PREVIEW: Favourites Carrig-Riverstown very wary of Coolderry ambush in Offaly Intermediate Hurling Championship Final

FAVOURITES Carrig-Riverstown will be under absolutely no illusions about the scale of the challenge facing them from Coolderry in Saturday's Intermediate Hurling Championship final in O'Connor Park.

Carrig-Riverstown have been the form team in the championship to date but they will have complete respect for Coolderry and the possibility of them upsetting their ambitions.

Carrig-Riverstown have been the best team so far but finals take on a life all of their own and Coolderry will not have one ounce of fear about them.

It should be a very good game of hurling and Coolderry have done very well to reach this stage. Many people anticipated a final between Drumcullen and Carrig-Riverstown. Drumcullen were relegated from senior “B” last year and desperate to get back up immediately but Coolderry have shown their quality by beating them twice.

With a fine mixture of youth and experience, Coolderry are in the final very much on merit and they will absolutely relish the opportunity of taking on Carrig-Riverstown.

While Drumcullen's early demise in the semi-final did come as a small bit of a surprise, the best two teams in the championship are in the final, the only two with a 100% record.

Coolderry topped group 1 with three wins out of three. They were pushed to the pin of their collar but have improved with every game. They had two points to spare, 2-15 to 2-13, over St Rynagh's in the first game and then overcame stiff Belmont resistance, 3-13 to 2-14. They really showed their credentials in their third game as they beat Drumcullen by 1-18 to 0-16 and secured top spot and a semi-final place.

They came up against Drumcullen again in the semi-finals and in a thrilling shootout, they just held on to win by 4-12 to 1-19.

Carrig-Riverstown's progress to the final has been more emphatic and they haven't been tested as much as Coolderry. They were in the easier group and that was a factor in this. The Tipperary-Offaly border side got rolling with a 1-18 to 1-11 first round win over Shinrone. They had riot against a beleagured Edenderry, 3-27 to 0-5 in round 2 and also had things their own way in their third group game as they beat Seir Kieran by 2-24 to 1-13.

They have carried that impressive form into the knockout stages, recording an impressive and convincing 0-24 to 1-12 win over St Rynagh's.

Those results suggest that Carrig-Riverstown should be warm favourites but it is not that simple on this occasion and they should be largely ignored.

There are a number of factors in this final. Carrig-Riverstown have not been fully tested yet. They have had to work hard in some of their games and they are playing very well but they could certainly have done with some tighter battles.

This is not far off a 50-50 game and Carrig-Riverstown face their toughest examination of the year. They have a young side, they are motoring very well and while they would be more familiar with St Brendan's Park in Birr, the wider expanse of O'Connor Park should suit them.

Carrig-Riverstown have a generally young team and they will be trying to do everything at a fast pace on Saturday. Their two best known players are Cathal King and Joe Hoctor and they will have a huge say in the destination of this title. King was midfield on the excellent Offaly U-20 hurling team this year and Hoctor played most of the games. King got through a mountain of work at midfield for Offaly as they went to the All-Ireland final, losing to Cork and he has the ability to make further progress in the coming years

Skilful and with a good engine King will certainly be earmarked for special attention by Coolderry. They will also be very conscious of what Joe Hoctor brings to the table – a great battler, who can win all sorts of ball and get important scores.

Hoctor and King may have operated at a higher level than many of their team mates but Carrig-Riverstown have a lot more going for them and are playing with tremendous confidence.

Coolderry, however, will travel to Tullamore fully expecting to win. That is in their nature and their ability to perform in big games is a great attribute. It doesn't mean they win all those games but it does mean that they are ferociously hard to beat and they will test every fibre of Carrig-Riverstown's character.

Coolderry have a lot of experience, players who have played for years at senior level, with senior hurling medals in their back pocket. Kevin Brady, Trevor Corcoran, Martin Corcoran, Mark Bergin and Declan Parlon are proven winners and they will make life very difficult for Carrig-Riverstown – Martin Corcoran, then in goals, and Kevin Brady won intermediate hurling titles at the start of their long careers in 2001 and would love to wind them down with another medal.

They also have good young players with Charlie and Conor Hogan, Owen and Shane Connolly and Damien Fletcher all impressing for them while Liam Brophy scored a crucial 1-1 off the bench in the semi-final win.

Some of them will play senior and a win on Saturday would be very welcome by Coolderry who are continuing the changing of the guard at senior level.

It has all the ingredients for a fascinating contest and expect a close game. The form book suggests Carrig-Riverstown but this is not far from a 50-50 game and Coolderry have a very good chance. They have proven winners who know how to win tight battles. Carrig-Riverstown don't have that experience and they could be vulnerable if it is close in the closing quarter but their form so far has been compelling and have the hurlers and legs to edge it.

Verdict – Carrig-Riverstown.