Seir Kieran 3-15 ......... Ballyskenach 1-6
SEIR
Kieran needed victory in this Offaly SHC Group 1 encounter to remain in contention
for the knockout stages. But they hardly expected to have things so easy as
they destroyed hapless Ballyskenach by 3-15 to 1-6 in a shockingly one-sided
mis-match at St. Brendan’s Park, Birr last Saturday afternoon.
There was a paltry attendance, and perhaps it was just as well, because the standard of hurling was absolutely terrible at times, and the lop-sided nature of the result should be enough to set alarm bells ringing among GAA chiefs in the county.
Two years ago, a young and promising Ballyskenach side reached the county semi-final and were in some ways unfortunate to lose to St. Rynagh’s. However, they have taken a disappointing step backwards. Perhaps, they are the victims of circumstance.
No club can afford to be without the likes of Mick O’Hara, David Franks, John Dooley, David Carney, Donal Golden or Liam O’Toole, especially a small, rural unit like Ballyskenach. Nonetheless, the fact that they are struggling to compete meaningfully has to be a huge source of concern for them and everyone else associated with Offaly hurling.
Ballyskenach are now almost certainly out of the championship (they’d need Drumcullen to defeat St. Rynagh’s and Seir Kieran, and then for themselves to defeat St. Rynagh’s - a scenario that is most unlikely) and they look to be heading for a place in the weak group next year.
Indeed, on the evidence of last weekend’s results, it would seem that a return to eight teams in the SHC isn’t far around the corner.
Seir Kieran, last year’s runners-up and the champions of ‘98, maintained the good form they showed while winning the Pat Carroll Cup recently, and their superiority was further demonstrated by the fact that they could afford to hit sixteen wides.
The Clareen men oozed class. They didn’t need to reach top gear at all and this win, after their first round loss to St. Rynagh’s, keeps them on course for the knockouts, with their 3rd round tussle against Drumcullen being of paramount importance.
Seir Kieran enjoyed the benefit of the wind in the first half and they led by 1-9 to 0-2 at the interval, with the goal coming from Barry Bergin. The one-way traffic continued in the second half and two further goals by Johnny Dooley put the icing on the cake as his side triumphed by a huge fifteen points margin.
Ballyskenach didn’t raise a single flag from play in the first half, and their only player to score from play was Brendan Murphy. None of the other forwards scored at all. While goalkeeper Alan Franks was their top scorer! They also wasted a string of second half frees which they would have been better advised to stick over the bar.
Manager Danny Owens tried to re-jig matters for the second half, making sweeping switches that saw Ollie Ryan revert to corner back, with full back Cathal Murphy and midfielder Bill Lalor moving to the full forward line. The changes had little effect, although Brendan Murphy did much better on the wing than he did on the fringe of the square.
Paddy O’Meara’s Seir Kieran, who will have a major say in the destination of the Sean Robbins Cup, were in control throughout the pitch. Liam Coughlan made some decent saves, with Kevin Kinahan and Kieran Dooley performing solidly in defence. Joe Guinan got through a vast amount of work at midfield and while Johnny Dooley missed some opportunities he’d normally put away, he still ended the hour with 2-3 to his credit.
The sprightly Joe Dooley subjected Mark Kirwan to a torrid time, scoring four delightful first half points, while Seamus Dooley, who tested the patience of the referee, scored three points, all of them set up by brother Billy. Indeed, Billy’s work rate was highly impressive, especially in the second half, when he operated from midfield.
This was definitely a match to forget for Ballyskenach, and their best performers were Brendan Franks, Tom O’Toole, Eugene Hannon and Brendan Murphy.
Wind assisted Seir Kieran took just two minutes to get off the mark as Joe Dooley collected a Damien Murphy clearance and pointed. Ballyskenach levelled matters in the 7th minute. A Derek Middleton shot was saved at the expense of a ‘65 which Tom O’Toole converted.
