Birr dig deep after Cahill loss for crucial, character forming win

WITH their backs to the wall and an acute level of pressure, Birr dug deep for a character forming, potentially season making win over old rivals Coolderry in Shinrone on Friday evening.

Molloy Environmental Systems Offaly Senior Hurling Championship Group 1 Round 3

Birr 1-23

Coolderry 0-15

Their win was very significant as Birr had to win and they were asked serious questions when their talisman Eoghan Cahill was carried off just before half time and it looked like that could turn the momentum in favour of a Coolderry side who were swimming against the tide almost from start to finish.

Cahill had been outstanding in the first half, showing his importance to Birr after missing their first round loss to St Rynagh's. His influence was dictating the whole flow of the game as the winners led by 0-13 to 0-9 at the interval.

In a sort of perverse way, Birr benefitted from Cahill's loss. With the sharp shooter on the field, there is a tendency to sit back and let him do the damage and his loss forced other players to step up to the mark. There was a widespread knuckling down and raising of the tempo throughout the field for Birr while some individuals really put their hands up to compensate for his absence.

As long as his injury is not serious and he can quickly get back into action, Birr will benefit from the way they secured this win with him off the field. They were assisted by a very poor display from Coolderry, who just never got going and really went down with a whimper in the second half. Full credit, however, to Birr for the way they performed and with Kinnitty next up, they are back in the mix after a first round loss to St Rynagh's.

It all means that this group is delicately balanced. The stakes were absolutely massive for this one, as high as you can get for a third round fixture in a five team group.

Coolderry had a fantastic victory over champions Kilcormac-Killoughey in the first round but this was still very close to a must win game for them. A rejuvenated St Rynagh's have beaten both Coolderry and Birr and it meant that this was as close to a knockout fixture as they come.

Birr had been very much off the boil earlier in the season. They had lost to Seir Kieran in the league semi-final and didn't perform in their first round loss to Rynagh's. The St Rynagh's defeat meant that circling of wagons, the brute expression of hard truths by team management and an all round knuckling down by the squad of players was inevitable but they still had to go and produce against a club who would take great pleasure in kicking them when they were down.

It all set the scene for a compelling evening's entertainment and it didn't disappoint. Eoghan Cahill was the difference between the teams in the first half as Birr led by 0-13 to 0-9 at the break. He got seven of their points, three of them from play and his loss just before half time looked to be a game changing one.

Apart from his scores, Cahill caused consternation in the Coolderry defence every time Birr got the ball. He got their first two points from play with Coolderry playing a hanging in battle for most of. The teams were level at 0-5 each after 17 minutes but Birr grabbed control with five points in three minutes between the 18th and 21st minutes. Coolderry rallied very well with the next four points but that was the high point of their evening as an Emmet Nolan point and frees from Cahill and Alilbe Watkins – after Cahill's departure – gave Birr a deserved half time lead.

Cahill's loss set up a grandstand second half but it was a complete anti-climax as Birr had the points in the bag early and were never in one iota of danger. Coolderry threatened to make a game of it briefly and were 0-15 to 0-12 behind after 36 minutes but a soft goal in the 37th minute knocked the stuffing out of Coolderry to an extent that was surprising. Ailbe Watkins got the goal after Stephen Corcoran knocked an Emmet Nolan delivery into his path and Coolderry never recovered.

Watkins ended up a pivotal figure for Birr. He missed three frees but got a couple of excellent strikes and took some super scores from play. With players standing up to be counted all over the field, Birr controlled every sector from that goal to the final whistle.

They had 1-16 on the board before Conor Molloy got Coolderry's 13th point. Coolderry did not seem to fight as hard as they usually do, though again, that could have just looked that way and Birr's hunger and intensity may have been the reason. Coolderry scored their 15th and final point in the 47th minute and Birr coasted home, adding a further four points – and Birr could have won by more as they shot 14 wides, a few of them when Coolderry were on the ropes heading into the final quarter .

Birr goalkeeper Adam Fitzgerald made a couple of great late saves but even a couple of Coolderry goals would not have changed the outcome. It all means that Coolderry find themselves on icy ground – they will be expecting to beat Kinnitty in their final game but even that may not be enough as Birr now have them on the head to head. Kilcormac-Killoughey are not home and dry yet but Coolderry need results to fall their way to surive.

MATCH ANALYSIS

MAN OF THE MATCH

Colm Mulrooney (Birr): Ailbe Watkins had a great game as he really came good after Eoghan Cahill's injury. He took on the free taking and scoring responsibility and was very sharp and hungry.

Colm Mulrooney gets the vote for his performance over the sixty minutes plus. He was immense at wing back, tackling tenaciously, reading the game well, scoring two points and spraying quality ball all over the place.,

It was a very good all round display by Birr and it will bring them on in leaps and bounds while Coolderry are very much back at the drawing board.

THE SCORERS

Birr: Ailbe Watkins 1-7 (3f), Eoghan Cahill 0-7 (4f), Colm Mulrooney, Morgan Watkins, Ian Kerin 0-2 each, Ben Miller, Emmet Nolan, Darragh Tierney 0-1 each.

Coolderry: Eoin Burke 0-7 (6f), Stephen Corcoran (2f) and Eoin Ryan 0-2 each, Conor Molloy, Shane Connolly, Cian Burke, Gearoid McCormack 0-1 each.

THE TEAMS

BIRR; Adam Fitzgerald; Jimmy Irwin, Eoin Hayes, Campbell Boyd; Ben Miller, Padraic Watkins, Colm Mulrooney; Joe Ryan, Ian Kerin; Barry Harding, Emmet Nolan, Morgan Watkins; Darragh Tierney, Eoghan Cahill, Ailbe Watkins. Subs – Luke Nolan for Cahill, inj. (30 + 5m), Sean Ryan for Hayes, inj. (48m), Cian Nolan for Kerin (59m).

COOLDERRY: Stephen Corcoran; Joey McLoughney, Ajay Cleary, Stephen Burke; Conor Molloy, Will Malone, Marc Ryan; David King, Andrew Hogan; Cian Burke, Eoin Ryan, Shane Ryan; Andy Connolly, Eoin Burke, Shane Connolly. Subs – Stephen Connolly for Malone (20m), Will Malone for Andy Connolly (HT), Gearoid McCormack for Hogan (44m), Andy Connolly for Eoin Burke (56m).

Referee – Matthew Farrell, Tullamore.

REFEREE WATCH

Matthew Farrell refereed it very well. He was very aware and spotted off the ball fouls as well as more obvious ones. Cian Burke probably deserved a yellow card for a second half challenge but Farrell refereed it very consistently, letting play row.

MOMENT OF THE MATCH

At half time, we thought Eoghan Cahill's injury would be going down as a decisive moment. Instead it galvanised his team mates with Ailbe Watkins killing Coolderry off with his 37th minute goal.

VENUE WATCH.

Shinrone had their facilities in their usual excellent shape. They knew there would be big interest in this fixture and had loads of stewards to manage it all., giving a genuinely warm welcome to all visitors – the provision of coffee-tea and refreshments has been taken on by several clubs for games and Shinrone also did this. There was a minute's silence for the late former GAA president Liam O'Neill while they also had a local singer for the National Anthem. They also provided a press table which was very welcome.

WHAT'S NEXT

Birr play Kinnitty and Coolderry have their bye in round 3.

STATISTICS

Wides: Birr – 14 (3 in first half); Coolderry – 10 (5 in first half).

Yellow cards: Birr – 0; Coolderry – 1 (Joey McLoughney).

Black cards: 0

Red cards: 0