Champions lay down serious marker, Shinrone look their main threat

By Kevin Egan

Technically, all Kilcormac-Killoughey did last Saturday afternoon in Tullamore was to qualify for the semi-finals of the senior championship.

In reality, the shock and awe that reverberated around the county in the aftermath of their 2-29 to 3-17 win over Ballinamere could well be worth a two or three-point head start in their upcoming semi-final against Birr, and the same again in the final against either Shinrone or Belmont, if they do make it that far.

There were a couple of high profile Ballinamere players who underperformed, there were more who appeared to be tasked incorrectly (Ciarán Burke following Adam Screeney around while James Gorman lorded the skies in front of goal comes to mind) and there were more who hurled valiantly against the odds, trying to stem the rising K-K tide.

Overall, there will be some regrets within the Ballinamere camp but it wasn’t that they underperformed; it was that Kilcormac-Killoughey produced as good a performance as the club has delivered in any game for a decade.

Gorman, Conor Mahon and Damien Kilmartin are in peak condition and form along the middle; Charlie Mitchell and Adam Screeney were quiet and could well have done more; and then there’s the prospect of both Ter Guinan and Leigh Kavanagh waiting in the wings, ready to bolster this group that is already quite strong.

There was a lot to like about what Shinrone did on Sunday against Coolderry and they will now be perceived as the most likely landmine between the Double Ks and a Leinster championship quarter-final in Nowlan Park. But if ever there was a case where the rest of the field is playing in hope that the favourites self-destruct, this is that instance.