Race for hurling title wide open in stark contrast to football scenario
By Kevin Egan
With one round of games played in each code, an Offaly SFC that looked predictable before looks even more pre-ordained than ever. Meanwhile an Offaly SHC that already looked like a fascinating competition is even more wide open, following a sensational set of results in the first round.
The absence of Adam Screeney and Charlie Mitchell from Kilcormac-Killoughey’s full forward line was always going to blunt their scoring edge and 18 wides over the course of an hour’s hurling was further evidence that they sorely missed their two leading marksmen. The problem for Declan Laffan and his selectors is that there’s no immediate prospect of that situation changing, and a suspension for Daniel Hand exacerbates the situation even further.
All of a sudden it’s far from certain that K-K will still be in the championship by the time Screeney is fit to play again, while their round five clash with Birr is suddenly shaping up as if it might be a do-or-die clash.
Birr also suffered from a bout of yips in front of the posts but it was in the full-back line, and on their own short puckout in particular, where they handed an insurmountable initiative to St Rynagh’s. There’s a lot of ground to cover from where Rynagh’s were in 2025 to where the Banagher club want to go, but they’ve clearly made real progress, with lots of energy and penetration coming from Darragh Scully, Aaron Molloy and Evan Houlihan up front.
Tullamore provided strong opposition to every team they came up against last year but that big breakthrough win never came their way. That changed on Sunday as they overcame the concession of three late goals to deservedly edge out Shinrone for a momentous win that blows group two wide open.
Ballinamere did enough to overcome a diligent Lusmagh side who just couldn’t quite overcome a handful of key absentees, but they too will feel that they have some improvement to find if they are to finally make that long-awaited breakthrough. Overall, however, a championship that probably had six or seven teams that were legitimate contenders before the weekend is now even more wide open, which is a great place for it to be.
Tullamore footballers lay down daunting marker
The same cannot be said for the football championship, where Tullamore didn’t just beat Edenderry, they left considerable psychological scarring on a possible pretender to their throne in the process.
Shamrocks and Rhode couldn’t be separated in a tie that was enjoyable to watch even if it wasn’t overly high on quality, and suddenly Saturday night’s game in Mucklagh between Shamrocks and Edenderry looks like the tie of the round, given the stakes involved.
Friday night’s game in Ferbane, with Rhode set to travel west, is the first outing this year for the home side and will serve as an interesting measure of where they stand.
Leon Fox’s return slightly mitigates the loss of Cathal Flynn, but in the context of trying to chase down a Tullamore team that looks to be at least as good as ever, Ferbane will have to show something different in what is the first chance for the new management team to demonstrate what they’re all about.
Group Two looks fascinating in the sense that two first round draws shows how little there is between all the teams. On Saturday afternoon, we’ll see where Durrow are at and if Shane Curran has been able to galvanise the football side of that community.
Ballycommon will feel that they left a win behind them against Clonbullogue and so they will look for redemption on their short trip across to Clara. The quality in the Clara/Bracknagh game felt that little bit higher all round, so Clara could have a slight edge here, but don’t expect there to be much in between the sides here either.