Champions Birr, Tullamore and Ballyskenach have already secured their places in the knock out stages while six clubs are still in contention for the other three places in those knock out stages.
With one game left just three teams know they will not be making the knock out stages, Lusmagh and Shinrone in Group 1 and Seir Kieran in Group 2. It will be the first time in many years that the Black and Amber side will not be involved in the knock out stages of the Offaly Senior Hurling Championship.
Group 1 is the most clearcut of the three groups with one game left. Birr and Tullamore have both beaten Shinrone and Lusmagh and are thus guaranteed their places in the knock out stages. They have to meet in the final group game and the winner will go directly into the semi-finals with the loser of that game facing a quarter final against the top team in Group 3. Shinrone and Lusmagh are both out of the championship and their final game will decide which team remains in the strong section of next year’s championship and which one will drop down to the weaker group.
In Group 2 three teams are in the running for the two places in the play offs. The draw between Coolderry and St Rynagh’s last week ended any lingering hopes Seir Kieran had of reaching the play offs. That draw leaves Coolderry and St Rynagh’s level on top of the group on three points with Drumcullen a point behind on two points. Drumcullen face Coolderry in their final game, knowing a win would put them in the knock out stages. Defeat for Drumcullen would put the other two teams through, no matter what the other results are.
There are still a number of combinations which could emerge from this group. Victory for Coolderry over Drumcullen and St Rynagh’s over Seir Kieran would leave both on five points and through to the play offs but they would have to meet again to decide who goes into the semi-finals and who would go into the quarter finals. Victory for Drumcullen and Seir Kieran would put Drumcullen in the semi-finals and would leave Coolderry and St Rynagh’s to play off for the quarter final place. It’s still very much to play for in this group and the final matches will have a lot at stake. Another draw could alter the picture further.
In Group 3 Ballyskenach are already through the quarter finals following their victories over Kilcormac/Killoughey and Kinnitty. Their final game against Shamrocks could see them topping the group. The other three teams in the group still have a mathematical chance of reaching the quarter finals. Kilcormac/Killoughey have two points from two games with Kinnitty and Shamrocks on one point each from their two games. If Kinnitty and Shamrocks were both to win their final games, they would have to play off to decide who joins Ballyskenach in the quarter finals and K/K would be out.
Victory for Kilcormac/Killoughey in their game against Kinnitty would put them through and the outcome of the other game would be irrelevant. However Kinnitty would leap frog K/K by winning the game between them and they would go through if Shamrocks failed to beat Ballyskenach. Shamrocks have to beat Ballyskenach to have any hope of remaining in the championship.
The standard of the championship so far has left a lot to be desired but now that it is getting down to a situation where it is do or die for teams, hopefully it will improve. There are some potentially cracking games in the final group games to decide the play off places and hopefully they will live up to that billing and provide good entertainment for Offaly Hurling fans.