time lead.

An excellent Cian Burke goal five minutes into the second half put Coolderry nine points clear and it looked all over. Shinrone made a terrific comeback. They took over in all sectors and six points without reply had it back to three, 1-10 to 3-7 with thirteen minutes remaining – it was a fantastic rally by the losers. When Brian Carroll missed the type of free he normally points with his eyes closed, Coolderry supporters were beginning to fear the worse but Stephen Corcoran settled them with a huge free from distance.

Kevin Connolly made it a five point game, Shinrone got it back to three again but each time Coolderry were able to get the next score. Shinrone got it back to three points three times in the closing five minutes but Coolderry showed their quality by not letting it get any closer and held on for a deserved win – Shinrone's closing two points came from Killian Sampson frees in injury time.

MATCH ANALYSIS

THE SCORERS

Coolderry: Kevin Connolly 1-3, Daniel Miller 1-1, Stephen Corcoran 0-4 (4f), Brian Carroll 0-3 (1f), Cian Burke 1-0, Conor Molloy and Eoin Ryan 0-1 each.

Shinrone: Killian Sampson 0-7 (6f), Jason Sampson 1-2, Sean Cleary 0-4, Adrian Cleary 0-2, Paul Cleary 0-1.

THE TEAMS

COOLDERRY: Stephen Corcoran; Stephen Burke, Trevor Corcoran, Stephen Connolly; Conor Molloy, David King, Gearoid McCormack; William Malone, Shane Ryan; Eoin Ryan, Brian Carroll, Eoghan Parlon; Daniel Miller, Kevin Connolly, Cian Burke. Subs – Andrew Connolly for Cian Burke (41m), David Tooher for Miller (47m), Martin Corcoran for Ryan (51m), David Connolly for Malone (59m).

SHINRONE: Eamonn Cleary; Peter Cleary, Darren O'Meara, Joe Cleary; Declan Cleary, Dan Doughan, Dara Maher; Adrian Cleary, Killian Sampson; Conor Doughan, Sean Cleary, Donal Morkan; Paul Cleary, Jason Sampson, DJ McLoughlin. Subs – JP Cleary for McLoughlin (HT), Darren Crean for Paul Cleary (43m), Michael Cleary for Morkan (47m), Ciaran Cleary for Dan Doughan (59m).

Referee – Richie Fitzsimons (Birr).

MAN OF THE MATCH

Stephen Corcoran (Coolderry): Stephen Corcoran had a huge influence on Coolderry's win. The goalkeeper has clearly done a lot of work on his fitness this year and he was very solid in goals. He dealt with any ball that came his way and his clearances and puckouts were generally pinpoint. His scores from frees, especially when the pressure was on in the second half, set him apart from the rest – David King was a serious contender at centre half back.

MOMENT OF THE MATCH

Daniel Miller's goal in first half injury time was a defining moment here. It helped Coolderry into a 2-7 to 1-4 half time lead and undermined much of Shinrone's good work in the first half.

REFEREE WATCH

Richie Fitzsimons had a good game here. He was fair and while there were a couple of soft frees, he generally tried to let play run and there was little contentious here. There were a couple of times when he seemed to let the advantage run a couple of seconds too long before giving the free, though it was fractional if it did over run. The advantage rule is a tricky one for referees to get right and some times they are damned if they do and damned if they don't – however, the free must be either given or play continues on within just five seconds. The referee has discretion within the five seconds but after that, play must continue and a referee will be criticised for not giving a free if play breaks down and he will also be criticised for giving the free if a player does get clear.

TALKING POINT

Coolderry's appearance in another final and the way they have bounced back after a fairly traumatic 2020.

VENUE WATCH

Once again you had to admire the spirit with which Birr GAA Club hosted this game, the volume of stewards they had and the obvious pride they had in their venue. The pitch was heavy but it is the time of year for that and recent decisions to restrict the game load on it helped keep it as well as it could be.

WHAT'S NEXT

Coolderry await St Rynagh's or Kilcormac-Killoughey in the final while Shinrone's year is over.

STATISTICS

Wides: Coolderry – 9 (4 in first half): Shinrone – 7 (4 in first half),

Yellow cards: 0.

Red cards: 0.