Clodiagh Gaels and Kilcormac-Killoughey set pace in Offaly SHC “B”

AS expected, Clodiagh Gaels and Kilcormac-Killoughey have emerged as the early pace setters in the Molloy Environmental Systems Senior “B” Hurling Championship.

Both have four points from their first two games while Lusmagh and Birr have two each and Clara and Shamrocks have yet to register a win.

Kilcormac-Killoughey just edged out Clara in a tempstuous encounter on Saturday evening – Clara's Marcas Dalton and Kilcormac's Dylan Hand were red carded while there was a furious and ugly row involving players and officials near the end.

Beaten in the final last year, Clara have now lost two in a row and need things to start happening very soon – though they have their two toughest games out of the way after losing to Clodiagh Gaels in the first round and still have a very good chance of claiming one of the four semi-final places on offer from this one team group.

Kilcormac-Killoughey have started very well. They have some of their outstanding array of young talent playing at this level, and one of them, Daniel Hand was the difference between the sides here. Their team also included James Mahon, Ter Guinan and Leigh Kavanagh while one of their great servants, Dan Currams is also playing with them having returned from England this year. They could lose players to senior and the top flight must be their big priority but at the moment, their prospects are as good as anyone else.

Lusmagh bounced back from their first round defeat with a very good 0-23 to 1-12 win over Shamrocks. Shamrocks were surprisingly poor on the day but Lusmagh performed well.

In the other game, Clodiagh Gaels went on a point scoring spree as they beat Birr by 0-23 to 2-10.

Round 3 takes place on the weekend of August 4-6 and fixtures are:

Lusmagh v Clodiagh Gaels; Shamrocks v Kilcormac-Killoughey; Birr v Clara.