Kilcormac-Killoughey in control as five in a row secured for second time

FORCED to work hard but always looking like they had an extra gear if required, Kilcormac-Killoughey won the U-20 Hurling Championship with a degree of comfort as they wore down Shinrone/Ballyskenach-Killavilla in the final at Birr on Saturday afternoon.

Molloy Environmental Systems U20 Hurling Championship final

Kilcormac-Killoughey 1-14

Shinrone/Ballyskenach-Killavilla 0-10

With Adam Screeney proving to be the difference between the teams, even though he was carrying a groin injury and played with himself to an extent, K-K never looked like losing as they won five in a row in the U-20/21 grade for the second time. A previous golden generation won five in a row from 1994 to 1998 but many of this one already have senior medals in their back pockets whereas success eluded the previous one.

An entertaining game of hurling emerged and SBK deserve credit for the way they battled and fought against superior opposition. They made life difficult for the winners but they were swimming against the tide the whole day. They had a few chances in the second half that would have made a difference, and could very easily have ended up with K-K's tally but the impression that the winners would have trumped that if needed is impossible to avoid.

With three normal starters absent, Kilcormac-Killoughey were more vulnerable than normal but they were still the better side by a distance. Ter Guinan, Daniel Hand and Stephen Gleeson were all big losses. Guinan was out with a long term hamstring injury and was a massive loss – his absence was also really felt by their seniors and he was outstanding for them in the Offaly campaign.

Gleeson was suspended while Hand was on a family holiday. Hand's absence was a talking point in Birr in the wake of the controversial, very questionable and much debated club decision to dismiss his father Shane as senior manager, despite leading them to back to back championships and to the Leinster club final, where they lost to Na Fianna.

No family could legislate for a final on the Saturday before Christmas and it was far from an ideal fixture. Efforts to get it played earlier in the week didn't work due to a myriad of reasons and while it could have been played in the new year and the fixtures makers were amendable to this, it is understood that the clubs were keen to get it played at this stage.

It was played in very difficult conditions with a strong swirling wind that seemed to favour both teams at different stages in each half and was no great help to anyone.

It seemed to favour Shinrone/Ballyskenach-Killavilla at the start but at one stage in the first half, it looked to be blowing the opposite way. Occasional showers added to the difficulty for the players and they deserve credit for serving up a decent game.

K-K led by 1-7 to 0-5 at half time and Adam Screeney was very much the difference between them in the first half. Three of his four first half points came from play, his vision and skill led directly to a couple of more points while he had an inadvertent assist in their 24th minute goal – his free from just inside half way was held up by the wind and Alex Kavanagh got a touch to it when it fell in the goal mouth.

That goal was followed by a delicious point from play and a free from Screeney as K-K went 1-7 to 0-3 clear. SBK battled hard but struggled to break down a very good defence. Crucially, however, Eoin Bailey-O'Brien and Gearoid Maher converted late frees and a five point deficit meant that they still had a chance at the break.

To take that, however, they had to take every chance and they missed too much in the second half to cause real anxiety for the winners. Liam O'Riordan and Seamie Cleere were off target with early chances and they were unlucky when Eoin Bailey-O'Brien's snap shot after a free dropped in flew just wide.

Without doing anything spectacular, K-K picked off regular scores to stay in control. Their first touch in difficult conditions commanded complete respect and they had the game won when they led by 1-12 to 0-7 after 47 minutes. Leigh Kavanagh missed a great chance of a goal in the 49th minute, drawing a super save from Matt Watkins after being sent in by Screeneny, but the excellent Brian Guinan tapped over two quality points to make it 1-14 to 0-7 with five minutes left.

It all dwindled out very tamely in the closing quarter and SBK applied considerable pressure but three points was way short of what they needed – James Liffey almost got a goal in injury time but that wouldn't have saved them/.

MATCH ANALYSIS

MAN OF THE MATCH

Adam Screeney (Kilcormac-Killoughey): K-K had a lot of players who went well but Adam Screeney was the reason they were so comfortable of winners. He got eight points, four from play, but was involved in so many other scores. His ability to find space created chances and he was the best player on the field.

James Mahon, Harry Sweeney, Brecon Kavanagh, Brian Guinan, Mark Mulrooney and Alex Kavanagh also had very good spells for the winners.

SBK gave it their best shot. Liam O'Riordain really tried to pull them into it in the second half while Gearoid Maher, James Liffey and Eoin Bailey-O'Brien were among the players who caught the eye but K-K were a superior force.

THE SCORERS

Kilcormac-Killoughey: Adam Screeney 0-8 (4f), Alex Kavanagh 1-1, Brian Guinan 0-2, Oisin Guinan, Colin Spain and Mark Mulrooney 0-1 each.

Shinrone/Ballyskenach-Killavilla: Eoin Bailey-O'Brien 0-6 (4f), Liam O'Riordan 0-2, Gearoid Maher (f) and Seamie Cleere 0-1 each.

THE TEAMS

KILCORMAC-KILLOUGHEY: Morgan Bennett; Donnacha Kilmartin, James Mahon, Harry Sweeney; Richie Bracken, Brecon Kavanagh, Oisin Guinan; Colin Spain, Brian Guinan; Luke Bracken, Leigh Kavanagh, Mark Mulrooney; Jack Buckley, Alex Kavanagh, Adam Screeney. Subs – Michael Kelly for Buckley (39m), Sean Gill for Luke Bracken (56m), Eamon Molloy for Guinan (58m), Brendan White for Screeney (59m),

SHINRONE/BALLYSKENACH-KILLAVILLA: Matt Watkins; Sam Younge, Paul Simpson, Jason Sampson; Liam O'Regan, Gearoid Maher, Adrian Dockery; James Sullivan, Kian Fallon; James Liffey, Liam O'Riordan, Sean Delaney; Seamie Cleere, Eoin O'Bailey-O'Brien, James Morkan. Subs – Jason Dockery for Adrian Dockery (48m), Ronan Dockery for Fallon (55m), Aaron Brereton for Younge (57m), Kyle Hanamy for Delaney (57m),

Referee – Adam Kinahan (Clodiagh Gaels).

REFEREE WATCH

Adam Kinahan had a good game. He allowed for the conditions, let play develop and was in control.

MOMENT OF THE MATCH

Alex Kavanagh's 20th minute goal gave K-K a 1-5 to 0-2 lead and they had a winning cushion from here to the final whistle. It shows the way fortune can sometimes favour good teams. Kavanagh's goal came after Adam Screeney's free dropped short – at the other end, Eoin Bailey-O'Brien's 38th minute shot from a similar free dropping into the goalmouth flew centimetres wide and a goal at that stage would have made it interesting.

VENUE WATCH

Birr had loads of stewards to manage the fixture and the pitch was as good as could be expected in wintry conditions.

WHAT'S NEXT

This final finally brought the curtain down on a long 2024 Offaly GAA club season.

STATISTICS

Wides: K-K - 9 (4 in first half); SBK - 6 (2 in first half).

Yellow cards: K-K – 2 (Luke Bracken and Richie Bracken); SBK – 1 (Eoin Bailey-O'Brien).

Red cards: 0.