By: Mary Dunne
Molloy Precast and Environmental Systems Intermediate Hurling Championship Final
Shamrocks: 3-25
Seir Kieran: 2-9
Shamrocks collected the Intermediate Hurling Title for the second time since 2022, with nothing short of a brilliant display following a one sided affair on Sunday afternoon last in Grant Heating St Brendan’s Park, Birr.
This was an extremely polished performance by Ciaran Slevin’s charges who from very early on in the game set out their stall and despite all the best efforts of Seir Kieran there was no denying the outcome of this one.
Shamrocks played a lovely blend of hurling and while at times in the second half their shooting let them down it was an extremely impressive win as they ran out convincing winners with a staggering nineteen points to spare.
Despite dropping points with a loss to Shinrone in the group game, Shamrocks certainly set a lot of the Intermediate Hurling Championship on fire this year and they came into the final decider on Sunday with the favourites tag to their name.
We all know that tag can be both a good and a bad thing and one thing is for sure Seir Kieran with the disappointment of losing the Senior B Final only twenty four hours previously, they came with the full intentions of upsetting the apple cart.
There was no doubt, Seir Kieran had huge amounts of experience and talents in their ranks. With a lot of players with senior hurling experience under their belts and on Sunday all eyes certainly was on their number 11, former County stalwart Joe Bergin.
Shamrocks eased through their semi final meeting with Coolderry with a staggering seventeen points to spare and while it was a more than impressive performance, it comes too with the warning sign, that Seir Kieran came through a much tougher test and that alone has to bold well for the Clareen men.
For Shamrocks, it has been hard like any dual club to be juggling both codes. In football they had a very impressive year and just came up short to Ferbane in the semi final last weekend, and to win on Sunday certainly would make up for some of that disappointment.
Win they did and done it extremely well. They never allowed Seir Kieran to get into the rhythm of the game and the despite Seir Kieran battling to the bitter end, there was only one way the Title was heading.
With a strong wind blowing into the town end goal, it was Seir Kieran who had it in the favour in the opening half, but Shamrocks who hit the ground running from the off blitzed them with a flurry of scores and it despite being against the wind, Shamrocks were seven to the good at the half time break.
Playing extremely loose and deep Seir Kieran who really should have used the wind to more of an advantage struggled to get past a very resolute Shamrocks half back line who lorded it in the opening half.
The level of the wind was demonstrated very early on with Seir Kieran getting the opening score inside a minute from a long range free from their goalie Matthew Connors, but it wasn’t long until Shamrocks responded with Eoghan Neville landing their opening score.
Dermot Mooney hit Seir Kieran back in front on the end minute, but that is when Shamrocks started to dominate and with a flurry of moves up front they started to show their worth on the board.
Eoghan Neville levelled matters again this time with a free, before the impressive David O’Toole Greene hit over this first of four for the half to give Shamrocks the lead 0-3 to 0-2 with four played.
Shamrocks were on top throughout and with a fine move Conor Egan took on the Seir Kieran defence and with a rasping shot, he nestled it to the back of the net and Shamrocks were 1-3 to 0-2 to the good.
Joe Bergin did reply for the Clareen men, but for the next twelve minutes Shamrocks were ruthless as the hit a tremendous purple patch.
David O’Toole Greene and Eoghan Neville pointed and then with a long ball in from Stephen Malone, who really was having a field day at centre back, it looked like it was under control, but in slow motion Seir Kieran couldn’t clear it and Alan Foster netted to leave the scores reading 2-5 to 0-3 with twelve on the clock.
Everything Shamrock touched turned to gold and with further scores from Conor Egan, Shane O’Toole Greene and Neil Minnock and with that all the forward six were on the scoresheet. The scores reading 2-8 to 0-3.
A sublime sideline cut and score from Kevin Murray was without doubt one of the scores of the game and with a follow up from Tom Carroll, Seir Kieran had the gap back to nine 2-8 to 0-5.
David O’Toole Greene and Joe Bergin traded further scores before David O’Toole Greene and Conor Egan were on the mark again to bring the scores to 2-11 to 0-6 with a minute or normal time to play.
Seir Kieran to be fair did finish the half out with two vital scores. Joe Bergin finally connected to a ball that seemed to stick on the AstroTurf and then with a follow up score from Dermot Mooney, they brought the half time scores to 2-11 to 1-7.
The hill was a massive climb it has to be said for Seir Kieran and matters only went from bad to worse at the restart with three scores in quick succession from Eoghan Neville, David O’Toole Greene and Eoghan Neville again with a free, they were ahead by double scores 2-14 to 1-7 four minutes into the second half.
Eanna Murphy landed a nice score for Seir Kieran but Neil Minnock was hot on his heels to bring the scores to 2-15 to 1-8.
Seir Kieran did find a chink on the 44th minute when Joe Bergin stepped up to a free and doing what Joe Bergin does best he rattled the net and brought the scores to 2-15 to 2-8.
But it was Shamrocks again who came and hitting the next seven scores on the bounce from Neil Minnock, David O’Toole Greene (2), Shane O’Toole Greene, a brace from Eoghan Neville and a fine score from Donal Dooley to leave the tallies reading 2-22 to 208 with fifty three played.
James Scully added a score for Seir Kieran, but it was Shamrocks who had more to come. Conor Egan hit over a fine scores and in the next move he did all the hard work and with a marvelous pass to the incoming Shane Heffernan who pulled and drove home goal number three.
Shamrocks now certainly had more than one hand on the cup and with further late scores from David O’Toole Greene and Eoghan Neville bringing the full time scores to 3-25 to 2-9.
- The Scorers
Shamrocks: Eoghan Neville 0-8 (0-5 Frees), David O’Toole Greene 0-8, Conor Egan 1-3, Alan Foster 1-0, Shane Heffernan 1-0, Neil Minnock 0-3, Shane O’Toole Greene 0-2, Donal Dooley 0-1.
Seir Kieran: Joe Bergin 2-2 (1-1 Frees), Dermot Mooney 0-2, Matthew Connors 0-1 (Free), Kevin Murray 0-1 (sideline), Tom Carroll 0-1, Eanna Murphy 0-1, James Scully 0-1,
The Teams
Shamrocks: Darragh Minnock; Conor Moran, Conor Condron, Sean Mooney; Mark Malone, Stephen Malone, Padraig Cantwell; Jack Molloy, David O’Rourke; Eoghan Neville, Neil Minnock, Shane O’Toole Greene; David O’Toole Greene (Capt.), Conor Egan, Alan Foster.
Subs: Donal Dooley for Alan Foster (38 mins), Shane Heffernan for Neil Minnock (55 mins), Sean Cantwell for Conor Condron (57 mins), Cathal Healion for David O’Rourke (58 mins), Mark Buckley for Sean Mooney (59 mins).
Seir Kieran: Matthew Connors; Conor Walsh, Donal Coughlan (Capt.), Brian Dunne; Sean Coughlan, Christopher Connors, Kevin Murray; Joe Gilligan, Dermot Mooney; Kyle Dooner, Joe Bergin, James Scully; Tom Carroll, Stephen Hynes, Declan Purcell.
Subs: Eanna Murphy for Kyle Dooner (18 mins), Aidan Scully for Joe Gilligan (47 mins), Gearoid Dooley for Declan Purcell (52 mins), Packie Mulrooney for Brian Dunne (55 mins), Colm Coughlan for Conor Walsh (57 mins).
Referee: Adam Kinahan (Clodiagh Gaels).
By Offaly Secretary Sun 4th Oct
