K/K overcome Shamrocks as standard slips in second half

Neither Kilcormac/Killoughey or Shamrocks hurlers will have thanked the gods after having had to endure the worst of last Saturday evening"s heavy rain as they contested their senior hurling championship match. However, while both sides may cite the conditions when explaining the poor standard of hurling, that only partly excuses the comedy of errors served up by these neighbouring clubs. By way of comparison, in the match which followed and in similar conditions, Kinnitty were able to produce a fine display of fast open hurling. Indeed, the hurling deteriorated to an alarming extent after the interval as both sides became locked in a stalemate in the middle third with neither side able to make the required space to create scoring chances. Neither side put any width on their game and the midfield area resembled the M50 at rush hour. Amazingly, Derek Molloy"s pointed 40th minute free was the only score of that second half until Peter Healion"s 57th minute point which the same player followed up moments later with a goal to secure the win for K/K. With his side a point ahead on the quarter hour, Daniel Currams" wonderful solo goal which he struck off the hurl put them in the driving seat and although Derek Molloy pointed a 35-metre free, four unanswered K/K points from play - from James Gorman, Daniel Currams (2) and Brian Leonard - opened up a seven point gap. Currams at that stage was being marked by Shamrocks" full-back Neville Coughlan, having seen off each of the two Shamrocks corner-backs before then! Coughlan hurled a fine game in defence and Currams influence was curbed thereafter. To their credit, Shamrocks hit back with three points of their own before the breakthrough pointed frees by Derek Molloy and Nigel Dunne, and a point from play through Kevin Cummins, as they continued to gain possession under K/K"s puckout. Mark Yeates was hurling well in defence as was centre-back Colin Dunne, while Kevin Cummins and Nigel Dunne gave their forwards a decent supply. A frequent criticism of Shamrocks" attack is that they rely heavily on Derek Molloy for scores though on this occasion while Declan Conroy, Brian Kearney and Kevin Cummins scored from play, Molloy himself was well marshalled by Kevin Rigney and Molloy being held scoreless from play left the Shamrocks attack without any real impact. While they never looked to be in any danger of losing this match, Kilcormac/Killoughey didn"t quite spark into life the way one would expect title contenders to do. They haven"t discovered the form, or the style, which carried them to the final last year. They appear to have reverted to a long ball game having played a possession, running-type game to good effect last year, which enabled them to make space in the midfield diamond area. However, the wet evening mitigated against excessive ball handling and hand-passing. Nor do K/K look to have the necessary stamina to carry out a running game for a full match. They badly need Ger Healion to return from injury to man the full-back slot. Although Kevin Grogan hurled well at full-back - indeed he was one of their better performers on the night - Healion"s return would permit a more familiar shape to their side with Kevin Grogan returning to centre half-back and allowing Eamonn Lee revert to his regular midfield slot. Lee is a fine attacking player and last year his midfield partnership with Conor Mahon was central to their game-plan. Lining out at centre half back in this match, Lee looked at sea while Conor Mahon"s enforced absence was also a significant factor in his side"s under-performance. With such a large number of senior dual players (seven started both his match and the previous weekend"s senior football tie against Gracefield), Shamrocks are at a distinct disadvantage when facing hurling teams who largely concentrate on one code - given that on the weeks Shamrocks are playing football other hurling clubs are probably playing challenge matches against hurling clubs from other counties. And with their final group game against in-form Coolderry, at this stage it looks like Shamrocks will be facing into the relegation series.