Under 21 Hurling Final Preview
The 1991 Offaly hurling championships will finally be brought to a close on Sunday next when St Brendan's (Birr) and St Mary's (Shinrone/Ballyskenach) meet in the long awaited under 21 hurling final at Rath (3.00 throw in) .
The championship was held up for a variety of reasons, but principally because of Birr's involvement in the all-Ireland Club's championship. Three of the Birr side started in that club final, another came on as a sub while many of the rest of the team were on the subs bench.
St Brendan's only got around to playing their semi-final game last Sunday when they defeated Coolderry by four points after a very hard fought encounter, which was also played in Rath. It is nearly five months since St Mary's qualified for the final with an impressive win over St Rynagh' s.
That long gap between the semi-final and final won't have been any help to them but they have been keeping themselves in trim with a series of challenge games lately.
St Brendan's have the advantage of playing their semi-final last week, while many of the players will be fit because of their involvement with the Birr senior team and that should be an advantage to them going into the 'final.
The St Brendan's side showed some surprising positional placings in their semi – final against Coolderry. Johnny Pilkington was given the centre half back role while Brian Whelehan took the field at full forward. Both made good impressions in their new. positions, Whelehan scoring 1-3, but they did revert to more familiar roles later in the game when Coolderry were threatening and the change of formation helped St Brendan's to ease their way in front again in the latter stages with four unanswered points.
St Mary's have enjoyed a very good run in this competition. They scored an excellent win over St Rynagh 's in the semi-final at Moystown late last year and they have a good sprinkling of promising young hurlers. Donal Franks and Damien Franks both lined out in the All-Ireland under 21 final with Offaly last year, while a number of others have already collected county championship medals for 1991. Liam Cleare won an intermediate medal with Shinrone while John Doughan and John Dooley were among the Ballyskenach contingent who created history when Ballyskenach won the county minor title for the very first time.
St Brendan's would have the greater big time experience. The aforemen tioned Whelehan and Pilkington are regulars with the Offaly senior hurling team, while Oisin O'Neill, Noel Hogan, Neil Tierney, Frankie Pilkington have all sampled action in Offaly senior finals, and John Carroll came in as a sub in the recent All-Ireland club final.
St Brendan's had to show a lot of character to defeat Coolderry in last Sunday's semi-final. It was nip and tuck for much of the game with never more than a couple of points between them and it was only in the latter stages that Birr put a little bit of daylight between the sides. However, they knew they had been in a game at the finish.
They will face an equally tough task next Sunday. The Shinrone-Ballyskenach side is brimful of confidence and with plenty of talented young hurlers they will give St Brendan's plenty to think about for the hour. They will go into the game as underdogs but that won't perturb them and they are quite capable of upsetting the applecart.
St Brendan's did encounter a few problems in attack last Sunday. Brian Whelehan was the hub of most of their best moves but he didn't get sufficient back-up from the remaining forwards for most of the game and if the attack doesn't get into top gear on Sunday they could have problems.
Oisin O'Neill will find himself coming up against former colleagues when he lines out on Sunday. Up to his last year at minor level he lined out with Shinrone before transferring to Birr so he will be in opposition to many of the players he played with in Sunday's game.
St Brendan's are the holders of this crown. They won it virtually be default in 1990 when St Rynagh's failed to field in the final and the match was awarded to Birr. St Rynagh's and St Brendan's have dominated the competition throughout the latter eighties, with the Shannonsiders having a particularly good run, beating St Brendan's in a number of finals.
St Mary's have finally broken up the monopoly these two clubs appeared to be gaining on the trophy. Their victory over St Rynagh ' s was well merited and they showed that day that they are quite a capable side, with the ability to pick off plenty of scores and beat the best of teams.
The Shinrone-Ballyskenach combination have had a long wait for this final and they are ready for action and rearing to go. It was somewhat unfair that they had to wait so long but they have done their best to try and keep sharp and are confident that they will do themselves justice on Sunday.
St Mary's last won the title in 1978 while Shinrone won it the previous year and also won the inaugural title in 1960. Birr or the combination of St Brendan's have won the title on six previous occasions.
St Brendan's will go into Sunday's final with the favourites tag. They have the experience and the big guns for the big occasion but they can't rule out S t Mary's. Coolderry showed last week that the Birr side is vulnerable and that will have given St Mary's heart. They are a young side and have some players with great potential but that might not be enough on Sunday. If St Brendan's go out with the right attitude they should just have the edge to retain the under 21 crown.