The man behind the wire: Early senior hurling drama shows the folly of Offaly football format
IT was difficult not to feel a tinge of annoyance and anger looking at the opening round of the Offaly Senior Hurling Championship last weekend.
As I watched St Rynagh's and Coolderry tear into each other with near enough everything they had in Birr on Saturday evening and as word came through about Kinnitty staging a terrific shock win over Belmont, the realisation hit home that the group stages of the Senior, Senior “B” and Intermediate Football Championships will provide none of this type of drama or intensity.
The football championships get underway this week but with every team qualifying for the quarter-finals in senior, senior “B” and intermediate, the stakes just aren't there to generate any real drama or excitement.
Hurling is the polar opposite and the group stages of all championships are worth watching. The top team in each group qualifies for the semi-finals and second and third criss cross in two quarter-finals.
There is a real battle field of a group in the Senior Hurling Championship. Ballinamere, Birr, Belmont, Shinrone and Kinnitty are all paired in the one group and the margin for error here is miniscule.
Kinnitty's superb 1-12 to 0-12 win over Belmont has thrown it all up in the air and every game from now on will be fought with the intensity of knockout hurling. Another defeat could prove fatal for Belmont and their predicament shows the attraction of championship hurling – they looked in very good health when beating Birr in the Division 1 Hurling League final with a performance that suggested they were championship contenders but now find themselves on very thin ice.
Ballinamere and Birr served up a very exciting 2-17 to 1-20 draw in the other group 1 game, played last Thursday evening. The game didn't fully ignite but it still provided great, compelling viewing with both sides knowing the repercussions of defeat and fighting to the final whistle.
Group 2 in the Senior Hurling Championship may not be as dramatic but there is sufficient at stake to keep attention focused. Kilcormac-Killoughey showed the form of champions as they destroyed Tullamore by 1-36 to 0-13 on Friday evening. The meeting of St Rynagh's and Coolderry was far more competitive, much more entertaining than the final score of 2-19 to 0-16 might suggest.
St Rynagh's got away in the second half to win convincingly but would they have fought so hard if the format was the same as the football? Kilcormac-Killoughey, St Rynagh's and Coolderry are the three front runners in this group but Seir Kieran and Tullamore will be dreaming – they will be targeting Coolderry in particular and one shock win by one of the two underdogs could change everything in this group.
It is the same in the other hurling championships. Clodiagh Gaels and Carrig-Riverstown are on the short list of favourites in senior “B” and like Birr and Ballinamere, were glad of a draw and not a defeat in their opening game last weekend.
Intermediate hurling looks to be very competitive, though Edenderry's 4-23 to 0-4 defeat by Drumcullen suggests that they won't be at the races. Shamrocks will be confident of beating Edenderry but their opening defeat by Seir Kieran in group 1 means that they simply have to get the win there when they meet on August 4.
Group 2 in this looks like it will be very tight. Shinrone had a point to spare, 1-17 to 1-16, over Ballinamere while a strong looking Coolderry outfit had a 4-19 to 3-14 win over St Rynagh's but this was in the balance for a good while.
Contrast all this with the football. With teams having home advantage in rounds 1 and 2 – the third round will be at neutral venues -, there should be great excitement around fixtures but the format doesn't lead to this.
Yes, clubs will go out and try and win their games. There will be a reasonable level of intensity and there will be some entertainment but it is still not championship football as we know it. It can't be that with no punishment for losing games.
In senior football, Ballycommon host Tullamore and Bracknagh welcome Rhode in group 1. Ballycommon's return to senior ranks and hosting the county champions and neighbours, Tullamore should be a great occasion. It will mean something to them but for neutrals and in terms of repercussions, it just doesn't matter and that is a shame – this is the type of game that Tullamore could lose but whether they do or don't is largely immaterial in the broader scheme of things.
Similarly, Shamrocks host Ferbane and Durrow welcome Edenderry in group 2. Whether by accident or design, it is interesting to note that the four underdogs have home games in the first round.
The first round games down the line should be very interesting. In senior “B”, Ballycumber are at home to Tubber in a derby while two of the favourites, Cappincur and Clonbullogue clash in group 1 in Cappincur – in group 2, Clara welcome Gracefield while Daingean are at home to Walsh Island.
In intermediate football, the group 2 parish derby between Raheen and Ballinagar in Geashill on Friday evening, should be one of the fixtures of the weekend. The nature of the rivalry between these clubs ensures that it will attract considerable local interest and there will be a large crowd there but for neutrals, the outcome is now of very peripheral interest.
That is not the way it should be. The championship was changed to provide an extra game but it only does this for a small few clubs. The reward does not justify such a fundamental change. The County Board – and it is the clubs who voted this in – have failed in one of their basic duties this year and hopefully that will never happen again. The championship is there now and may be got on with but the reality is clubs are facing into a fairly meaningless league system for the next six weeks and it is only after that when supporters will get to see genuine championship action where there are consequences for not performing.