Four remain in hunt for two spots in Offaly Senior B Hurling Championship semi-finals

A DELIGHTED Lusmagh moved to within touching distance of qualification for the Molloy Environmental Systems Senior “B” Hurling Championship semi-finals with a second excellent back to back win last Saturday.

Lusmagh looked to be in bother when they lost their opening two games to Clara and Carrig-Riverstown but they have turned their season around spectacularly and would be very unlucky to be denied a semi-final place at this stage – Kilcormac-Killoughey and Carrig-Riverstown are in the semi-finals.

Lusmagh play Kilcormac-Killoughey in their last game and it will be a surprise if they win this but a defeat may not prove fatal. If they get a result against K-K, they won't have to check in on the other matches but if they lose, they can only be denied if K-K beat them, Clodiagh Gaels beat Birr and if Clara beat Carrig-Riverstown. If this sequence of results happened, and it is possible, Clodiagh Gaels will move to five points and the semi-finals with Lusmagh and Clara tying on four points for the fourth semi-final place and Clara will qualify on the head to head rule as they won their first round clash.

There is the possibility of three teams tying on four points for two semi-final places. This will happen if K-K beat Lusmagh, Birr beat Clodiagh Gaels and Clara surprise Carrig-Riverstown. Scoring difference will decide who qualifies if this happens but it only counts from the games involving the three teams and Lusmagh and Birr will make it – Lusmagh and Birr are both +1 from those fixtures while Clara are -2.

A three way tie on four points could also happen if Clodiagh Gaels and Birr draw and Clara beat Carrig-Riverstown. Clodiagh Gaels (+2) and Lusmagh (+1) will qualify at the expense of Clara (-3) if that emerges while Birr will also be out.

Clodiagh Gaels need to win to be certain and will be favourites against Birr, though this is a very tricky fixture for them and they have blown hot and cold. Much was expected of Clara this season but they have lost all their games since an opening round win over Lusmagh and now find themselves needing to beat the second favourites, Carrig-Riverstown to survive – and even with that, they will be depending on results falling their way.

A surprise win over Clodiagh Gaels in round 3 ignited Lusmagh's season and they brought that form with them into last Saturday where they had a good 1-16 to 0-15 win over Birr.

With four points on the board, Lusmagh are on the verge of a semi-final place while Kilcormac-Killoughey are already assured of top spot with eight points from their four games. Carrig-Riverstown are also safely through with five points – Kilcormac-Killoughey got away for a 2-20 to 1-16 win in their table topping clash on Saturday.

Clodiagh Gaels recovered from their Lusmagh setback with a 1-20 to 2-11 win over Clara. They had to win this game and move to three points while Birr and Clara are in bother on two points each.

Lusmagh's form is good and they will be hoping to give Kilcormac-Killoughey a run for their money but even their most passionate supporters will acknowledge that a win here is in the long shot category.

As things stand, it looks like Lusmagh and Clodiagh Gaels will make it but the real spanner in the works for Lusmagh is the meeting of Clara and Carrig-Riverstown. The form book suggests that Carrig-Riverstown will win here but there are two great conundrums. Firstly Carrig-Riverstown have nothing to play for. They are in the semi-finals and can't top the group. Secondly, Clara are better than their results suggest. They haven't got going yet and it is hard to turn that around but with three All-Ireland U-20 hurling winners, Conor Doyle, Barry Egan and Marcas Dalton on their team and other very good hurlers at their disposal that can't be ruled out.

Carrig-Riverstown will be very honest in the way they approach it and will go out to win but the GAA is littered with examples of the team that has to win getting the result against the team that doesn't. This happens a lot of the time and is a very live possibility here. It should all make for intriguing viewing as the action unfolds from 5.30pm on Saturday and the Clodiagh Gaels, Lusmagh, Birr and Clara supporters will be keeping up to date with the games at other venues.

The fixtures are:

Banagher: Carrig-Riverstown v Clara
Verdict – Carrig-Riverstown

Birr: Lusmagh v Kilcormac-Killoughey
Verdict – Kilcormac-Killoughey.

Kinnitty:Clodiagh Gaels v Birr
Verdict – Clodiagh Gaels.