By: Mary Dunne
Molloy Precast and Environmental Systems Senior Hurling Championship Quarter Final
St Rynagh’s: 1-24
Shinrone: 0-25
St Rynagh’s booked their place in the final four of the Senior Hurling Championship when they came from four behind with ten minutes of normal time to play to see off the challenge of a highly determined Shinrone side following a humdinger of a clash on Saturday evening last
Played in in St Brendan’s Park, Birr, this was a cracking game of hurling from start to finish and with fifty scores on the board by the final whistle just proves that point. It was everything one could have asked for as the senior hurling championship well and truly came alive.
St Rynagh’s looked like they were heading out of the championship by the midway point of the second half, with Shinrone doing all the hurling, but with a goal from Stephen Quirke, after a brilliant run by Shane Rigney, it got them right back into the game and in the end they pushed on for the win.
This a massive result for St Rynagh’s who showed their true grit and determination in what was a huge test of their character considering the game was slipping from their grasp.
Shinrone certainly will be reeling over the outcome. They were in complete control up until the goal and in reality they had ample chances to win this game but their final shooting was extremely poor in the dying stages in particular.
In the second half they lorded the majority of the possession for twenty odd minutes. Hitting a staggering eleven wides in the second half, they should have been out of sight, and with some of them coming near the end where they could have sent the game to extra time, it certainly is a hard outcome for them to take.
Shinrone will certainly look back on this one and wonder. They had St Rynagh’s held to the pin of their collar, but it was that one little break and the inability to stop Shane Rigney’s run that resulted in the goal that gave the lifeline to their opponents.
When St Rynagh’s needed leaders they had them in bucketfuls. Shane Rigney despite being one of their younger players was instrumental in the win. The Conneely Brothers Ben and Gary were the real anchors and with Luke O’Connor, Darragh Scully and Eoin Woods all putting in a tremendous shift, they never panicked even when it looked to be slipping from them.
Heading into the clash, all signs had been on for St Rynagh’s who looked set to be heading for a semi final spot, but in the final group games two weeks ago, they were pipped at the post by Kilcormac/Killoughey who took the semi final spot.
For Shinrone, it certainly had been a mixed bag of a campaign and they had to rely on a number on a number of factors to see them over the line to the knockout stages, but with two massive performances in the last group games, they dug extremely deep and in the end they deservedly took their place in the quarter finals.
It was end to end stuff from start to finish and in games like this is very hard whoever comes out on the wrong side of the scoreboard and in the end it was St Rynagh’s who had failed to reach the knockout stages last year who came through.
It started at ferocious pace and with a mere fifty seconds on the clock Shinrone who hit the ground running were 0-3 to no score thanks to Luke Watkins, Adrian Cleary and Sean Cleary.
It wasn’t long however until St Rynagh’s were on the ball and with Ben Conneely once again superb at the back, Shinrone didn’t have the same amount of freedom as they did in the opening minute.
By the 6th minute it was St Rynagh’s who were on control and thanks to scores from Darragh Scully with three, Luke O’Connor, and Eoin Woods, they were now the ones ahead 0-5 to 0-3.
In an opening half that was tit for tat it was on very fine margins that the game was poised. Adrian Cleary who put in a tremendous shift for Shinrone nudged them to within on by the 7th minute, but with his first score of the half Shane Rigney brought it back to a two point game 0-6 to 0-4 seconds later.
Sean Cleary and Gary Conneely swapped scores by the 10th minute before a fine score from Adam Landy had one between the sides, but it was St Rynagh’s who had more to come and with a brace from Shane Rigney and Luke O’Connor, they were three clear 0-9 to 0-6 with twelve on the clocks.
Spectators had barely time to catch their breaths as the scores kept coming and with two frees from Donal Morkan, the gap was back to one 0-9 to 0-8 with fifteen played.
Gary Conneely with his second long range free restored a two point lead for ‘Rynagh’s but with two scores in quick succession from Dan Doughan and Donal Morkan the sides were level 0-10 each with nineteen played.
