Offaly Intermediate Hurling Preview
Indeed it is a remarkable achievement for both teams to get to this eagerly awaited decider which will be played in Lusmagh at 3.30 pm. At the start of the year neither side were fancied to reach the Intermediate decider but now they are both on the brink of unexpected glory.
Two years ago Ballyskenach were a young promising Junior Hurling team that desperately needed a break. But after John Dooley and Co. bridged a 17 year gap by wining the Offaly Junior Hurling crown they are just a step away from gaining Senior status. Ten of the Ballyskenach side are under 22.
Killeigh/Raheen who were also rank outsiders at the beginning of the championship have also achieved success very quickly with what is also a very young team. Apart from veterans like Fintan Kelly and Pat Lanigan the average age of the Killeigh/Raheen team is about 23.
A handful of their present side won an Offaly U-16 'B' Hurling title in 1992 and recently five of their players were members of the Killeigh/Raheen outfit which captured the 1994 Offaly U-21 Hurling 'B' crown.
Underage success has also provided the springboard to Ballyskenach's meteoric rise in recent years. In 1991 Ballyskenach won an Offaly Minor Hurling 'A' title after capturing the 'B' title a year previously. Two years later they lost in the 'A' final at the hands of Kilcormac/Killoughey after a replay.
Although a Ballyskenach/Shinrone combination team and Ballyskenach lost two Offaly U-21 Hurling finals it has given their young players valuable experience of playing at the highest level and more importantly of featuring in County finals.
Killeigh have four Intermediate titles to their credit. They achieved their last success in this competition in 1981 and previous victories were recorded in 1942, '50 and '55.
Ballyskenach's solitary Intermediate title in 1979 came two years after they had won the Junior crown. The present side will be hoping to achieve that feat in the space of just one year.
Both sides play a similar type of game by playing direct hurling and this final could be a battle of wits between the two respective managers Percy Clendennen and Paddy Kirwan.
The Ballyskenach team is very much a family affair and is made up of a few households which illustrates how closely knit they are. There are five sets of brothers on the Ballyskenach team – the O'Tooles Liam and Paul, the Kirwans John and Eugene, the two Franks Donal and Aidan, the Murphys Cathal, Noel and Peter plus the two McLoughlins Philip and Padraig.
Their paths to the final are also very similar. The two teams are unbeaten this year and they won their semi-finals thanks to great second-half fightbacks. Killeigh/Raheen's revival was the most dramatic. Trailing by four points six minutes into the second-half Killeigh/Raheen looked to be in dire straits. But they scored 2-5 without reply to defeat St Rynagh's on a 3-10 to 2-6 scoreline.
Ballyskenach turned a seven point interval deficit into a three point victory to defeat Birr by 1-14 to 2-8 in the other semi-final. Birr were still five points up midway through the second-half but the winners produced a storming finish to secure victory.
When these two teams met at minor level Ballyskenach triumphed by the narrowest of margins and you can expect another close battle in this encounter. Because these two teams haven't crossed paths in recent years it is very difficult to predict this contest which could go either way.
Ballyskenach enter this game with injuries to two key players Donal Franks and Philip McLoughlin. Considering Ballyskenach draw their players from just a few hundred people they simply can't afford to do without any player.
Eugene Hannon. Michael Ryan and Cathal Murphy are defenders who together with their colleagues will be attempting to close down the likes of Declan Gorman, Andrew Brophy and Brian Deering in the Killeigh/Raheen attack.
Eugene Kirwan and Ollie Ryan have developed a good understanding in Ballyskenach's midfield but they will have to work hard to gain possession against the talented Willie O'Connell and Dermot Plunkett.
Ballyskenach captain John Dooley leads by example and he will punish any frees Killeigh/Raheen concede thanks to his accuracy from placed balls. Peter and Noel Murphy are useful forwards. A lot will be expected from Fintan Kelly, Paul and John O'Rourke in the Killeigh/Raheen defence.
Killeigh/Raheen are a physically stronger team but Ballyskenach will try to counteract this by keeping the ball moving quickly. Hunger for victory plus the ability of key players on both sides to deliver the goods under pressure could be decisive.
Ballyskenach have happy memories of Lusmagh after capturing the Junior title there last year and this venue could be an advantage to them. They will be hoping for a dry day in order to play their open fluent direct hurling.
Killeigh/Raheen will be very determined but Ballyskenach look to be a little better balanced and might just shade the issue.