Tullamore plotting to ambush hot favourites Kilcormac-Killoughey in Offaly Minor Hurling Championship final

THE curtain will come down on the Offaly GAA club season when Kilcormac-Killoughey and Tullamore clash in the Minor Hurling Championship final on Saturday in Birr.

The two clubs met in the minor football final a couple of weeks ago with favourites Tullamore getting home. This time, the shoe is very much on the other foot. A multi-talented Kilcormac-Killoughey side are warm favourites and it will be a big shock if they don't win.

Tullamore will give it a real lash. They have come through two tough semi-finals with St Rynagh's and those games will really bring them on. Their first meeting was abandoned at the start of extra time after a bad injury to a St Rynagh's player and Tullamore just did enough to get home in the refixture last Saturday in Kilcormac.

Seven points ahead at one stage, Tullamore were almost forced into extra time again before an injury time Cillian Martin goal got them across the line, 3-13 to 1-16. It was too tight for comfort with St Rynagh's playing the last few minutes with fourteen men and the manner in which Tullamore coughed up decent leads in both games raises questions but surviving and winning can also work wonders and they have a very united bunch.

Both sides have several dual players and are very familiar with each other. They are both very fit and strong and it should be a good game. Kilcormac-Killoughey are aiming for their fifth title in a row and that is a serious record.

It will take the performance of their lives by Tullamore to stop them and K-K really have a star studded team. They have several of the Offaly side that went to close to winning the All-Ireland Minor Hurling Championship title in 2022, losing in the most devastating of circumstances to an injury time Tipperary goal. Some of the best players on that excellent team were from K-K.

James Mahon, Ter Guinan, Brecon Kavanagh, Leigh Kavanagh, Daniel Hand and Adam Screeney all started in the final while Mark Mulrooney came on as a sub. Goalkeeper Harry Sweeney and Richard Bracken were also on the subs bench and it was a really huge contribution from the one club.

Tullamore also contributed well and Cillian Martin and Niall Furlong played very well during Offaly's great championship adventure. They will be their two key players on Saturday with Martin's physicality very important to them at midfield. A son of All-Ireland medal winner, Kevin Martin, he will also be taking frees for them and will have a huge influence on the outcome.

Tullamore will also require a very big game from Niall Furlong if they are to win. A member of an iconic Offaly footballing family, Niall is also a very talented hurler. He had a very good engine and his ability to carry ball can carve open defences.

Tullamore have other good players. Jack Daly has been in great form in their defence where Eoghain Spain has also been doing well. With Cillian Martin pushed into their attack, Luke Duffy and Jake Moore have been operating in midfield. Martin will also be used out here and him and Furlong are the star players in attack. Cillian Bourke is likely to operate in a sweeping role and Tullamore will be going with an all action game plan, full of work rate. They will be trying to stop K-K getting the ball into the hand and closing them down. If K-K can find the space to strut their stuff, Tullamore could be well beaten and they will have to work like men possessed.

It is a historic occasion for Tullamore. They haven't won this championship since 1966 and haven't been in the final since 1968. They have often competed at B grades in underage level and a win here would give hurling a huge boost in the club.

K-K's appearance in the final was very easy to predict and as expected, they progressed out of their group with a 100% record. They beat St Rynagh's by 2-20 to 3-9, Kinnitty-Lusmagh 7-24 to 1-4 and got walkovers from Shamrocks and Birr. It was a great shame to see clubs conceding walkovers like this – even if they were to receive bad beatings, it undermined the integrity of the championship and did a great disservice to K-K.

Tullamore did well to qualify out of group 2 in second place. They beat Carrig-Riverstown 2-10 to 2-6, Drumcullen-Seir Kieran 3-14 to 1-6 and Ballinamere-Durrow 2-12 to 2-11and then shipped a fierce beating from Shinrone-Ballyskenach-Killavilla, 7-16 to 0-10 – with qualification already secured, Tullamore may not have put their strongest foot forward but it was still a bad beating to sustain.

It didn't do them any harm, however, and they have progressed very well since then. By not topping the group, Tullamore went the quarter-final route, where they had to work hard to beat Kinnitty-Lusmagh by 1-16 to 1-12. The two semi-finals against St Rynagh's will have brought them on further and Tullamore are approaching the final in a very good frame of mind.

It means that K-K will be very wary of them. They beat SBK in the semi-final by 0-19 to 0-9 on October 8. Before that, their last group game was on July 30 and this lack of championship matches is far from ideal for them. In fact, it has been very unfair but that is not Offaly GAA's fault and it is the hand K-K must play.

It does leave them sitting ducks to an extent and Tullamore have a definite advantage going into the final as regards match practice and sharpness. The heavier pitches and the possibility of bad weather conditions at this time of year will further level the playing pitch.

It remains to be seen, however, if all these factors can close the gap enough for Tullamore to pull off a big shock. It is unlikely. The reality is that K-K may be able to be a fraction short of their best and win. Tullamore do not have that luxury – they need every player firing at 100% and everything must go right for them.

They have a chance and Tullamore will relish the challenge of taking K-K off their perch. It is still short of a 50-50 game. K-K simply ooze quality and class all over the field. They have big game players in every sector, potential match winners and free scoring forwards in Adam Screeney and Daniel Hand. You never know in matches and you certainly can't say anything with certainty at this time of year but at the same time, it is impossible to state a case for anything other than a K-K win.

Verdict – Kilcormac-Killoughey.