Offaly S.H.C. Semi-final
Ballyskenach's forwards fail to ignite
St. Rynagh's 1-13 ....... Ballyskenach 0-11Report by: Alan Walsh
ST. RYNAGH'S weren't seriously tested to the extent that many people had predicted as they brushed aside Ballyskenach's challenge in the first of the Offaly senior hurling championship semi-finals at St. Brendan's Park last Saturday.
Experience and cuteness was the key for the Shannonsiders as they emerged
victorious by five points to reach their 27th county decider since 1964 where
their opponents will be Birr. The last time St. Rynagh's were champions was
in 1993, and interestingly, that success came at Birr's expense.
St. Rynagh's hurled with the strong wind in the first half and at half-time they boasted a ten points cushion of 1-10 to 0-3. Ballyskenach, while they failed to score from play in the half, opened the scoring with a 4th minute John Dooley pointed free, but that was the only time they led as St. Rynagh's assumed control.
After 10 minutes the 'Saints' were 0-5 to 0-1 ahead, and by the 17th minute they were still four points up - 0-7 to 0-3. The closing minutes of the half belonged to St. Rynagh's and they added 1-3 to their tally before the interval. Their goal came in the 28th minute from a Eunan Martin free. Mick O'Hara overcarried the sliotar, and Cathal Murphy foolishly argued the decision and ref Pat Direen brought the free into a much more favourable position.
Good goal chances were fluffed by both teams in that first half. The game was only seconds old when St. Rynaghs' Fintan Dolan drilled a shot against the crossbar and in the 9th minute Michael Duignan was off target. Donal Golden had a decent opportunity in the 16th minute but hit the sidenetting and he also sent a shot bobbling across the face of David Hughes' goal.
After 12 minutes of the second half St. Rynagh's were 1-12 to 0-8 ahead and during this spell Ballyskenach saw two goal attempts saved by David Hughes. The best chance fell to David Carney just seconds after the re-start, while John Dooley was also denied. These were chances that Ballyskenach needed to put away.
There was then a 15 minutes scoring famine (between the 42nd and 57th minutes) and while Ballyskenach outscored St. Rynagh's by 0-3 to 0-1 in the dying minutes they never looked like getting the goal they so desperately needed.
A ten points half-time deficit left Ballyskenach with a second half 'Everest' to climb and it just proved to be a mountain to high. One of the main reasons for their defeat was the failure of the forwards to strike form.
Noel Murphy, who had been scorely freely from centre forward, was well held by Hubert Rigney and later Martin Hanamy, scoring just one point. While Murphy's younger brother Brendan and Donal Golden, failed to get on the scoresheet. Eight of Ballyskenach's eleven points came from John Dooley frees and three points from play is rarely ever enough to win you a county semi-final.
St. Rynagh's did what they had to do purposefully and without ever finding top gear. They scored five points in a devastating five minute spell in the early stages and that took a lot of the wind out of Ballyskenach's challenge. No doubt, they will be worried that the bulk of their scores came from just one player - Eunan Martin. He contributed 1-6, 1-3 from frees, with seven other players scoring a point each.
In the past two years St. Rynagh's have been beaten in the county final by Seir Kieran and they will be fired up to make amends for those defeats against Birr. Last year the 'Saints' rocked Birr with a goal blitz in the sem-final and they'll hold no fears for the wearers of green and red.
Two notable absentees from the St. Rynagh's side were the injured Roy Mannion and Michael Rigney and should they be fit for the final it would strengthen their hand considerably.
St. Rynagh's hit 17 wides (10 of them in the second half against the wind) over the hour and this is something they'll be hoping to improve on before the final. Ballyskenach hit ten wides in all.
The St. Rynagh's defence, as always, gave very little away. David Hughes dealt capably and confidently with anything that came his way, while fullback Sean Rigney didn't give Donal Golden a look in. Martin Hanamy performed well throughout, while Hubert Rigney scored a tremendous point from centre back in the early stages. It was the kind of score that would lift any team.
Paudie Mulhare hurled well enough at midfield but in general this was an area where St. Rynagh's could have done better. Michael Duignan did make a difference after he was drafted out the field late on. Eunan Martin featured very prominently in the first half taking some neat scores, but in the second half he missed a lot of chances. Enda Mulhare and Gary O'Connor also tried hard.
Eugene Hannon and Mick O'Hara played very well in the Ballyskenach full back line, while Mark Kirwan also did well. Barry Keeshan struggled to curtail Eunan Martin and was taken off at half-time with Liam O'Toole dropping back to defence, John Dooley to midfield and sub Bill Lalor joining the attack. Cathal Murphy gave away some silly frees and it was his dissent that led to the free for St. Rynaghs' goal being brought forward.
