Clodiagh Gaels wind down great year with memorable double as St Rynagh's run out of steam

THE curtain came down on the 2026 Offaly GAA adult hurling season in St Brendan's Park, Birr on Sunday afternoon when Clodiagh Gaels completed a great year with a terrific double, wearing down St Rynagh's late on in a fiercely contested Junior Hurling Championship final.

Molloy Environmental Systems Junior Hurling Championship final

Clodiagh Gaels 0-17

St Rynagh's 0-12

The final would have been completed a few weeks ago only for a Clodiagh Gaels query about the legality of a couple of Tullamore players after their semi-final defeat leading to a refixture. Clodiagh Gaels took full advantage of that second chance to advance to the final and it all paid off spectacularly as they added the Seamus Cleary Cup to their collection.

Their stance didn't win them many friends in Tullamore but Clodiagh Gaels handled it all well, not putting in the objection that would have seen them awarded the game in the board room and suspensions in Tullamore – two Tullamore players hadn't been regraded from senior, even though they hadn't played in a couple of years plus and Clodiagh Gaels' stance gave the Competitions Control Committee a way out.

It has been a memorable year for Clodiagh Gaels as they took the Senior “B” Hurling Championship in style and that was the big thing for them. That team bowed out of the Leinster Club Intermediate Hurling Championship on Saturday when Wicklow's Carnew proved too strong in Tullamore. With a few players missing, Clodiagh Gaels unsurprisingly opted against taking any of their junior players from that side and that was very much the right decision as no player would have wanted to be deprived of this occasion.

Playing St Rynagh's third team, Clodiagh Gaels' win means that there is no reprieve for Ballinamere from Intermediate Hurling Championship relegation – a St Rynagh's win would have kept Ballinamere up as the Banagher club could not have two teams in the one championship but that was a peripheral issue here.

A 2015 amalgamation of Killeigh and Killurin, Clodiagh Gaels played with great determination, finishing very well against the wind for a deserved win.

St Rynagh's were in pole position when they edged a point in front, 0-12 to 0-11 after 46 minutes. That was a fantastic score by former senior stalwart, Gary Kelly who made a great catch and fired between the posts. With the wind on their back, it looked St Rynagh's to win but they ran out of steam in the closing quarter. They didn't score again and that was a cardinal sin with the wind on their backs.

Clodiagh Gaels defended brilliantly and got the final six points without reply for the win. Gavin Sheil, who had a fine second half, levelled up and the outstanding Ryan Kinahan put them in front in the 50th minute. Kinahan converted a free and Sheil got his second point to make it 0-15 to 0-12 with five minutes left.

St Rynagh's now needed a goal and they had a chance when given a 21 metre free but Gary Kelly's strike was saved by a packed defence. Kinahan's free put four in it a minute into injury time and he added his 11th point from a 62nd minute free – in between Pauric Horan made a great block to deny St Rynagh's a goal but they were grasping at straws and hoping for a miracle in the closing few minutes.

It was a gripping game of hurling. True junior stuff in many ways but with great honesty and fiercely contested. It was a shootout between the two free takers to an extent but there was some decent hurling played. There was very little between them in the first half. The sides were level on four occasions but Clodiagh Gaels got four decisive late points, two of them Ryan Kinahan frees and ones from play from Anthony Gorman and David Buckley for a 0-9 to 0-6 interval lead.

After having first use of a swirling wind, Clodiagh Gaels certainly needed to be in front and in a game of this nature, with every score hard earned, three points was a significant gap.

St Rynagh's played their best hurling in the third quarter and Gary Kelly converted two frees and a “65” to bring it down to a point, 0-11 to 0-10 after 38 minutes. Ryan Kinahan's free put Clodiagh Gaels back two in front but St Rynagh's levelled it up with two opportunist Korbin Dolan points after 42 minutes.

Gary Kelly's excellent score gave St Rynagh's the lead for the first time since the 21st minute but Clodiagh Gaels became increasingly dominant in the closing quarter with some heroic defending keeping the losers at bay.

MATCH ANALYSIS

MAN OF THE MATCH

Ryan Kinahan (Clodiagh Gaels): Pauric Horan and Shane Kelly had great games in a fired up Clodiagh Gaels defence but Ryan Kinahan was the match winner on the day. His free taking was excellent but he also got two points from play, set up other scores, won frees and also worked hard off the ball, making one great block well into the second half.

St Rynagh's gave it a great effort and emptied the tank but 12 points was not a good enough return and Clodiagh Gaels did have an edge on fitness late on.

THE SCORERS

Clodiagh Gaels: Kevin Kinahan 0-11 (9f), Gavin Sheil 0-2, David Buckley, Aaron Rattigan, Ollie Dunne and Anthony Gorman 0-1 each.

St Rynagh's: Gary Kelly 0-6 (4f and 1 '65'), Korbin Dolan 0-2, Declan Kelly, Tim Cox, Callum Flannery and James Sullivan 0-1 each.

THE TEAMS

CLODIAGH GAELS: Conor Brophil; Bob O'Brien, Killian O'Brien, Daniel Berry; Tom Dunne, Pauric Horan, Shane Kelly; David Buckley, Jack Kelly; Gavin Sheil, Aaron Rattigan, Ryan Casey; Ollie Dunne, Ryan Kinahan, Anthony Gorman. Subs – Dara Grehan for Dunne (53m).

ST RYNAGH'S: Declan Tanner; Paddy McGuckin, Damien McLoughlin, Callum Moore; Declan Kelly, Joe White, Tim Cox; James Sullivan, Cathal Mannion; Eoghan Flynn, Callum Flannery, Gary Kelly; Jack Slevin, Korbin Dolan, Shane Feeney. Subs – Ciaran Flannery for Feeney (29m), James Corrigan for Callum Flannery (54m), John Flannery for Mannion (58m),

Referee – Stephen Connolly, Kilcormac-Killoughey.

REFEREE WATCH

Stephen Connolly fully deserved a final. He served his apprenticeship very well, cropping up all over the place as linesman before getting more games. He has been patient and has improved steadily as a result. He handled this fixture well, communicating with his officials and getting the big calls right – he let it run and let a good few things go, maybe too much, but did so consistently.

MOMENT OF THE MATCH

The point Gavin Sheil got to put Clodiagh Gaels 0-15 to 0-12 up with five minutes left was very important as it meant St Rynagh's had to get a goal and they just couldn't find their way through the winning defence. They did have a chance when awarded a 21 metre free but St Rynagh's may have been guilty of crowding the goalmouth too much themselves and Clodiagh Gaels were able to save Gary Kelly's shot.

VENUE WATCH

Despite the recent rainfall, the St Brendan's Park pitch was dry with a brisk wind helping. It looked well and Birr hosted the fixture well. St Rynagh's should have a word with the designers of their jerseys as the numbers are very difficult to make out from any distance – their senior jerseys are not great and this set with white numbers on a blue and yellow background are even harder to tell.

WHAT'S NEXT

This concludes the season for both clubs.

STATISTICS

Wides: St Rynagh's – 7 (3 in first half); Clodiagh Gaels - 3 (3 in first half).

Yellow cards: Clodiagh Gaels – 1 (Daniel Berry); St Rynagh's – 1 (Jack Slevin).

Red cards: 0