Coolderry seek first Leinster title as battle with Oulart looms

2011 has been another lean year for hurling in Offaly and Wexford, and as the standard bearing clubs within the two counties prepare to do battle on what should be the last big Sunday of hurling this year, it's appropriate that yet again, good news for one of these counties will come at the expense of the other. When the two county teams met in O'Connor Park in the league, Offaly came away with a two point win that looked for all the world as if it would secure division one hurling in 2012. However Wexford dug deep to secure three points from their last two games, and it seemed as if their joy would be Offaly's heartbreak as they condemned Offaly to eighth spot, right upon the trapdoor. As it turned out the league was revamped and yet again Offaly hurling had cause for celebration while for Wexford's previous efforts were rendered redundant by the new structure. Coolderry and Oulart the Ballagh represent the last opportunity for either county to take something tangible from the year and with both sides coming here on the back of big wins away from home to the Dublin and Kilkenny champions, Nowlan Park (throw-in: 2pm) looks set to host a fitting dénouement to the season. The Wexford champions enter the game as favourites, as discussed in the betting column (see page 37), and will look at their dominant full-back line as the platform on which they can build a successful performance. Keith Rossiter remains the star attraction at full-back and without trying to second guess the intentions of either Ken Hogan or Liam Dunne, Oulart are likely to try and ensure that Rossiter is placed on the in-form Cathal Parlon, who played such a huge part in Coolderry's win over Ballyboden. If Coolderry were to deploy an orthodox full-forward line then Rossiter would simply pick up whoever lined out on the edge of the square, but as the triangular stance of the Coolderry inside line negates the need for a big fielder at the heart of it all, the door may be open for Dunne to simply designate which of his defenders will pick up which Coolderry attackers. Indeed, this could also set the stage for a battle between two very talented young hurlers in Eoin Ryan and Barry Kehoe. Ryan has really stepped up this year for Coolderry and has shown a willingness to play a leading rather than a peripheral role in the Coolderry attack. His hunger for involvement has been great to watch and both his attitude and hurling have marked him out as a likely candidate for inter-county hurling under Ollie Baker next year. Similarly Barry Kehoe has been the most improved player in the Oulart camp with a series of increasingly stylish and tidy performances from left corner-back and he too should see some inter-county action in the New Year. The advantage for Coolderry and Ryan here is that there is a ready made replacement waiting in the wings in Kevin Connolly and this could be the type of game where Ryan has to look to expend every ounce of energy in the first 40-45 minutes, hopefully sapping Kehoe in the process and leaving him vulnerable to a late onslaught from Connolly. Such a sacrificial role is not always appealing, but it could be just as valuable a contribution as playing the full hour and simply breaking even. The midfield battle is similarly intriguing, with the four midfielders each bringing very different skills to the table. Kevin Brady will relish the physical battles, particularly under the dropping ball. Though his use of the sliotar is not always in keeping with the high standard of the rest of his game, his defensive tendencies could prove very useful, either in discommoding Michael Jacob, who hoovers up a mountain of loose ball, or against David Redmond, who can be a point-scoring threat from long range when given the opportunity to shoot. Coolderry's Kevin Teehan has a deftness and subtlety to his game that doesn't always get fully appreciated and with his midfield partner bolstering the defence, Teehan needs to be the launchpad for the Coolderry attack. Aimless high balls either wide of the target or raining down on top of Rossiter will only energise the Wexford club and must be avoided at all costs. Defensively, Coolderry could be facing the prospect of their main asset - Joe Brady - being bypassed as Oulart look instead to exploit their main scoring threats deployed in the wide positions. Out of the 5-24 that Oulart have scored in this competition, a mere two points have come from the spinal positions in the attack. Instead, it's been corner men Eoin Moore and Rory Jacob who've been scoring most freely, while Garrett Sinnott looks instead to spoil play from the centre-forward position. While Sinnott is a formidable competitor, he's still unlikely to want to spend his hour fighting for balls dropping from the clouds against the Coolderry talisman. Equally, Oulart would much prefer to see their inside line coming on to low deliveries and breaking ball than directing their possession at the middle of the 45m line. It will be interesting to see how Ben O'Connor chooses to puck out the ball in the early stages of this contest and a lot will depend on how Coolderry react to his approach. Three competitive displays in succession against Kilkenny opposition in this competition have established that Oulart are heavyweight club players now, who don't need to bend the knee to any team left in the race for the All-Ireland title. However Coolderry have earned plenty of respect too with their win in Parnell Park last time out and if they can maximise their advantages in a few key spots, this could yet another good day for the club in what has already been a groundbreaking year.