Impressive St Rynagh's get away for convincing win over Shamrocks

THE better team from start to finish, St Rynagh's recorded a convincing win over a brave Shamrocks side in an entertaining Offaly U16 Hurling Championship final at Birr on Sunday.

LOETB U16 Hurling Championship final

St Rynagh's 3-15

Shamrocks 0-11

A fancied Shamrocks side tried their best on the day but it didn't happen for them as a unit as a very well drilled, very efficient St Rynagh's grabbed control with two goals in the opening ten minutes and never looked like losing it from then on.

Shamrocks won this grade when U13 was in existence three years ago and have continued their progress since then, with some of their players on the Offaly minor hurling squad this year – they will be underage next year as well. They entered the final with high hopes but St Rynagh's were too strong on the day.

The game had a messy end with three red cards shown by referee Shane Guinan in injury time – Shamrocks' Noah Dunne and Darragh Monaghan and St Rynagh's Jack Doorly were sent off after frustration boiled over and a melee erupted just a few seconds between the end. With hurls swinging in the row and tempers frayed, it was a pity it ended that way but apart from that, it was a good game with no strokes pulled and was very much played in the right spirit.

The row was just one of those things that can happen and had no effect on the result as a very good St Rynagh's team were home and dry.

With an excellent defence well on top, James Slevin outstanding at midfield and lively forwards, St Rynagh's gave a much better all round team performance whereas Shamrocks' found it just too hard to score and create chances in opening play – 1-7 of their 1-11 came from frees from the very good Conal Minnock, who was their only forward to score from play. Their other three points from play came from half backs Cillian Moran and Rory Grennan and that shows where their problems were.

On the day, St Rynagh's played very well and their victory was never in doubt

St Rynagh's were the better team in the first half and their 2-8 to 0-8 half time lead was a fair reflection of the way it went. They gained an early foothold with goals in the sixth and seventh minutes from Jack Doorly and Liam Daly for a 2-2 to 0-3 lead.

St Rynagh's had a bit more to offer up front in the first half and led by 2-7 to 0-4 after 21 minutes. Shamrocks were in danger of being beaten early and went from the eight to the 22nd minute without a score. On a near perfect day for hurling, that was too long but they continued working hard with their defence getting on top as the half progressed.

Shamrocks got four of the last five points to trail by six at half time and that kept them in the hunt. They were too reliant on frees in the first half. Conal Minnock's striking was excellent, apart from one miss, and he got six frees while Shamrocks' two first half points from play were from centre back Cillian Moran.

St Rynagh's were very impressive in the way they controlled the game in the second half. They got four of the first five points for a 2-12 to 0-9 lead after 42 minutes and Shamrocks' prospects of pulling back in that nine point deficit were slim.

It was 2-14 to 0-11 when Gavin Devery blasted home their third goal in the 54th minute. Conal Minnock replied with a goal from a well struck free in the 25th minute but the ship had left harbour for Shamrocks and the only thing of note in the closing minutes was the late flare up.

MATCH ANALSYIS

MAN OF THE MATCH

James Slevin (St Rynagh's): James Slevin was a straightforward choice as man of the match. He was outstanding for St Rynagh's, dominating the midfield battle, scoring four of his nine points from play. Very strong on the ball, he had a high level of skill and a feature of his game was his ability to deliver pinpoint sideline balls – one of these led to an Eoghan Martin point in the first half while their third goal came from this route. He matched it with a great work rate and was at the epi-centre of St Rynagh's dominance.

Colm Boylan, Robbie Wynne, Gavin Devery and Jack Doorly all had very good games for St Rynagh's, who didn't have a real weak link anywhere.

This group of Shamrocks players should be very proud of the work they have done in the last few years. They have done terrifically well to develop as a side capable of winning top level underage hurling titles and this defeat does not define them. They came up against a superior force on the day and there is no shame in defeat but they have no complaints at the result. Cillian Moran was their best player, hurling very well in the centre of defence while Conal Minnock also performed on the big day, getting most of his frees and working tigerlishly. Dylan Moore also cleared good ball in an over worked defence.

THE SCORERS

St Rynagh's: James Slevin 0-9 (5f), Jack Doorly 1-2, Gavin Devery 1-1, Liam Daly 1-0, Eoghan Treacy 0-2, Eoghan Martin 0-1.

Shamrocks: Conal Minnock 1-8 (1-7f), Cillian Moran 0-2, Rory Grennan 0-1.

THE TEAMS

ST RYNAGH'S: Oisin Egan; Shane Lynch, Eanna Mahon, Jonah Kenny; Charlie Flaherty, Colm Boylan, Eoghan Martin; Robbie Wynne, James Slevin; Niall Daly, Liam Daly, Luke Fitzgerald; Gavin Devery, Eoghan Treacy, Jack Doorly. Subs – Hugo Loonam for Niall Daly (43n),

SHAMROCKS: Zach Hamill; Luke Daly, Ben Boland, Dylan Moore; Rory Grennan, Cillian Moran, Patrick O'Connell; Keith O'Rourke, Aaron Downes; Conal Minnock, Darragh Monaghan, Conor McEvoy; Brian Heffernan, Paudie Boland, Mark Reynolds. Subs – Fionn Minnock for Downes (42m), Dion Rock for Reynolds (48m), Noah Dunne for Daly (60m).

Referee – Shane Guinan, Drumcullen.

REFEREE WATCH

Shane Guinan refereed it well and the late melee was not his fault. There were a couple of times when Shamrocks looked entitled to frees but this swung both ways. He was not a factor in the result. It was a pity that three red cards were shown late on. You could argue that a blind eye could have been turned at that late stage but hurls could be seen swinging and it did threaten to get out of hand before order was restored – the referee would not be doing his job and the players would not learn the right lesson if red card offences were not punished with red cards, even at such a late stage.

MOMENT OF THE MATCH

St Rynagh's second goal from Liam Daly in the seventh minute had a big bearing on the outcome. It was a soft one from a Shamrocks' perspective but left them trailing 2-2 to 0-3 and they never looked like winning from here on.

VENUE WATCH

There was a good crowd at this with both clubs bringing a big support. There may have been a case for having it as a curtain raiser to the Senior Hurling Championship final in Tullamore but Birr at 11am was much better than the original plan for a Wednesday evening under lights in Coolderry. On a side issue, the cup for the competition looked a bit rough with the handles missing and did not look well.

STATISTICS

Wides: Shamrocks – 9 (4 in first half); St Rynagh's – 7 (2 in first half).

Yellow cards: St Rynagh's – 1 (Robbie Wynne); Shamrocks – 1 (Rory Grennan).

Red cards: Shamrocks – 2 (Noah Dunne and Darragh Monaghan); St Rynagh's – 1 (Jack Doorly).