Coolderry bring curtain down on year that promised much by avoiding relegation battle

THE curtain came down on a strange, somewhat turbulent season for Coolderry when they recorded an easy win over relegation threatened Kinnitty in the Offaly Senior Hurling Championship at Birr on Saturday.

Molloy Environmental Systems Senior Hurling Championship Group 1 Round 5

Coolderry 3-21

Kinnitty 1-14

Needing Birr to beat Kilcormac-Killoughey for them to stay in championship contention, Coolderry at least managed to end any threat of relegation with a convincing display against Kinnitty, who now face the losers of Lusmagh and Shinrone to decide who makes the drop back to senior B.

Coolderry will certainly be glad not to have to extend their season for another couple of weeks for that, though there was a strong sense of anti-climax about the way it has ended.

Coolderry were certainly not harbouring many hopes that Birr would provide them with a rescue chute and within a few minutes of both games starting, it was clear that Kilcormac-Killoughey were going to win and qualify for the semi-finals.

That meant that Coolderry couldn't qualify and they were left to reflect on what might have been as they failed to build on a great first round win over the champions. They suffered disappointing defeats against St Rynagh's and Birr while the abrupt departure of their manager, Paul Cuddy from Laois, placed a spotlight on them a couple of weeks ago.

Selectors and long time stalwarts Kevin Brady and Martin Corcoran took over the reigns and full credit to them and the players for the way they went about their business here. They were expected to win and guarding against complacency was one of their big tasks but they did this efficiently and secured their senior status impressively.

Coolderry looked very sharp in this contest and while Kinnitty did get back into the game midway through the opening half, there was no denying the outcome, with Coolderry playing a lovely blend of hurling, along with some top notch scoring along the way.

Kinnitty to be fair battled extremely well and at times they did look dangerous, but in the end they had no response to Coolderry and ease of their movement and ability to pick out precision passes was second to none.

The result means that Kinnitty once again go into the relegation play off where they will face the losers of Shinrone and Lusmagh.

Kinnitty started this game brightly with a free from Noel Standish, but it wasn’t long until Coolderry took over and with the best possible start Eoin Burke rattled the net on their first attack to leave the 1-0 to 0-1 to the good two minutes in.

Eoin Ryan stretched the lead to three moments later but a nice score from Ruairc Fay, kept Kinnitty ticking over, but it wasn’t long until Coolderry were on top again.

Gearoid McCormack added to board and with two more from the hurl of Eoin Burke, the 2018 champions taking a 1-4 to 0-2 lead after five minute.

Noel Standish and Eoin Burke traded scores soon after and just before Noel Standish was on point again for Kinnitty to bring the scores to 1-5 to 0-4 with eleven on the clock.

Coolderry were finding a lot easier to gain primary possession and it wasn’t long until they took over on the board again and with four on the bounce from Eoin Ryan, Eoin Burke with two and Cian Burke to bring the gap to eight 1-9 to 0-4 with nineteen played.

Conor Hardiman despite wearing number five lined out at corner forward and he hit over two fine scores on the trot and Kinnitty were keeping within touching distance.

Eoin Burke was on fire for Coolderry and he was on the mark again by 22nd minute, before Aodhan Kealey and Conor Hardiman responded and it was now Kinnitty who had the bit between their teeth.

With twenty five on the clock they attacked with a long high pass from Cathal Robinson and with James Dempsey lurking he made himself big to put Stephen Corcoran off and the Coolderry number one dropped the sliothar to the net and with that we had a two point game 1-10 to 1-8.

Danny Flanagan added another score and the eight point lead that Coolderry once had was whittled down to one, 1-10 to 1-9 with twenty six on the clock.

Coolderry responded extremely well and with the final four scores of the half thanks to Eoin Burke (2), Andrew Hogan and Eoghan Parlon, gave Coolderry a five point cushion 1-14 to 1-9 at the interval.

Eoghan Parlon added to that lead within seconds of the restart, but with a nice score Ruairc Fay did cancel it out by the 34th minute.

But Coolderry were ruthless to say the least and there was no letup in their attack and with four more scores thanks to Eoin Burke, they were nine clear 1-19 to 1-10 by the 46th minute.

Noel Standish reduced the gap moments later, but with a cracking move and finish Cian Burke fired home Coolderry’s second three pointer of the game and in the block of any eye, the scores read 2-19 to 1-11.

It was another sucker punch for Kinnitty, but in fairness they never threw in the towel and with scores from William Molloy and Danny Flanagan, they had 1-13 on the board with ten minutes to play.

Eoin Burke landed his third ’65 of the game trading with a free from Noel Standish, but there was more to come from Coolderry with Eoghan Parlon tearing through to hit the net with Coolderry’s third goal.

Kinnitty ended up having to finish with fourteen when Danny Flanagan sustained a late injury and they had used all their subs at that point and it was Coolderry who ended with the last score from their goalkeeper Stephen Corcoran to bring the final scores to 3-21 to 1-14.

The Scorers

Coolderry: Eoin Burke 1-13 (0-7 Frees, 0-3 ’65’s), Eoghan Parlon 1-2, Cian Burke 1-1, Eoin Ryan 0-2, Andrew Hogan 0-1, Gearoid McCormack 0-1, Stephen Corcoran 0-1.

Kinnitty: Noel Standish 0-5 (0-4 Frees), Conor Hardiman 0-3, James Dempsey 1-0, Ruairc Fay 0-2, Danny Flanagan 0-2, Aodhan Kealey 0-1, William Molloy 0-1.

The Teams

Coolderry: Stephen Corcoran; Stephen Connolly, Ajay Cleary, Joe McLoughney; Stephen Burke, Conor Molloy, David King; Marc Ryan, Eoin Ryan; Cian Burke, Eoghan Parlon, Andrew Hogan; Andy Connolly, Gearoid McCormack, Eoin Burke.

Subs: Shane Ryan for Andy Connolly (inj. 22 mins), Shane Connolly for Gearoid McCormack (49 mins).

Kinnitty: Niall Corrigan; Brian Coughlan, Paddy Delaney, Paddy Dooley; Michael Dooley, Paddy Rigney, Conor Meaney; Cathal Robinson, Jason Armstrong; Ruairc Fay, James Dempsey, Danny Flanagan; Aodhan Kealy, Noel Standish, Conor Hardiman (Capt.).

Subs: Adam Carroll for James Dempsey (39 mins), William Molloy for Conor Meaney (41 mins), Shane Ryan for Ruairc Fay (44 mins), Thomas Leahy for Jason Armstrong (47 mins), Odhran Kealey for Aodhan Kealey (58 mins).

Referee: Shane Guinan (Drumcullen).