Offaly SHC Final Kilcormac-Killoughey 3-26 Shinrone 3-08
Kilcormac-Killoughey produced champagne hurling to stun a shocked Shinrone in Birr's St Brendan's Park on Sunday, gaining sweet revenge for a traumatic defeat in last year's final.
Giving one of their greatest ever displays, it was amazing hurling by Kilcormac-Killoughey who controlled the game from start to finish and were every bit as convincing winners as the final score of 3-26 to 3-08 indicates.
Indeed, Shinrone's three goals came in the closing eleven minutes when the game was so far beyond their reach that they couldn't harbour any dreams of a come back.
No one saw this one coming as K-K played with an incredible intensity and work rate. They took control of the game early on, had a huge lead at half time and never let them get a look in during the second half.
Kilcormac-Killoughey played dream hurling in the first half and a stunned Shinrone had absolutely no answer.
The intensity of K-K's approach, their work rate and pace left Shinrone floundering and they were in serious bother when they trailed by 1-17 to 0-06 at half time.
It was a serious lead and Shinrone just couldn't get anything going. K-K had five points on the board in five minutes before Dara Maher got Shinrone's first point from a long range free in the 7th minute.
It was 0-08 to 0-01 before they got their second point, another free in the 13th minute, and they then steadied the ship briefly. But K-K were on fire in the first half with their half forward line scoring eight points.
They were 0-12 to 0-05 clear after 25 minutes and outscored them by 1-05 to 0-01 in the closing minutes for that half time lead – the goal came from James Gorman in the 30th minute after he brilliantly won a Cathal Kiely delivery.
While K-K did not score as much in the second half, the result was a formality from very early. Playing with great efficiency, they continued to dominate and were 1-20 to 0-07 ahead when the excellent Charlie Mitchell got in for their second goal in the 41st minute.
Man of the match Conor Mahon got his sixth point just before a fortunate third goal when Cathal Kiely's long range delivery went all the way to the net in the 45th minute. With a 3-22 to 0-07 lead, K-K could afford the luxury of running in their quota of subs in the closing quarter and Shinrone fought for their pride.
They did get three goals in the closing eleven minutes, two from Dara Maher frees and one from Jason Sampson but this was a nightmare day for Shinrone, one that will be celebrated long and hard in Kilcormac-Killoughey this week – as they captured their fifth title and first since 2017.
Kilcormac-Killoughey: Conor Slevin; Brecon Kavanagh (0-1), Oisin Mahon, Tom Spain; Jordan Quinn, Cillian Kiely (0-2, 2f), Enda Grogan; Cathal Kiely (1-1), Damien Kilmartin (0-1); Jack Screeney (0-3), Conor Mahon (0-6), Charlie Mitchell (1-4); Colin Spain, James Gorman (1-0), Adam Screeney (0-7, 5f and 1 '65).
Subs: Peter Geraghty for Gorman (44m), Ger Healion for Conor Mahon (49m), Thomas Geraghty (0-1) for Cathal Kiely (52m), Killian Leonard for Jack Screeney (58m), Shane Guinan for Kilmartin (58m),
Shinrone: Eamon Cleary; Darren Crean, Darren O'Meara, Darragh Landy; Michael Cleary, Conor Doughan, Dara Maher (2-1, all frees); Declan Cleary (0-2), Luke Watkins (0-1); Adrian Cleary, Donal Morkan (0-2, 2f), Killian Sampson (0-2, 1f); Sean Cleary, Jason Sampson (1-0), Sean Cleary.
Shinrone : Dan Doughan for Declan Cleary (39m), Ciaran Cleary for Paul Cleary (39m), JP Cleary for Morkan (46m), Joe Cleary for Watkins (46m), David Murray for Sean Cleary (53m)
Referee: Brian Gavin (Clara).
