Shinrone manager disappointed at performance but 'very happy' with year

SHINRONE certainly received a rude awakening when a very impressive Naas side sent them packing from the Leinster Club Senior Huring Championship in Newbridge on Saturday last.

A 4-21 to 0-18 defeat was a very comprehensive beating for Shinrone, a bitter pill to swallow after a sensational year that saw them win the Offaly senior hurling title for the first time ever.

They knew they were in for a tough assignment coming up to Newbridge and that an early exit was a distinct possibility but the scale of their defeat was bigger than their worse nightmare.

Their manager, Trevor Fletcher admitted afterwards:

“I feel we didn't perform the way we can perform to be quite honest with you, whether that is Naas didn't let us or it just didn't happen ourselves. To be fair to Naas, they were really up for it. Not even their first tackle but their second and third tackles were phenomenal. They were very strong, they worked hard on their overlaps.

“Unfortunately, the two goals in the second half were killers. I felt we had a lot of momentum after 10/15 minutes of the second half. We were five down at half time, we got it back to three a few times. I spoke to the selectors and said if we could get it back to two, it would test and see what Naas were like. It just didn't happen.

“For me I am disappointed for the players. I know they didn't go out for that to happen to them. We just have to regroup and go again.”

A Roscrea man living in Kilcormac, Fletcher agreed that Shinrone were not as bad on the day as the final scoreline suggests.

“100%. The scoreline doesn't reflect the effort the lads put in. In fairness to them, they put in a huge effort and it is just unfortunate, they tacked on their scores after they got the fourth goal. We were a man down for the last ten minutes (Michael Cleary was sent off in the 52nd minute) and that didn't help either but look, them things happen in sport.”

Shinrone went out without tall full forward Ciaran Cleary who has gone to Melbourne. Cleary's ball winning exploits, distribution and scores in the knockout stages were instrumental in their Offaly win and he was a big loss – Conor Doughan came in at full forward as Shinrone tried to play a similar type game of quick long ball in.

The manager remarked:

“Ciaran had a fantastic year for us and was such a big outlet. Conor is a different style of player. We did have to change what way we used the ball but in fairness to Conor, he had a serious knee injury during the year and we actually thought the man would never hurl again. For him to come on in the county final and play the full game here, was a huge credit to him.”

While disappointed that they haven't got to Croke Park and a chance to pit their wits against Ballyhale Shamrocks in the semi-final, he agreed that the defeat won't define Shinrone's incredible year.

“Absolutely. We will be very disappointed about our performance today and not getting the win but all in all, when we sit down and have a drink tonight and reflect in a few weeks time, they will be very happy with the year. These lads have been trying so hard to get their first county final and I am delighted they got it.”

He was not surprised at how good Naas were. Like Shinrone, they were competing in the Leinster Club Senior Hurling Championship for the first time but he knew that they had won three Kildare senior titles in a row and the All-Ireland intermediate last year. Fletcher had his homework done on them and was adamant that they didn't underestimate them.

“No, I knew Naas were very good. I went to watch them in a practice match and I watched their All-Ireland final and their county final. I knew what Naas were like and we didn't underestimate them.”