Seir Kieran the clear front runner in Offaly Senior “B” Hurling Championship

EVEN before their stunning success in the Division 1 Hurling League, Seir Kieran would have been favourites to win the Offaly GAA Molloy Environmental Senior “B” Hurling Championship but that great triumph has resulted in a “hot” label being attached alongside it.

Relegated from senior hurling last year, Seir Kieran were entering the unknown a bit. One of Offaly's great hurling clubs, they won their first Senior Hurling Championship in 1988 and added three more in the 1990s before the decline set in as the Dooley's, Kevin Kinahan et-al drifted off the scene during the 2000s.

Seir Kieran's struggles since then have shown the challenges facing some clubs in the traditional heartland of Offaly hurling championship where demographics and population decline has loaded the dice against them.

Seir Kieran had a golden generation from the late 1980s on with a 1981-1985 Offaly hurling folk hero, Eugene Coughlan providing inspirational guidance to the younger generation at the start of their great success story.

The plight of some clubs in the south of the county shows the challenges facing Offaly hurling. The county desperately needs players from its traditional areas, where hurling is the only game in town but there is going to be a growing input from areas north of Kilcormac-Killoughey with Ballinamere, Tullamore, Clodiagh Gaels and Shamrocks particularly important.

All of that, however, is for another day and Seir Kieran are an example of the great fight going on in the south of the county. They have endured some bad days and bad years in top flight hurling in this decade, and have been a lot closer to relegation than winning a title.

No one was surprised to see them making the drop last year but the early evidence is of them turning a corner very quickly.

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Their achievement in winning the Division 1 Hurling League was a huge one, even if the format has been questioned by some. The clubs were drawn in two groups but criss-crossed, playing the ones in the other, with the top two teams going into semi-finals in each.

It meant that Shinrone topped group two with just three points, ahead of Tullamore, Shinrone, Belmont and Ballinamere – they played Coolderry, Birr, Kilcormac-Killoughey, St Rynagh's and Kinnitty, beating Kinnitty and drawing with Kilcormac-Killoughey.

Kilcormac-Killoughey went through their campaign unbeaten with nine points but didn't qualify as Coolderry and Birr won all their games against the group 2 opponents. With county players not playing, there was a clear imbalance in the groups and Seir Kieran, who didn't have a man on the Offaly squad, were able to capitalise.

Yet they deserve huge credit for their achievement and they oozed quality and character as they got the better of Birr and Coolderry in the semi-final and final.

We shouldn't over analyse it but it was potentially a season transforming win for Seir Kieran - the downside is that they now have a target on their backs and most observers will mark them down as certain winners of the senior “B” title.

That puts pressure on and Seir Kieran are not unbeatable at this grade. There are a lot of very good teams and players in Offaly hurling's second tier and they will have their work cut out to make an instant return to senior.

Once again, it will be a very enjoyable championship, a high standard or hurling and there will be unexpected results along the way – it remains to be seen if Seir Kieran will be the victims in any of these.

Carrig-Riverstown, Clara, Clodiagh Gaels, Drumcullen and Kilcormac-Killoughey will all fancy their chances to some degree, though it will be a definite step up for last year's intermediate champions, Drumcullen and they are outsiders.

Kilcormac-Killoughey won a great senior and senior “B” double in 2023 and 2024 and they are contenders but with their senior side having injury problems, they will lose players who may have been expecting to play in the lower grade. They still have a chance but they should not be as strong as they were in 2023 and 2024.

Carrig-Riverstown's improvement has been great to witness in recent years. Beaten by Lusmagh in last year's final, there is a strong case to be made for making them second favourites. Had Seir Kieran not won the league, their odds would have been shorter but they have a lot of excellent hurlers and will be difficult to beat.

Clara are working hard to improve hurling and have a county player in Conor Doyle. They could beat any team on any given day but their dual commitments could take a toll while the jury is out on Clodiagh Gaels.

The top four teams qualify for semi-finals and you would expect Seir Kieran and Carrig-Riverstown to be two of those with the other two places up for grabs. They have to go and do it but Seir Kieran's form in winning the league, the fact that they are just down out of senior and their hunger means that they have to be the prediction.

Verdict – Seir Kieran.

Round 1 games

Clara v Clodiagh Gaels: Friday, July 10 in Clara 7.30pm

Verdict – Clara.

Seir Kieran v Drumcullen: Sunday, July 12 in Clareen 12 noon

Verdict – Seir Kieran.

Kilcormac-Killoughey v Carrig-Riverstown: Friday, July 17 in Kilcormac 7.30pm

Verdict – Carrig-Riverstown.