Birr and Ballinamere share spoils in high stakes first round shootout

A HIGH stakes opening Offaly Senior Hurling Championship game ended with the honours shared as Ballinamere and Birr served up an enthralling shootout in O'Connot Park on Thursday evening.

Molloy Precast and Environmental Systems Senior Hurling Championship Group 1 Round 1

Ballinamere 2-17

Birr 1-20

Both sides will look back on it as a missed opportunity. Birr may be the happier with the result and it was a good draw for them but they missed their share of chances in a second half where a fancied Ballinamere side were sitting ducks.

With a weight of expectations on their shoulders, Ballinamere were short of their best and their error and wide count was much higher than they would have liked. They had to show character to draw this one as they would have had no complaints if Birr had taken a surprise win, though they will be bitterly disappointed at the injury time wides they missed.

Dan Ravenhill, Brian Duignan and Joe Maher all had wides in the closing minutes and Ravenhill's and Maher's were particularly decent openings. Birr also had half chances late on with impressive sub Emmet Nolan wide from out on the left wing while Luke Nolan just failed to rise the ball, running over it with open ground in front of him around 50 metres from goal.

Overall, a draw was a fair result and Birr will be particularly pleased with their display. They were very poor in a Division 1 Hurling League final defeat by Belmont that raised real questions about their well-being a couple of weeks ago and this was much better by them. They worked hard with their defence doing very well in the second half to cut down on space for the Ballinamere attack and they produced spells of very good, constructive hurling.

It is a real dog eat dog group with three out of Balinamere, Birr, Belmont, Shinrone and Kinnitty qualifying. Kinnitty will be the outsiders and one of the big teams in the championship will be gone at an early stage. It wasn't a must win game as there is time to recover but a defeat would have heaped pressure on the losers and a second defeat would have left them staring an early exit in the face.

The draw does both nicely and they have their fate in their own hands. Ballinamere will be a bit disappointed at their display and they did suffer some first round blues. A couple of their marquee names, Brian Duignan and Dan Bourke looked a bit jaded after a long inter-county season – though Ballinamere may not have drawn without either - and they had to dig deep not to lose this one. They were on the ropes for a lot of the second half when their energy levels were not quite right and they didn't get ball into hand that they normally would. With all this going on, they did well to salvage a point.

An engrossing encounter emerged in a first half where Ballinamere didn't fully click but still led by 2-10 to 1-12 at half time.

Ballinamere were 0-3 to 0-1 ahead after three minutes but Birr competed very well after this. Eoghan Cahill gave a master class of shooting in the first half as he scored seven points. Four of these were from play, three of them truly breathtaking points from out on the wing as Ross Ravenhill tried valiantly to close him down – Cahill's first cousin Lochlann Quinn also got three of their first half points, displaying real opportunism.

Three in a row, two of them from play from Cahill, had Birr 0-4 to 0-3 ahead after seven minutes and the south Offaly side were the better side in the opening quarter. The sides were level on four more occasions before Birr got a second run of three in a row, all from Cahill, to lead by 0-10 to 0-7 after 19 minutes.

Two goals in the space of a minute in the 21^st minute turned the game for Ballinamere. The first was a classic full forward's goal from Mike O'Brien when he caught a Dan Bourke sideline and booted the ball to the net. Bourke was the supplier of the second goal straight from the puckout, this time Brian Duignan finishing well after making space.

Ballinamere's shooting improved after this. Their wide count of 9 was too high in the first half but they got three of the next four to lead by 2-10 to 0-12 coming up to half time. Their good work was undone by sloppy defending as they allowed Ailbe Watkins in for a soft goal after an Eoghan Cahill sideline a minute into injury time to leave just a point in it at the break.

Two Brian Duignan frees had Ballinamere 2-12 to 1-13 ahead after 36 minutes but as the half wore on, they looked increasingly vulnerable. They were fortunate that Birr also began to miss chances, hitting four wides in eight second half minutes and matching Ballinamere's first half total of nine. One of those was a goal chance that Ailbe Watkins flashed wide in the 39^th minute and Ballinamere lived on their wits for much of the second half.

