Lusmagh turn season around with season defining win in Offaly SHC “B”

LUSMAGH'S season really took off when they recorded a surprise and season changing win over one of the main favourites, Clodiagh Gaels in the Molloy Environmental Systems Senior “B” Hurling Championship last weekend.

Coming hot on the heels of a crucial win over struggling Shamrocks in the previous round, their 1-21 to 2-15 win over Clodiagh Gaels was a huge result for them.

Crucially, it brings them to four points in the group, alongside, Clodiagh Gaels and Birr, and on the cusp of a semi-final place.

The top four teams qualify for two semi-finals and Kilcormac-Killoughey definitely have one of those as they are on six points with three wins out of three. They continued their good form with a predictable 1-25 to 0-13 win over Shamrocks on Saturday – last year's intermediate champions Shamrocks have found the going tough at the higher level and are rooted to the bottom of the table alongside, Clara, with no point.

Clara's form has been a surprise. They got to the final last year and were not far away against Tullamore but it just hasn't clicked for them this year. They were beaten by just a point, 0-16 to 0-15 by Birr on Saturday, fighting ferociously for their championship lives but the winners got the crucial scores in the second half.

Clara and Shamrocks are not fully out of the equation yet as they can get to four points but they clash in the fifth round and only one of them can hit that target – and to do that, they will have to win their games in the next round, where Clara meet Lusmagh and Shamrocks are unlikely to be relishing taking on Clodiagh Gaels.

As things stand, it looks very like Kilcormac-Killoughey, Clodiagh Gaels, Lusmagh and Birr will be the four semi-finalists, with Clara and Shamrocks in the relegation play off. Clara have a better chance of survival than Shamrocks but their match against Lusmagh is the proverbial four pointer.

That game will also tell more about Lusmagh, who have done very well to turn their season around after losing their first two games. Graeme Lynch is back for them now and he played very well in their deserved win over Clodiagh Gaels.

Round 4 fixtures are: Clara v Lusmagh; Clodiagh Gaels v Shamrocks; Kilcormac-Killoughey v Birr.

Round 5 games are: Lusmagh v Birr; Shamrocks v Clara; Kilcormac-Killoughey v Clodiagh Gaels.