Draws made for Offaly hurling and football championships

GAA Clubs in Offaly now have a clearer view of the route they will have to take if they are to enjoy success in this year's county championships after the draws were made for the various grades last week.

Clubs can now plan their way forward for the season ahead knowing who they will be meeting in the group stages with the ultimate aim of all to lift a trophy in the Autumn.

Most the championships are following a similar format to recent years with the biggest change coming in the senior football championship. There are now 10 teams in the senior championship and again they will be split into two groups but in a bid to avoid some of the one sided clashes that have occurred in the group stages in recent years, this year the two groups will be split into a strong group and a weaker group.

The strong group features the four semi-finalists from last year with one of the beaten quarter finalists and the other group will have the other beaten quarter finalist and the teams that didn't make the knock out stages last year. It will also inlcude last year's Senior B champions Clara, who are making their return to the top flight this season.

Champions Tullamore are paired with Edenderry, Ferbane, Rhode and Shamrocks and that should ensure some good quality group games.

In the other group Clara are joined by Ballycommon, Bracknagh, Clara, Clonbullogue and Durrow and there should be some very competitive fare among teams of a similar level.

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Under the new format, the top two teams in the strong group will go into the semi-finals with the third and fourth placed teams playing the first and second teams in the weak group in two quarter-finals.

The Senior Hurling Championship follows a similar format to recent years. As usual last year's finalists were seeded into oppposite groups and similarly with both semi-finalists and the group stages will see a repeat of last year's two semi-finals.

Kilcormac/Killoughey will begin their quest for another Sean Robbins success in a tough looking group alongside, Birr, who ran them so close in last year's semi-final, and Coolderry, St Rynagh's and Kinnitty.

Shinrone and Belmont will renew acquaintances once again in the other group where they will be joined by Ballinamere, hoping to make up for last year's disappointment, Tullamore aned last year's Senior B champions, Lusmagh, who are back in the top flight after a number of years.

Again the top team in each group goes straight into the semi-finals with the second and third placed teams playing quarter finals.

The two Senior B championships feature just one group of six teams, with the top four teams qualifying for semi-finals and the bottom two meeting in a relegation play off.

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In football Tullamore's second team are now competing at this level having won the intermediate title last year and many of the other five teams have competed at this level for a number of years. No team was relegated from senior last year as the top level was increased to 10 teams with Clara going up following their title win last year. Ballingar who lost last year's final will be looking to make amends this year.

In hurling Carrig & Riverstown went all the way to the final last year and will be hoping to take that extra step this year. The new teams in the group this year will be Seir Kieran, who were relegated from senior last year, and Drumcullen who captured the intermediate title and regained their place in the Senior B.

They defeated Birr in a replay in the Intermediate Final to prevent the town side making an immediate return to the Senior B grade and they will be hopingt for better success this year. The intermediate is divided into two groups of four and Birr head Group 1 while Group 2 features last year's Junior ''A' champions Brosna Gaels.

In football Gracefield have made the drop down from Senior B level and will be hoping to make an immediate return to the second tier. They are in a five team group as no team was relegated from last year, while Junior A champions Rhode have stepped up to this level and they are in a four team group.

The Junior A championships are also split into two groups with five in each group in the hurling and four in each group in the footblal.

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The full draws are as follows:

Senior Hurling

Group 1: Kilcormac/Killoughey, Birr, Coolderry, St Rynagh's, Kinnitty.

Group 2: Shinrone, Belmont, Ballinamere, Tullamore, Lusmagh.,

Senior Football

Group 1: Edenderry, Ferbane, Rhode, Shamrocks, Tullamore.

Group 2: Ballycommon, Bracknagh, Clara, Clonbullogue, Durrow

Senior B Hurling

Carrig & Riverstown, Clara, Clodiagh Gaels, Drumcullen, Kilcormac/Killoughey, Seir Kieran.

Senior B Football

Ballycumber, Ballinagar, Cappincur, Daingean, Tubber, Tullamore.

Inermediate Hurling

Group 1: Birr, Shamrocks, Shinrone, Ballinamere.

Group 2: Coolderry, St Rynagh's, Seir Kieran, Brosna Gaels.

Intermediate Football

Group 1: Gracefield, Ferbane, Edenderry, St Rynagh's, Kilcormac/Killoughey.

Group 2: St Brigid's, Raheen, Rhode, Walsh Island.

Junior A Hurling

Group 1: Tullamore, Ballyskenach-Killavilla, St Rynagh's, Kilcormac/Killoughey, Carrig & Riverstown.

Group 2: Belmont, Edenderry, Crinkle, Shamrocks, Clodiagh Gaels.

Junior A Football

Group 1: Shannonbridge, Kilclonfert, Doon, Shamrocks.

Group 2: Durrow, Clara, Erin Rovers, Clodiagh Gaels.

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