David Franks worked hard at midfield and he scored a good point, but it was upfront where Ballyskenach's problems lay. John Dooley's contribution was more or less restricted to frees, while Noel Murphy, Brendan Murphy and Donal Golden didn't reach the same heights as they did in previous outings. It was a frustrating game for Brendan Murphy as he was forced to go off with a hand injury late on, and while Golden did well after being switched out the field, he did have the chance or two earlier on to transform the course of things for Ballyskenach. David Carney fought tirelessly at corner forward.
Backed by the wind St. Rynagh's almost got off to the perfect start as Fintan Dolan blasted the sliotar against the crossbar and it rebounded to safety. Underdogs Ballyskenach opened the scoring in the 4th minute. Brendan Murphy was fouled by Shane Horan and John Dooley converted the first of his eight frees.
That was as good as it got for Ballyskenach as St. Rynagh's took matters by the scruff of the neck and scored five points on-the-trot. Paudie Mulhare pointed after a good pass from his older brother Enda and then Hubert Rigney put St. Rynagh's ahead in the 7th minute after he burst upfield past the challenges of Noel Murphy and Brendan Murphy to score a fabulous point.
Eunan Martin scored two points in rapid succession and Alan Kelly scored another as St. Rynagh's made it 0-5 to 0-1 after 10 minutes. Their advantage could have been wider as Michael Duignan had a glorious goal chance in the 9th minute but he shot wide to the right.
John Dooley registered Ballyskenach's second point, also from a free, in the 12th minute and St. Rynagh's hit back with points from Michael Duignan and Enda Mulhare. Ballyskenach's Donal Golden fluffed a goal opportunity, hitting the sliotar tamely into the sidenetting, after good work by David Franks and Noel Murphy. John Dooley then fired over his third point in the 17th minute after Noel Murphy was fouled by Darragh Kelly.
Eunan Martin (one from play, the other from a free) stretched St. Rynagh's lead to six points - 0-9 to 0-3 - by the 22nd minute and six minutes later the 'Saints' netted their only goal. Ref Pat Direen penalised Ballyskenach fullback Mick O'Hara for overcarrying. Cathal Murphy queried the decision and this dissent led to the sliotar being brought forward to just outside the 21 metres line. With Ballyskenach looking disorganised on their line Eunan Martin opted to go for goal and it was a wise choice as his shot deflected off Tom O'Toole's hurley and hit the net.
In the final minute of the half Cathal Murphy received a yellow card for a foul on Eunan Martin and Martin pointed the free to give St. Rynagh's an interval lead of 1-10 to 0-3.
Even though the strong wind was in their favour the odds were stacked against Ballyskenach as they set out to claw back a ten points deficit. They needed a quick goal after the resumption. It didn't come, but they went close. Only 14 seconds had elapsed when David Hughes moved out swiftly to deny David Carney and as the sliotar broke it was popped back over the bar from a tight angle by Noel Murphy. John Dooley added a pointed free as Ballyskenach threatened to shape a meaningful comeback.
Eunan Martin pointed a St. Rynagh's free in the 33rd minute after Darragh Kelly was fouled by Ballyskenach sub Bill Lalor. David Carney pulled a point back for Ballyskenach and in the 39th minute St. Rynaghs' Gary O'Connor went on a piercing solo run before kicking the sliotar over the bar. This left the score reading 1-12 to 0-6.
St. Rynagh's custodian David Hughes stopped a shot from John Dooley, but Ballyskenach did got some reward as David Franks and Dooley (free) fired over points thus reducing the gap to seven points with 42 minutes played.
Strangely, and quite surprisingly, there wasn't another score recorded until the 57th minute. John Dooley sent a '65 wide and Donal Golden hit the post, while St. Rynagh's sub Kieran Flannery was denied a goal by the vigilant Tom O'Toole. Ballyskenach's John Dooley converted three points in succession between the 57th and 60th minutes to close the gap to four points - 1-12 to 0-11, and an injury-time point by St. Rynagh's sub Kieran Flannery wrapped up the scoring stakes.
ST. RYNAGH'S: David Hughes; Colm Keane, Sean Rigney, Martin Hanamy; Shane
Horan, Hubert Rigney (0-1), Leonard Egan; Paudie Mulhare (0-1), Darragh Kelly;
Eunan Martin (1-6, 1-3 frees), Alan Kelly (0-1), Enda Mulhare (0-1); Gary O'Connor
(0-1), Michael Duignan (0-1), Fintan Dolan.
Sub.: Kieran Flannery (0-1) for Alan Kelly, (26 mins).
BALLYSKENACH: Tom O'Toole; Eugene Hannon (capt.), Mick O'Hara, Ollie Ryan;
Mark Kirwan, Cathal Murphy, Barry Keeshan; Liam O'Toole, David Franks (0-1);
John Dooley (0-8, all frees), Noel Murphy (0-1), Brendan Murphy; Peter Murphy,
Donal Golden, David Carney (0-1).
Subs.: Bill Lalor for Barry Keeshan, (half-time) and Eugene Kirwan for Brendan
Murphy, inj., (57 mins).
REFEREE: Pat Direen, Killeigh/Raheen.