Yet they managed to keep their noses in front for much of it but Birr got two in a row from Eoghan Cahill, a beauty from play and a free to level it up at 1-17 to 2-14 after 53 minutes – Cahill did well after having a couple of wides from frees he would expect to get. Brian Duignan settled a rocking Ballinamere with a free but a Cahill free and lovely Luke Nolan score from play had Birr in front by 1-19 to 2-15 with four minutes left.

Ballinamere were there for the taking and an exchange of points from Ross Ravenhill and Emmet Nolan had Birr still a point up as it approached injury time. Ballinamere did well to find another gear from here with Brian Duignan getting the final equaliser from a 59^th minute '65' and in three minutes of injury time, they certainly had the better chances of snatching the wind.

MATCH ANALYSIS

MAN OF THE MATCH

Eoghan Cahill (Birr): Some of Eoghan Cahill's scores commanded the utmost of admiration. Five of his 12 points came from play and they oozed quality. He missed a couple of chances as well and drifted out of the game for a spell in the second half as Ross Ravenhill tightened up on him but his overall contribution was profound.

There were other excellent performers. Centre back Jack Fogarty and roving forward Kevin McDermott were serious contenders for Ballinamere while Ciaran Burke was immense at full back – Fogarty put in a real tour de force while McDermott got four points and his work rate and tackling was exemplary. Jimmy Irwin, Padraic Watkins and Brian Watkins were immense in a hard working Birr defence and they raised spirits with their second half displays. Emmet Nolan also made a great impact off the bench while Luke Nolan did a lot of great work.

THE SCORERS

Birr: Eoghan Cahill 0-12 (6f and 1 '65'), Lochlann Quinn 0-3, Ailbe Watkins 1-0, Luke Nolan 0-2, Brian Watkins, Morgan Watkins and Emmet Nolan 0-1 each.

Ballinamere: Brian Duignan 1-6 (4f and and 1 '65'), Kevin McDermott 0-4, Mike O'Brien 1-0, Dan Bourke and Aaron Maher 0-2 each, Ross Ravenhill, John Murphy and Joe Maher 0-1 each.

THE TEAMS

BALLINAMERE: Mark Troy; Barry Cleary, Ciaran Burke, Eoin Boland; Ross Ravenhill, Jack Fogarty, Sam Bourke; John Murphy, David Magner; Dan Bourke, Brian Duignan, Aaron Maher; Joe Maher, Mike O'Brien, Kevin McDermott. Subs – Dan Ravenhill for O'Brien (39m), James Scully for Aaron Maher (46m),

BIRR: Sean Thompson; Jimmy Irwin, Cian Nolan, Padraic Watkins; Brian Watkins, Barry Harding, Ben Miller; Luke Nolan, Colm Mulrooney; Eoghan Cahill, Ian Kerin, Morgan Watkins; Ailbe Watkins, Sean Ryan, Lochlann Quinn. Subs - Emmet Nolan for Kerin (40m), Joe Ryan for Quinn (49m),

Referee – Adam Kinahan (Clodiagh Gaels).

REFEREE WATCH

Adam Kinahan had a typically steady game, though both sides debated some calls. He was up with the play and consulted with his officials when needed.

MOMENT OF THE MATCH

Ailbe Watkins was unlucky to his his snap shot on goal go inches wide in the 39^th minute. It was a good chance, a goal would have put Birr in front at a crucial stage and may well have propelled them to victory.

VENUE WATCH

The O'Connor Park pitch was in pristine condition, looking at its very best. The small crowd was professionally hosted.

WHAT'S NEXT

Ballinamere play Belmont in round 2 while Birr have a bye until round 3 when they meet Belmont.

STATISTICS

Wides: Ballinamere – 14 (9 in first half); Birr – 14 (5 in first half).

Yellow cards: Ballinamere – 1 (Joe Maher); Birr – 0.

Red cards: 0.