K-K can pass Naas test as Blues reflect on tight margins
By Kevin Egan
It’s a little bit surprising that TG4 have opted to show Kilcormac-Killoughey yet again, since the entertainment value of the Offaly hurling final was low. Perhaps the determination of the executives involved was that this wasn’t the fault of Declan Laffan’s side.
The TG4 thinking behind going to Cedral St Conleth’s Park on Sunday (throw-in 3.30pm) is probably that Naas have been perceived as a side that’s ready to make a big impact at senior level in Leinster since their All-Ireland intermediate title.
The controversy surrounding the club’s decision to offer a walkover in the Kildare intermediate final has certainly raised the temperature a little, and that’s all part of the reason why this one is being assessed by the bookmaking community as a quite even contest, with K-K narrow favourites across the board.
Absolutely, this is a very tricky test for the Offaly side, but one that any aspiring Leinster championship contender should see as very winnable all the same.
The benign weather conditions that have graced the country mean that we’re still not into all-out winter hurling, which should favour a younger, faster K-K side against a more powerful and mature Naas team, and there is no substitute for coming through a competitive local championship with several hard-fought games.
If Naas were coming into this on the back of a tough battle with Westmeath, Carlow or Laois opposition, they’d be in a much better place. They’re still a threat, but one that Kilcormac-Killoughey should be capable of handling.
Tullamore's close call with Cuala
A Tullamore win over Cuala in Parnell Park last Sunday would have been a huge shot in the arm for Offaly football, as it would have made it a lot easier for clubs across the county to make peace with how superior the Blues were in the big knockout games here at home. It wasn’t to be as Con O’Callaghan got the All-Ireland favourites out of jail with a late two-pointer, so the record books will show it was yet another ‘one-and-done’ in Leinster for Tullamore.
Yet for all the disappointment that will be felt around O’Brien Park about that run of Cuala dominance in the middle of the second half, or the missed chances at the end of the first half, or indeed the poor defensive structure that led to a wild challenge, giving O’Callaghan the chance to take on that shot knowing that he had the safety net of an advantage, the Dowling Cup holders will make peace with this one.
Perhaps Cuala will get turned over by Sarsfields next time out as, like Kildare teams at every level, there is a growing groundswell of domestic optimism about what the Sash men might be able to produce.
More likely, in an All-Ireland race where heavyweight contenders are dropping like flies, the list of clubs capable of knocking over Cuala is diminishing rapidly. Portarlington and The Downs are others that will take heart from Tullamore’s display, and they have a puncher’s chance of an upset in Leinster.
Nationally, St Brigid’s have been there or thereabouts for some time, Salthill-Knocknacarra have their off-field concerns arising out of their county final celebrations but are immensely talented, and no one will dismiss the chances of Dr Crokes, Scotstown or Crossmaglen, even if it’s only for historical reasons in the case of the South Armagh side.
Still, Cuala are the benchmark until someone proves otherwise, and Tullamore couldn’t have come much closer to turning them over, in Dublin. That will surely be the message from club managers all over the county when they regather their forces in advance of the 2027 season.