Seir Kieran then pulled away at their ease, and by the 20th minute they were 0-6 to 0-1 ahead thanks to points from the camáns of Johnny Dooley (2), Mick Coughlan and Joe Dooley (2). By this time Ballyskenach’s wides tally was up to five, and this included a wide from a free by their ‘keeper Alan Franks, after an incident that saw Mick Coughlan being yellow carded.
Bill Lalor (free) slotted over Ballyskenach’s second and final point of the half in the 23rd minute, and they were under the cosh for the closing minutes as Seir Kieran added 1-3 to their tally.
Seamus Dooley and Joe Dooley notched points from play, before in the 29th minute a Joe Guinan shot from all of 30 yards came back off the upright and it was finished to the net by Barry Bergin. Johnny Dooley (free) made it 1-9 to 0-2, and in added time Billy Dooley struck Seir Kieran’s 6th wide.
On the resumption, Seir Kieran’s bombardment continued. Points by Seamus Dooley and Mick Coughlan extended their lead to 12 points, 1-11 to 0-2. Revamped Ballyskenach almost nabbed a goal in the 34th minute. A Bill Lalor free was well stopped by Liam Coughlan, and Cathal Murphy, who had switched from full back to join the attack, was denied at the second time of asking.
Between the 35th and 44th minute Ballyskenach scored three points in succession with Brendan Murphy, Bill Lalor (free) and Tom O’Toole (‘65) finding the range, 0-5 to 1-11.
But strangely at the other end, Seir Kieran were bitten by the wides bug, and they were off target six times in the opening twelve miniutes of the half, with Johnny Dooley, uncharacteristically, accounting for four of these.
Seamus Dooley and Brendan Murphy scored points from play at either end, before in the 47th minute, Johnny Dooley, who had switched to the Seir Kieran attack, showed deft skill to pick up the sliothar amid a cluster of defenders and lift the net, 2-12 to 0-6. The 50th minute saw ref Brian Gavin show three yellow cards - to Ballyskenach’s Tom O’Toole and to Seir Kieran’s Dooley brothers, Joe and Seamus.
Ballyskenach were awarded a penalty in the 55th minute when Noel Murphy was hauled down and this was dispatched to the net by their ‘keeper Alan Franks, despite the best efforts of Liam Coughlan, 1-6 to 2-12. Seir Kieran finished strongly though. Joe Guinan, after a terrific solo run, and sub Damien Coffey floated over points.
And then in the 59th minute a speculative, lobbing shot from 35 yards by Johnny Dooley deceived Franks to wind up in the net. A wide by Michael John Corrigan brought Seir Kieran’s wides tally for the half to ten, and in the 2nd minute of injury-time the hard working Billy Dooley scored his side’s final point, leaving them as emphatic 15 point winners, 3-15 to 1-6.
Teams & Scorers
SEIR KIERAN: Liam Coughlan; Kieran Dooley, Paddy Connors, Damien Murphy; Kevin
Carey, Kevin Kinahan, Ray Dooley; Johnny Dooley (2-3, 0-2 frees), Joe Guinan
(0-1); Finbar O’Neill, Seamus Dooley (0-3), Joe Dooley (0-4); Billy Dooley (capt.,
0-1), Mick Coughlan (0-2), Barry Bergin (1-0).
Subs.: Aidan O’Neill for Finbar O’Neill, (51 mins), Damien Coffey (0-1) for
Seamus Dooley, (51 mins) and Michael John Corrigan for Mick Coughlan, (58 mins).
BALLYSKENACH: Alan Franks (1-0, penalty); Brendan Franks, Cathal Murphy, Eoin
Maher; Mark Kirwan, Tom O’Toole (0-2, two 65’s), Eugene Hannon (capt.); Barry
Keeshan, Bill Lalor (0-2, two frees); Derek Middleton, Pat Donnelly, Ollie Ryan;
Ciarán Kirwan, Brendan Murphy (0-2), Eugene Kirwan.
Sub.: Noel Murphy for Ciarán Kirwan, inj., (29 mins).
REFEREE: Brian Gavin, Clara.