Eamonn Cleary noted for his long range free taking hit Shinrone back in front but it was only a matter of minutes before St Rynagh’s attacked again and with three scores from Shane Rigney with two and Luke O’Connor, St Rynagh’s were two clear 0-13 to 0-11 with twenty eight played.
Luke Watkins and James O’Sullivan were on the mark for Shinrone again, but with scores from Evan Houlihan and Ronan Hughes it was St Rynagh’s who took a lead into the break 0-15 to 0-13 and a game very evenly poised.
Shinrone came out firing in all cylinders on the resumption and much like they did in the opening half, they hit the ground running.
Donal Morkan hit over the first score and with a follow up from James O’Sullivan the sides were level at 0-15 each, but the deadlock wasn’t on the cards for long and with two more scores from Jason Sampson and another from his younger brother Killian, Shinrone were two ahead 0-17 to 0-15 four minutes into the restart.
Eoin Woods landed a much needed score for St Rynagh’s who were now struggling to get into the second half and with that Shinrone took over again with three on the bounce from Adrian Cleary, Adam Landy and Donal Morkan, the gap was four 0-2 to 0-16 with forty played.
St Rynagh’s were really living off scrapes now. Eoin Woods (2) and Aaron Molloy did point but with a brace from Donal Morkan and a follow up free from Eamonn Cleary the scores read 0-23 to 0-19 with fifty on the clock.
Shinrone were in the driving seat for sure, but that’s when the game turned on its head. Shane Rigney made a brilliant run and despite three on him he got the pass off to the overlapping Stephen Quirke and rattled the net and in the blink of an eye one separated the sides, 0-23 to 1-19.
Sean Cleary steadied the ship for Shinrone, but with St Rynagh’s now with a new found sense of self belief, they hit the next five without reply from Eoin Woods (2), Gary Conneely, Darragh Scully and Shane Rigney as Shinrone raked up the wides.
Shinrone did have the final say of the game with JP Cleary pointing. They did try to lob the sliothar in a few times to get the goal they craved, but it was St Rynagh’s who held on for a massive win. The final scores reading 1-24 to 0-25.
The Scorers
St Rynagh’s: Eoin Woods 0-7 (0-3 Frees), Shane Rigney 0-5, Darragh Scully 0-3, Luke O’Connor 0-3, Gary Conneely 0-3 (Frees), Stephen Quirke 1-0, Evan Houlihan 0-1, Ronan Hughes 0-1, Aaron Molloy 0-1.
Shinrone: Donal Morkan 0-7 (0-6 Frees), Adrian Cleary 0-3, Sean Cleary 0-3, Luke Watkins 0-2, James O’Sullivan 0-2, Eamonn Cleary 0-2 (Frees), Adam Landy 0-2, Jason Sampson 0-1, Killian Sampson 0-1, Dan Doughan 0-1, JP Cleary 0-1.
The Teams
St Rynagh’s: Conor Clancy; Matthew Maloney, Ben Conneely, Dominic Healy; Pat Camon, Joey O’Connor (Capt.), Gary Conneely; Stephen Quirke, Evan Houlihan; Shane Rigney, Ronan Hughes, Eoin Woods; Darragh Scully, Luke O’Connor, Aaron Molloy.
Subs: Ciaran Daly for Evan Houlihan (43 mins), Paul Quirke for Aaron Molloy (49 mins).
Shinrone: Eamonn Cleary; Dominic Healy, Darragh Landy, Gearoid Maher; Dan Doughan, Killian Sampson (Capt.), Dara Maher; Luke Watkins, Adrian Cleary; James O’Sullivan, Jason Sampson, Adam Landy; Sean Cleary, Paul Cleary, Donal Morkan.
Subs: JP Cleary for Donal Morkan (49 mins), Declan Cleary for Luke Watkins (52 mins), Eoin Bailey O’Brien for James O’Sullivan (57 mins), Fionn Carney for Sean Cleary (57 mins).
Referee: Matthew Farrell (Tullamore).
By Offaly Secretary Sat 19th Sep
