Jubilant Shinrone fall into quarter-finals as Lusmagh head to relegation play off

BEHIND at half time, Shinrone finally pulled out the finger in the second half to get the win they needed against Lusmagh in an ultimately one sided Offaly Senior Hurling Championship tussle in Birr on Sunday afternoon.

Molloy Environmental Systems Senior Hurling Championship Group 2 Round 5

Shinrone 3-21

Lusmagh 0-14

With Ballinamere holding on for a nerve tingling win over Belmont in the other group 2 encounter in Banagher, Shinrone squeezed into the quarter-finals, where they will face St Rynagh's, on scoring difference, while an unlucky Tullamore lose out.

Even when they were trailing by a point, 0-10 to 0-9, at half time, no one in Birr anticipated that Lusmagh would pull off a big shock and avoid the relegation play off. There was an air of inevitability about the way Shinrone took over in the second half and pulled away for a facile win but their season would have been over without a helping hand from Ballinamere.

A first round defeat by Tullamore left Shinrone in a precarious position but they are now alive and kicking and will relish taking on St Rynagh's in the quarter-final while Lusmagh head to a relegation play off against Kinnitty.

As expected it was a close tight affair and with the wind causing havoc with the shooting on both sides, scores at times were hard to come by in this one.

It was Shinrone who got out of the blocks early when James O’Sullivan tore through the defence only to be blocked brilliantly by Daire Temple as it was certainly heading to the net. It resulted in a ’65 which Adam Landy duly pointed three minutes in.

Eimhin Kelly drew the sides level by the 6th minute before JO Cleary nudged Shinrone back in front, 0-2 to 0-1 with five played.

Aaron Kelly landed his first of three scores, but with a fine score from Adam Landy, Shinrone were keeping their noses ahead 0-3 to 0-2 with six played.

Adrian Cleary gave Shinrone a two point cushion by the 7th minute, but that’s when Lusmagh started to find their grove and with five on the bounce thanks to Paul Kinsella with four and a fine score from play from Eibheann Kelly, they led 0-7 to 0-4 with fourteen played.

Shinrone despite playing against the wind responded well and with a brace thanks to Killian Sampson and Luke Watkins they brought it back to a one point game, before Aaron Kelly landed his second to leave the gap at two, 0-8 to 0-6 with twenty gone.

Shinrone then started to gain some vital possession out around the middle and with three scores on the trot courtesy of Sean Cleary, Adam Landy and James O’Sullivan, they were back in front 0-9 to 0-8 with twenty seven played.

It was Lusmagh however who finished the half strong and recorded the last two scores of the half thanks to Aaron Kelly and Paul Kinsella to give them a one point lead at the interval 0-10 to 0-9.

One really had to wonder was it going to be enough and in the end it wasn’t as Shinrone took over completely in the second half outscoring Lusmagh by a staggering 3-12 to 0-4.

It was Lusmagh in fact who stretched their lead on the resumption with a free from Paul Kinsella, but with a fine score James O’Sullivan was hot on his heels.

Paul Kinsella had it at a two point game 0-12 to 0-10 by the 33rd minute, but that is when the daylight started to form.

Three scores in quick succession from Gearoid Maher, Killian Sampson and Adrian Cleary had Shinrone one clear 0-13 to 0-12, when with forty minutes on the clock Sean Cleary plucked the ball from the air to land it to the net leaving Shinrone 1-13 to 0-12 ahead.

In fairness to Lusmagh they regrouped well and with two scores from Paul Kinsella and Eoin Quinlan it was back to a one two point game 1-13 to 0-14 by the 42nd minute, but it was in the next sequence of play that Shinrone done the damage.

Dan Doughan popped over a point, before Sean Cleary planted his second goal, but they had more to come.

Eamonn Cleary hit over a long range free and then with a cracking shot Adrian Cleary landed their third goal of the game to bring the scores to 3-15 to 0-14 with fifty one played.

Lusmagh despite numerous changes they failed to score from there and it was Shinrone who finished strongly with scores from Darragh Landy, Adrian Cleary, Adam Landy, Luke Watkins, James O’Sullivan and Killian Sampson bringing the full time scores to 3-21 to 0-14.

The Scorers

Shinrone: Sean Cleary 2-1, Adrian Cleary 1-3, Adam Landy 0-4 (0-1 Free, 0-1 ’65), Killian Sampson 0-3, James O’Sullivan 0-3, Luke Watkins 0-2, Gearoid Maher 0-1, Dan Doughan 0-1, Eamonn Cleary 0-1 (Free), Dan Landy 0-1, JP Cleary 0-1.

Lusmagh: Paul Kinsella 0-8 (0-7 Frees), Aaron Kelly 0-3, Eimhin Kelly 0-1, Eibheann Kelly 0-1, Eoin Quinlan 0-1.

The Teams

Shinrone: Eamonn Cleary; Darragh Landy, Gearoid Maher, Peter Cleary; Dan Doughan, Killian Sampson, Adrian Cleary; Dara Maher, Luke Watkins; Adam Landy, Jason Sampson, Donal Morkan; Sean Cleary, James O’Sullivan, JP Cleary.

Subs: Ciaran Cleary for JP Cleary (48 mins), Paul Cleary for Dan Doughan (54 mins).

Lusmagh: Alan Kelly; Ruairi Kelly, Daire Temple, Andy Flynn; Darren Healy, Eimhin Kelly, Eibheann Kelly; Luke Bowe, Graham Lynch (Capt.); Eoin Quinlan, Lorcan Troy, James Kelly; Aaron Kelly, Morgan Glynn, Paul Kinsella.

Sub: Rory Quinlan for Morgan Glynn (50 mins).

Referee: Brian Gavin (Clara).