Fired up Seir Kieran take big scalp in thought provoking defeat for Birr

Division 1 Hurling League semi-final

RELEGATED out of senior hurling last year, Seir Kieran laid down a serious marker of intent when they produced a nasty shock and wake-up call for a bitterly disappointing and disappointed Birr in an entertaining Offaly Division 1 League semi-final in Kinnitty on Friday evening.

Division 1 Hurling League semi-final

Seir Kieran 1-20

Birr 0-16

This eagerly fought game provided a double edged sword for the respective teams with the positives for Seir Kieran to grasp on matched by the negatives a very disjointed Birr side have to deal with this week.

A very proud club who brightened up Offaly hurling in the 1980s and 1990s, Seir Kieran have been in decline for several years and relegation to senior B was not a surprise to anyone last year. However, they provided real notice of intent for the lower grade this year and this display was of a way higher quality than anything they managed last year.

It was just a very good performance by a fired up Seir Kieran who looked fit and were hungry for it in a way that their opponents were not. Seir Kieran treated the fixture like a championship one, Birr approached it like it was a challenge – or at least their manager Barry Whelahan and backroom team will be hoping this was the case.

Birr were very competitive in senior hurling last year, beating Ballinamere and almost taking out Kilcormac-Killoughey with a sensational semi-final display. They had a serious year but this was a very thought provoking defeat for them as they just didn't tune in and never got going. They were missing Eoghan Cahill, Luke Nolan and Morgan and Ailbe Watkins but had several of the team that started against K-K and will be playing senior hurling this year.

They really should have been able to beat a senior B team but were substandard nearly the whole way with only a few players playing close to potential. They also finished with thirteen men as defender Campbell Boyd was sent off in the 52nd minute for a second yellow card and Joe Ryan, along with Seir Kieran's Conor Dooley, got straight reds for their role in a messy, unnecessary melee near the end of normal time – Seir Kieran also substituted the lively Darragh Guinan shortly after this purely, because his gander was up and he was now playing on the edge.

There is no need for Birr to panic and this year is all about the championship for them but you would imagine that their post mortem and analysis of this display will be fairly blunt and rough this week.

It is easy to talk about Birr's shortcomings on the day but this one is all about Seir Kieran and the way they played. They really impressed as they were tough and tenacious, trusted themselves to play hurling and keep possession and they were fully deserved winners.

They had a strong wind on their backs and a shoot on sight from distance policy yielded early dividends as they led by 0-7 to 0-2 after 14 minutes. Two Barry Harding frees got it back to three points but a 22nd minute Luke Carey goal opened daylight and Seir Kieran were full value for their 1-10 to 0-6 half time lead.

With the wind to come, that deficit was very retrievable for Birr but they somehow managed to lower their performance levels in the second half. Seir Kieran made the start they needed, getting four of the first five points, the first two from Darragh Guinan and suddenly the gap was 1-14 to 0-7 and it was a long way back for Birr.

They never looked like getting there and Seir Kieran's ability to turn over ball in defence and keep the scoreboard ticking was the most impressive part of their win. Birr had it back to 1-16 to 0-12 just after the three quarter mark but by now, they needed goals and they neither chased them, nor looked like scoring one.

Sean and Luke Carey got super points in the space of a minute to make it 1-18 to 0-12 after 49 minutes. Craig Shortt got a Birr point but Campbell Boyd walked and it required a complete collapse for Seir Kieran to lose from here. Apart from their involvement in that dust-up, they remained focused and disciplined and closed out the deal with a degree of efficiency that was very comforting for them and disconcerting for the watching Birr contingent.

MATCH ANALYSIS

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MAN OF THE MATCH

John Coughlan (Seir Kieran): Seir Kieran had a number of contenders but John Coughlan is the choice for a real defensive tour-de-force. He was outstanding the whole way, defending well and displaying great comfort on the ball. He won hard ball, turned over Birr possession and his display inspired his team mates.

Kieran Connors was also in great form in defence inside him while their attack played well as a unit, sharing the scoring load between Darragh Guinan, Kevin Dunne and Luke and Sean Carey.

Brendan Murphy looked very good at times in the Birr defence, though he was let down by some sloppy distribution. Their most experienced player Sean Ryan showed the right fight when the game was slipping away in the second half, Colin Mulrooney had good moments while forward Darragh Tierney was their best player, scoring five points from play.

THE SCORERS

Seir Kieran: Luke Carey 1-8 (6f), Sean Carey (1f) and Kevin Dunne 0-3 each, Darragh Guinan 0-2, Conor Dooley, John Coughlan, Barry Kealey and Sean Dooley 0-1 each.

Birr: Barry Harding 0-6 (6f), Darragh Tierney 0-5, Colin Mulrooney 0-3 (1f), Craig Shortt and Darragh McNamara 0-1 each.

THE TEAMS

SEIR KIERAN: Joseph Connors; Stephen Gilligan, Pat Gilligan, Kieran Connors; Conor Dooley, Barry Kealy, John Coughlan; Michael Gilligan, Thomas Connors; Darragh Guinan, Adrian Hynes, Sean Dooley; Kevin Dunne, Luke Carey, Sean Carey. Subs – Tom Dooley for Sean Dooley (42m), Declan Purcell for Guinan (59m).

BIRR: Adam Fitzgerald; Jimmy Irwin, Cormac Kenny, Campbell Boyd; Sean Ryan, Brendan Murphy, Colin Mulrooney; Ricky Fitzsimons, Joe Ryan; Barry Harding, Ian Kerins, Craig Shortt; Darragh McNamara, Eoin Hayes, Darragh Tierney. Subs – Lochlann Quinn for McNmara (33m), Brian Watkins for Fitzsimons (35m), Sam Smith for Irwin (41m).

Referee – David McLoughlin, Shinrone.

REFEREE WATCH

David McLoughlin was a busy man and had a bit of a mixed bag. He did most things well, let play flow and was ultra consistent in the way he allowed advantage and the length he gave players before giving a free or letting it good. He was right in the three red cards he showed and the main quibble is that he could have shown yellows for careless slaps with the hurl. Any slap with the hurl that can hurt deserves yellow and Seir Kieran's Darragh Guinan and Birr's Craig Shortt certainly couldn't have argued if they were shown first half cards.

MOMENT OF THE MATCH

Luke Carey's first half goal was a big score but the two points Darragh Guinan got at the start of the second half were huge in terms of Seir Kieran winning.

VENUE WATCH

Kinnitty's pitch was once again in great order and they hosted the fixture with typical efficiency.

WHAT'S NEXT?

Seir Kieran go into the final.