Huge weekend looms for Offaly hurling clubs

THE Offaly hurling championships will very much move into the business end of affairs with a huge knockout weekend looming.

Supporters will be spoilt for choice with very attractive fixtures on the agenda from Friday to Sunday. The packed list includes two Senior Hurling Championship quarter-finals, the Senior “B” Hurling Championship semi-finals and the Intermediate Hurling Championship semi-finals.

Senior hurling quarter-finals are paired with senior “B” semi-finals in Birr and Tullamore on Saturday and Sunday and some hugely attractive games are down for decision.

Senior Hurling Championship

Ballinamere and Kilcormac-Killoughey will be very interested observers at the senior hurling quarter-finals where Birr meet Belmont and Shinrone take on St Rynagh's. Ballinamere and K-K will be seeded in separate semi-finals against the two quarter-final winners while Lusmagh and Kinnitty meet in the relegation play off.

Quarter-finals

St Rynagh's v Shinrone in Birr: Saturday, September 19 at 5pm

In many ways, the most intriguing game of the weekend is the quarter-final meeting of St Rynagh's and Shinrone.

Shinrone have punched at a higher level in recent years but St Rynagh's have played much better this year. After failing to qualify last year, the Banagher based club had their knockout berth booked early. A defeat by Kilcormac-Killoughey in their last group game denied them a semi-final place but St Rynagh's were not perturbed at that – they had their bye in the last group round and a six week gap between the K-K game and a semi-final would have been very long.

Shinrone scraped into the quarter-finals by their finger tips. They suffered a disastrous first round defeat against Tullamore and while they performed well when beating Belmont when they had to, they still relied on Ballinamere beating Belmont to qualify. Belmont had every chance to get a result that day and if they had, Shinrone were gone.

You just wouldn't know what way it will go for Shinrone now. They are hit by injuries with DJ McLoughlin and Conor Doughan out but they are masters at the short hand passing game and they have a great opportunity. It is not a free shot for a side desperate to win a second senior hurling title, but having sailed so close to the wind, they are in bonus territory.

St Rynagh's have looked good and played well. The emergence of exciting forwards in Darragh Scully and Aaron Molloy has been a great help, Luke O'Connor is back and Ben Conneely is playing some of the best hurling of his life. In some ways, Shinrone should be favourites for this but St Rynagh's have performed better this year. It is more or less a 50-50 game.

Verdict – St Rynagh's.

Birr v Belmont in O'Connor Park, Tullamore: Sunday, September 20 at 4.15pm

Two sides with chips on their shoulder and a major point to prove will clash the ash in a fascinating quarter-final in Tullamore on Sunday.

Birr started well and had their quarter-final place booked early but their performance against Kilcormac-Killoughey in their last group game raised serious questions. The only extenuating factor is that Birr were through and K-K had to win to advance. It was always likely that K-K would produce a performance and advance but Birr's display was still extremely disappointing. There was an opportunity to put the four in a row seeking champions out and open it up for them and everyone else but Birr didn't go after it and you would wonder.

Belmont come into the quarter-final with similar questions hanging over them. They also performed well to qualify early but they come into this on the back of successive defeats against Shinrone and Ballinamere. In both cases, Belmont performed very well in the first half but fell away in the second half. Their loss to Ballinamere was particularly galling for them as they missed late chances to rescue a point or a win.

Belmont have two big questions to answer. They have been knocking on the door for so long, they keep coming back and if any club deserves to make a final, they do. However, there is a tendency to do their best hurling in the first half while they have also missed late chances in big games that were on the line. It is not some big moral failure with Belmont and there is not one person in Offaly who doubts their commitment, heart and character but the results don't lie and the missed opportunities do tell a tell.

It means that both sides are in very similar places and will be circling the wagons this week. You just would not know what way this will go and you can make equally strong cases for both teams. Belmont have looked a bit better and are slight favourites but Birr do have more room for improvement and are capable of producing a big display. No result will surprise here.

Verdict – Birr.

Relegation play off

Kinnitty v Lusmagh in Birr: Sunday, September 20 at 12.30pm

Two very proud clubs struggling for numbers will be desperate to avoid relegation in Birr on Sunday.

Their appearance in the relegation play off was sign posted almost from the start and both have been playing into the wind all year. Kinnitty have been living on their wits for a couple of years and Lusmagh won senior B last year. As things stand, both look like they will have to take a step back at some stage and it is only a matter of when.

Kinnitty are marginal favourites but this is very hard to call.

Verdict – Lusmagh.

Senior “B” Hurling Championship semi-finals

Seir Kieran have been clear favourites in the Senior “B” Hurling Championship from the start but no title is easy won and a draw with Clodiagh Gaels showed them this.

Seir Kieran v Kilcormac-Killoughey in Birr: Saturday, September 19 3.30pm

Seir Kieran will have to perform well and they will be fully aware of the threat Kilcormac-Killoughey pose.

Seir Kieran should be able to win and if they don't, they deserve another year back at senior B but K-K will relish this challenge.

This Kilcormac-Killoughey side is not as good as the one that won back to back championships in 2023 and 2024. Some of those players have gone senior and they also showed their priorities, doing the right thing, by taking players off this team when needed during the year – Brian Guinan was the latest to go when he came on for K-K in their senior win over Birr.

K-K still have a lot of good hurlers and Seir Kieran will be on the highest state of alert.

Verdict – Seir Kieran.

Clodiagh Gaels v Clara in Tullamore: Sunday, September 20 at 2.45pm

The game of the weekend could very well be provided by Clodiagh Gaels and Clara in Tullamore on Sunday.

These two clubs have met on a few occasions in recent years and there is no love lost between them. It will be real tough, no holds barred hurling and it was be fascinating to watch it unfold.

Clodiagh Gaels impressed when beating Clara in the first round but Clara have improved significantly since then. They have a county hurler in Conor Doyle and with Shamrocks eliminating their footballers last Sunday, Clara can concentrate on hurling now.

Clodiagh Gaels have a potential match winner in Liam Langton, a lot of very good hurlers and it should be a very close game, going down to the wire – though the possibility of one side getting away and winning by a few points is also there.

Verdict – Clara.

Intermediate Hurling Championship semi-finals

Shamrocks have been favourites in the Intermediate Hurling Championship from the start but a group defeat by Shinrone showed them how difficult it will be to win.

Shinrone v Seir Kieran in Coolderry: Friday, September 18 at 7.30pm

Shinrone's emergence as contenders has been a surprise as they have not always been great at this grade but they have been going very well and have really impressed.

Seir Kieran have done well at this grade before and they are always very difficult to beat.

Verdict – Shinrone.

Shamrocks v Coolderry in Rath: Saturday, September 19 at 1.45pm

Shamrocks face a real banana skin when they meet Coolderry in Rath on Saturday. Shamrocks are favourites but will be under no illusions about the threat posed by the second team of traditional hurling clubs such as Coolderry.

Coolderry have a mixture of youth and experience and with their seniors having made an early exit, they will be desperate to salvage silverware from the year. Shamrocks have a trickly balancing act with their dual commitments and this fixture is absolutely no formality.

Verdict – Shamrocks.