Shinrone too good for Belmont in routine victory

SHINRONE were in full control and moved smoothly from Group 1 to the knock-out stages of the championship with a predictable defeat of relegation play-off candidates Belmont.

Offaly Senior Hurling Championship Group 1

Shinrone 1-15

Belmont 0-11

On the evidence of all that has been seen so far in this championship, Shinrone are unlikely to repeat their 2022 run to the title this year.

Last year's defeat in the final may have been traumatic and this season's campaign has been dominated by Kilcormac-Killoughey but in 2024 Shinrone needed only to make the knockout stages and see what transpires from there.

Against Belmont in Lusmagh they failed to repeat the sparkling showing they had managed against Birr a week earlier but the effort was sufficient to get the victory and take them to the next step.

Shinrone arrived at the ground already aware that they were first in the queue for the senior relegation trapdoor.

Along with that, their footballing component have a senior football quarter-final coming up so they would have come into the Shinrone game with a totally different mindset from their red-shirted opponents.

So the script was written: Shinrone to win without much difficulty. And that's how it turned out.

There was a strong breeze blowing straight down the pitch from the road and ominously for Belmont, Shinrone had it behind them when referee Shane Guinan threw in the first ball.

That said, Belmont were first to strike when Conor Dunican pointed from the first attack but in quick order that lead was wiped away.

Straight from the puck-out Eoin Bailey O'Brien scored a goal and Shinrone came forward again but struck a wide.

Just seconds after that and with the match only in its third minute last year's defeated finalists were 1-1 to 0-1 up when Adrian Cleary, DJ McLoughlin and Paul Cleary teamed up to release Sean Cleary for a point.

Overcarrying then saw Shinrone win a free in their own half and placed ball expert Donal Morkan arrowed the sliotar over the bar.

Belmont had a goal chance of their own in the eighth minute but David Kelly's shot was too high and slightly wide.

Adrian Cleary widened the deficit but Belmont added points from Adam Egan (a free) and Ronan McEvoy only for Shinrone to hit back with scores from Jason Sampson and McLoughlin's '65'.

What was noticeable about Shinrone was their sharpness around the pitch, their ability to turn over possession with a flick for an interception.

Those moments helped them carry the day and though Oisin Kelly and another Adam Egan free kept Belmont somewhat in touch, Shinrone's excellence in defence was telling too.

Adam Egan found Conor Dunican and he set Ronan McEvoy for a potential three-pointer but Darragh Landy got in close and kept the pressure on until the ball skipped wide.

It was one of nine first half wides for Belmont and by the 29^th minute Shinrone were 1-8 to 0-5 up after an Eoin Bailey O'Brien point.

Belmont ensured that Shinrone never really got out of sight and when an Adam Egan free hit a post Conor Dunican snatched the rebound to score again only for Shinrone to have the last say in the half when Donal Morkan scored a free moved up for dissent. The interval score was 1-9 to 0-6.

Even with wind advantage there was scant evidence that Shinrone would relinquish that six-point advantage and it soon became eight with points from Donal Morkan and Paul Cleary.

In the 35^th minute goalkeeper Damien Egan came to Belmont's rescue when he advanced smartly to thwart DJ McLoughlin as he looked set to unleash a shot net-bound from Paul Cleary's short pass.

Shinrone were retaining possession from their own puck-outs against the wind and Belmont were sometimes losing out from their own.

That said, Belmont never gave up and registered three unanswered points (two from Adam Egan and one from Jack Clancy), to pare the gap down to five.

But it was seven again when Paul Cleary and James Liffey raised white flags. The latter had shot for goal but saw the drive deflected over the bar by Damien Egan.

Two further frees from Adam Egan made it 1-13 to 0-11 with eight minutes left and Belmont needed everything to go right from then on.

However, when goalkeeper Egan seemed to have lofted a free over the bar from his own 45-metre line it was ruled as a wide instead and they did not score after that and Shinrone coasted home with points from Adam Landy and Donal Morkan.

MATCH ANALYSIS

MAN OF THE MATCH

DJ McLoughlin (Shinrone): On a day where individual performances were not absolutely crucial in determining the outcome of the game, there were a few Shinrone candidates for man of the match. In defence both Gearoid Maher and Darragh Landy stood out when Belmont tried to turn the screw in the second half and among the forwards Donal Morkan was the top scorer with six points from placed balls. It's a close call and arguments can be made for others but DJ McLoughlin's very busy overall display across the forward line merits the accolade this time.

THE SCORERS

Shinrone: Donal Morkan 0-6 (5 frees, 1 '65'), Eoin Bailey O'Brien 1-1, Paul Cleary 0-2, Sean Cleary, DJ McLoughlin, Jason Sampson, Adrian Cleary, James Liffey and Adam Landy 0-1 each.

Belmont: Adam Egan 0-6 (frees), Conor Dunican 0-2, Ronan McEvoy, Oisin Kelly and Jack Clancy 0-1 each.

THE TEAMS

BELMONT: Damien Egan; Patrick Taaffe, Ciaran Cahill, Jack Egan; Mark Egan, Leon Fox, Darragh Flynn; Jack Clancy, David Kelly; Colin Egan, Adam Egan, Ronan McEvoy; Conor Dunican, Oisin Kelly, James Nally. Subs: Aron McCabe for Colin Egan, Colin Egan for Ronan McEvoy.

SHINRONE: Eamonn Cleary; Gearoid Maher, Michael Cleary, Darren Crean; Darragh Landy, Dara Maher, Jason Sampson; Luke Watkins, Joe Cleary; Sean Cleary, Donal Morkan, DJ McLoughlin. Subs: James Liffey for Sean Cleary, Adam Landy for Dara Maher.

Referee – Shane Guinan (Drumcullen).

REFEREE WATCH

If a relatively low level of abuse from the sideline where the dug-outs are located is anything to go by, then Shane Guinan had a good match. It wasn't exactly a blood and thunder encounter but the few bookings were handled well and overall there was a sureness about his decision making which was welcome.

MOMENT OF THE MATCH

Against the wind in the second half, Shinrone needed to stay in control and the puck-outs were key. In the 49^th minute when Belmont were still six behind and needed a surge, Shinrone won their own short puck-out, mounted an attack which yielded nothing but then won the long Belmont puck-out and scored a point courtesy of substitute James Liffey. With just 10 minutes of normal time left, the gap was too big for Belmont to bridge.

VENUE WATCH

Lusmagh's ground is an impressive one, especially the cleanly surfaced and lined car park section. The pitch was good, there is a covered stand so there can be few quibbles. The manually operated scoreboard is quaint and those spectators expecting an electronic clock had to make do with checking their watches and phones, or that question to a companion, “Did you time it?”

WHAT'S NEXT

Shinrone move on to the knockout stage and Belmont prepare for a relegation play-off against Tullamore.

STATISTICS

Wides: Shinrone - 10 (4 in first half); Belmont – 17 (9 in first half).

Yellow cards: Shinrone 2, Dara Maher and Luke Watkins. Belmont 1, Ronan McEvoy.

Red cards: None