Heroic Birr team take U-15 national Feile hurling Division 2 title

Birr produced some fantastic hurling from start to finish on Saturday in Bunclody to win the U-15 hurling national division 2 Feile na nGael title last weekend.

This young side battled hard in the final, missing three of their stronger players for several reasons.

Manager Simon Whelehan said after the final “that hard work beats talent when talent doesn't work hard.”

This was definitely the case for this young side who showed experience and courage beyond their years to bring home another all Ireland to Offaly.

Division 2 Group 1: Birr 5-4, Clonkill 0-4

In the opening game of the group in Bunclody, Birr's Edward Caty made sure of victory for his side with four goals, one better than the other against Clonkill of Westmeath

Birr flew out of the blocks early in this tie with a white flag through Robert Landy inside the opening two minutes. The tie was then leveled before Edward Carty took control of this opening group game. He netted a goal from a long range free before batting in a second goal minutes later, he then added a point to finish this flurry of scores.

The opposition responded with a point before Carty added two more excellent goals alongside a Micheal Kelly long range point before half time.

Once the whistle started again the Offaly boys found it much more difficult to score, eventually they fired in the fifth goal from the stick of Ryan Lagace. This meant all the full forward line had scored from play, this was a great achievement for the young side. The last two goals of the game was a free from the opposition before Carty slotted one final dead ball before the final whistle.

Division 2 Group 1: Birr 4-6, Kevin Lynch's 3-7

In what was arguably one of the games of the tournament the Offaly boys beat last year's division 2 champions, Kevin Lynch's of Derry in a titanic tussle.

Within the opening minutes of this second game Birr took control with a point from Barry Bennet before that man Carty netted his fifth goal of the tournament. This was the end of the scoring as the Derry boys took control, firing a goal and four unanswered points . With half time looming Birr battled back with two more dead balls from Carty before Lynch’s finished the scoring with an effort from play leaving them two up at the break.

After the break the score started coming thick and fast with Lynch’s rattling the back of the net early. The Offaly men did not drop their heads as the full forward line kicked into gear as Landy goaled along with Lagace before a minor score from Carty who was causing havoc. The gap was then narrowed slightly with another dead ball before Carty added another goal and point to his tally for the day.

With the full-time whistle around the corner the Derry boys battled back cancelling out Carty four points by adding the same at the other end. It was captain Barry Bennet whose outrageous free from the sideline ensured the victory for his side.

Cup Semi Final: Birr 1-4, Tralee Parnell’s 0-2

After two very high scoring games Birr showed their true character in this semi-final after battling to a five point win after playing all the second half with fourteen men.

Birr kept up their goal scoring form with an early three pointer from Ryan Lagace. The gap was then narrowed to one when the opposition slotted two frees. Minutes later Birr went down to fourteen men when Lagace was unfortunately shown the line for what looked like a tangle of legs. The rest of the half the semi-final turned into a stalemate as neither side managed to trouble the scoreboard before the break; leaving the minimum between the sides.

Down to fourteen men Birr made some very important changes and after the break this started to reap the rewards as defensively, they kept the opposition scoreless for the whole second half of the game. In response the Offaly boys managed to fire over four scores with one better than the other. The scoring was opened through wingback Tom Enright before their captain Barry Bennett fired over two monster frees into the wind. With the last puck of the game Campbell Naughton slotted over to ensure his side's passage into the cup final.

Cup Final: Birr 2-8, St Anne's 2-5

After letting in two early goals against the run of play Birr produced some fantastic hurling to come out on top against one of the home county teams, St Anne's on Saturday evening.

It was Birr who got off to the ideal start in this final when Cambell Naughton managed to raise the first white flag of the game. They then kept control of the ball for the next few minutes only to be done by two quick fire goals from the opposition against the run of play. The side from south Wexford kept the pressure on firing over two more points to add to the early tally.

This purple patch didn't seem to affect the Birr boys as Cathal Mooney drew for the first time on a pass from Naughton to hit the back of the net to narrow the gap. The opposition fired over one last free before the boys in green and red added an effort from Darragh Carty before Bennett found his range with a free. This left a goal between the sides at the break.

Once the play restarted, Anne’s extended the gap as it looked like they were going to pull away. This wasn't the case as the side in green and red battled back into it with a goal off the hurl of David Machel. This woke his side up as Barry Bennett, who had now moved out to centre back started to take complete control of the tie with three points one from a free before two monster efforts from open play.

As the full time whistle grew closer and the cup got closer Anne’s fired over once last score as they tried to gain a foothold. This didn't happen as scorers from Robert Landy and a final one from Bennett made sure that another all-Ireland title would be heading back to Offaly this week.

After the final whistle, Birr manager Simon Whelahan spoke of his pride at how the boys played all day, having all sorts thrown at them. “Fair play to the boys they have battled all day against the odds.” He gave a special mention to three players who were all missing the final for different reasons. “Our first forward Edward Carty gone , then Ryan Lagace and a special mention to Lorcan Owens who was away on holidays and couldn't make the tournament but had been with us all season.”

Birr management: Manager Simon Whelahan; Brian Whelahan; Alan Owens

BIRR PANEL: Thomas Murray, Jack Carroll, Barry Bennett, Dara Franks, Shane Milne, Darragh Carty, Tom Enright , Oscar Boyd, Michael Kelly, Isaac Mullarkey, Peter Spain, Campbell Naughton, Ryan Lagace, Robert Landy, Edward Carty, Shane Dillon, Fionn Whelahan, Darragh Hand, Sean Pilkington, Nathan Newham, Donagh Tierney, Cathal Mooney,Lorcan Owens, David Machel, Zmarak Khan