Pressure on as contenders aim to end Kilcormac-Killoughey winning streak

IT would be a very good thing for Offaly hurling if Kilcormac-Killoughey didn't succeed in winning the Senior “B” Hurling Championship for a third consecutive year in 2025 but that doesn't mean this will happen and they remain favourites.

It is only with the fulness of time that we will fully appreciate the enormity of what Kilcormac-Killoughey have done in the past two seasons, winning both Senior and Senior “B” Hurling Championships.

It is a truly extraordinary achievement and they go to the post as the team to beat in this year's Senior “B” Hurling Championship.

K-K are yielding a great dividend from the work done at underage level in the past decade plus and they have a regular stream of exciting young talent coming up through the ranks. They have thrown down the gauntlet to every other hurling club in Offaly and it is up to them to meet the challenge, to raise the standards.

That is very much the case for the other clubs in senior “B” hurling and while some have got close to K-K in the past couple of years, they have been unable to live with them when push came to shove.

The Senior “B” Hurling Championship remains a very good competition. It also includes Carrig-Riverstown, Clara, Clodiagh Gaels, Coolderry and Lusmagh with the top four going into two semi-finals and the bottom two meeting in a relegation play off.

Clodiagh Gaels were beaten by K-K in last year's final and they are second favourites with Carrig-Riverstown a close third. Clara disappointed last year but have a strong hurling ethos and with players such as Conor Doyle, Barry Egan and Marcas Dalton at their disposal, they have to be given a good outside chance.

Lusmagh are a terrific example of a club with the right desire and attitude. They are in a transitional period but regularly come up trumps when you think they are going to struggle and are always capable of beating anyone – they don't have huge numbers or depth in strength which means they are outsiders but they will talk to every team.

Coolderry are up out of intermediate. They have big numbers and will hold their own but senior “B” is a definite step up from intermediate and it will be hard for them to win the second tier.

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K-K have been able to protect their senior “B” team in the past two seasons, not losing players to senior during the campaign. Their senior team are down players early on and if they lose players off their second team, it will leave them vulnerable. The departure or two or three key senior B players will enhance everyone else's chances but even with that, K-K will be a very potent team – and there is no guarantee that they will lose anyone.

The onus is on everyone else to rise to meet the challenge and the pressure is really on Clodiagh Gaels and Carrig-Riverstown in particular. Hurling is the only game in Carrig-Riverstown, it is the big priority in Killeigh and Killurin and they have a lot of very good players.

Carrig-Riverstown have turned a serious corner in recent years. You just have to admire their work ethic and the way they are trying to fulfil their potential. They have one of the best young hurlers in Offaly in Cathal King and they have the scope to improve further. They need to do this now, to take things onto another level and they have a very good chance this year.

It is not good to see a second team dominate Offaly's second tier but that is not Kilcormac-Killoughey's problem. They will be very keen to keep their winning streak going and while they have to run out of road at some stage, they will almost certainly make the semi-finals and will be very, very difficult to unseat.

Verdict – Kilcormac-Killoughey.

First round games

Clodiagh Gaels v Carrig-Riverstown: Saturday, July 12 in Killeigh 7pm

Verdict – Clodiagh Gaels.

Kilcormac-Killoughey v Lusmagh: Sunday, July 13 in Kilcormac 12 noon

Verdict – Kilcormac-Killoughey.

Coolderry v Clara: Sunday, July 13 in Coolderry 12 noon

Verdict – Clara.