Race for Sean Robbins Hots Up
The race for the Offaly Senior Hurling Championship reaches the knockout stage this weekend with eight teams still in contention for the Sean Robbins Cup. Two quarter finals take place in O’Connor Pk on Saturday, with Seir Kieran taking on 2014 Champions Kilcormac/Killoughey at 3.30pm and that’s followed by Birr and Belmont at 5pm.
Sunday at St Brendan’s Pk sees Kinnitty take on Shinrone in the opening game at 3.30pm, while the mouth-watering clash of last year’s finalists Coolderry and St Rynagh’s throw’s in at 5pm.
Seir Kieran and Kilcormac/Killoughey last met in the Championship on May 3rd 2014 when K/K came out on top 2-18 to 1-16 at Banagher. The last time they met in the knockout stages of the Championship was, at O’Connor Pk, in the 2013 Semi-final and on that occasion K/K were also victorious 1-19 to 2-10. The last occasion in which K/K failed to reach the semi-final of the Senior Hurling Championship was in 2005, when they failed to qualify from the group stages. Seir Kieran last quarter-final victory was in 2014 when they defeated Birr, they have not qualified for a County Final since they defeated K/K 0-11 to 0-10 in the 2000 Semi-final.
The second quarter-final at O’Connor Pk sees, 22 times Champions, Birr take on Belmont who are bidding to reach their first ever Offaly Senior Hurling Semi-final. Birr have only failed to reach the semi-final on two occasions in the past 30 years, 2010 & 2014. Belmont came close last year when going down by just four points 2-17 to 1-16 to the then reigning champions K/K at q/f stage.
The opening quarter-final at Birr sees Shinrone take on Kinnitty. Shinrone are bidding to qualify for their first semi-final since 2012, while Kinnitty were last victorious at quarter-final stage in 2010. The last meeting of these two teams in the Championship was at Coolderry on April 17th 2015 and on that occasion Shinrone came out on top by the narrowest of margins 2-17 to 1-19.
The final quarter-final of the weekend is between last year’s finalists Coolderry and St Rynagh’s. On that occasion a late Joe Brady goal saw Coolderry gain their 30th title on a 2-15 to 1-16 scoreline. The last time these two sides met at quarter-final stage was on September 2nd 2012, when St Rynagh’s surprised the reigning champions on a 0-15 to 1-7 scoreline at today’s venue. Coolderry and St Rynagh’s are meeting for the 10th time this century, with Coolderry holding a 5 to 2 advantage while they finished level in 2002 and 2004.
