Faithful County opposition await Henry’s charges
BY NIALL SHERRY, SPORTS EDITOR
SPORTSEDITOR@KILKENNYOBSERVER.IE
AIB Leinster Club SHC Quarter Final
Shamrocks Ballyhale VS Kilcormac Killoughey
Having secured a 21st County title last time out, Shamrocks Ballyhale make the familiar next step and begin the AIB Leinster Club Championship campaign, hoping to claim the O’Neill Cup for a 13th time. This is a journey that Noreside’s most successful club knows all too well, and having got their hands on the Tom Walsh Cup for the first time since 2022 and you can be sure Henry Shefflin’s charges will be keen to extend the club season into the first month of next year.
The defeat of O’Loughlin Gaels illustrated that this Shamrocks team are beginning to get their mojo back and that could spell danger to the other contenders in Leinster, including the reigning provincial and All-Ireland winners Na Fianna of Dublin. Should all go according to plan, the men from the Capital should be the South Kilkenny sides opponent in the decider for the O’Neill Cup. But that’s a little bit down the road and for now, the focus is squarely on Sunday’s encounter in UPMC Nowlan Park which see’s Offaly champions Kilcormac Killoughey roll into town for what promises to be a fascinating encounter.
The man steering the Faithful County side is no stranger to the Noresiders, and Declan Laffan will hope to mastermind a victory at Kilkenny headquarters this weekend, Tipperary native Laffan, who was part of Liam Cahill’s backroom team that delivered the biggest prize in hurling, the Liam MacCarthy Cup to the Premier County back in July. The Loughmore/Castleiney clubman was at the helm when Laois champions Clough/Ballacolla faced off against James O’Connor’s Shamrocks side post-pandemic, and Laffan’s team suffered a heavy 27-point defeat. The Kilcormac Killoughey manager will have parked that defeat and have learned much as he continued his coaching education and knows that his side pushed Na Fianna all the way in last season’s provincial decider, and they will hope to go one better this time round.
Having secured the Sean Robbins Cup for a third consecutive year, Kilcormac Killoughey (K-K) should provide a thorough test of Shamrocks Ballyhale’s credentials when they clash on Sunday. In Adam Screeney and Charlie Mitchell, K-K have two talented and sharp intercounty forwards, who will trouble most defensive units. The former has been on the radar for the past couple of seasons and possesses real quality and can have a big say in the outcome of any game that he plays in. Henry and his management team will have been reviewing the footage of their quarter-final opponents, and in particular K-K’s Molloy Environmental Systems county final victory over Shinrone, who limited Screeney to just two points from play. If Shamrocks can do a similar job, this will boost their chances of claiming a provincial last four berth against the winners of the Clough Ballacolla/ Castletown-Geoghegan last eight clash. As mentioned, Screeney has a serious partner in crime in the form of Charlie Mitchell, who put in a POTM performance in their county final, hitting 1-5 in a sparkling display. Henry and Co. Will need to get their match-up right to try and stifle this potent threat.
Alongside Screeney and Mitchell, Daniel Hand has been showing well and ran the POTM close for his award against Shinrone, scoring twice from play, but also assisting in several other scores for the Offaly champions. Colin Spain and Damien Kilmartin are normally found in the engine room of the K-K side, and both were impressive as their side claimed the county title for the 7th time in fourteen years. The midfield contributed 0-5 from play last time out, and their battle with Ronan Corcoran and the likes of Eoin Kenneally will be key to helping gain supremacy for their sides. Having returned from travelling, Corcoran has slotted right back into the groove with Shamrocks and adds plenty to Henry’s side. Lots of bodies will flood the middle third of UPMC Nowlan Park on Sunday and the Kilkenny team will hope that the quality of their stickmen will give them the edge.
Kilcormac Killoughey’s netminder, Conor Slevin is an experienced custodian and has been crucial in his side’s domination of club hurling in the Faithful County since 2012. Indeed, the goalkeeper notched three vital points in their latest Sean Robbins Cup triumph, with his monstrous free from inside his own ‘65 in the last few minutes of normal time, helping to settle his sides nerves, as Shinrone’s charge was halted. Shamrocks will be aware that Slevin is adept at tagging on placed balls from distance and will need to ensure they are as disciplined as possible on Sunday. K-K are the county champions at minor, U20 and senior level in Offaly, a sure sign that the club are getting things right at all age groups. Club success, feeds into the intercounty setup, and the likes of Screeney, Mitchell, James Mahon, Colin Spain are regulars, while the talented Brecon Kavanagh is developing into a classy centre back and making the senior intercounty panel.
Henry Shefflin will have allowed his side to enjoy their 21st Tom Walsh Cup success before getting back to business in preparation for Sundays provincial quarter final. The legendary hurling icon has continually stated that the aim amongst everyone at Páirc na Seamróg this season was to perform to the levels they know they can and get back to winning some games. That ethos has stood to the south Kilkenny side as they have improved with every game, culminating with their comprehensive county final victory over the last side to beat them in a Tom Walsh Cup final, O’Loughlin Gaels. it isn’t a coincidence that having Ronan Corcoran, Brian Cody and Joey Holden back in the team has helped those around them raise their standards and deliver a 21st county title. In Joey Holden, they have a player that was won all possible in the game and still shows the dedication and hunger required to succeed in today’s game. There weren’t many better than the classy full-back in their win over the St John’s Park side last time out. One player who clearly benefits from the calming presence of Joey, is Killian Corcoran who is another player, thriving in the Shamrocks rearguard. Talking of calmness, Dean Mason’s continues to play an integral part in his team’s progression and success.
Shamrocks will hope that Evan Shefflin has recovered sufficiently to resume his wing back duties, alongside Darragh Corcoran and the evergreen Richie Reid. Again, the half back line is one of the greatest strengths of Henry’s side and when they are all firing, it provides a great platform for the headline makers ahead of them. The trio of TJ, Adrian Mullen and Eoin Cody don’t need any introduction, and we hope they are on song against Offaly’s finest. Two other members of the attacking unit, Niall Shortall and Liam Barron have been quietly going about their business this season, both adding much to the forward division. Without Shortall’s pressure and skill to dispossess Huw Lawlor, Eoin Cody doesn’t raise that green flag. Getting through a ton of work and registering the odd score, Liam Barron is another cog in the Shefflin machine. The path to provincial glory starts this weekend. Shamrocks Ballyhale will hope to take the first steps with victory over Kilcormac Killoughey on Sunday.
*Best of luck to our intermediate champions, Danesfort who take on St Mogues Fethard in Chadwicks Wexford Park tomorrow (Throw-in 1:30pm) tomorrow. Having secured their place back at the top table of hurling on Noreside, Adrian Burke’s outfit will hope to continue their impressive season with a win over Slaneysides finest at this level. Let’s hope Anthony Ireland Wall, Des Dunne, Daire O’Neill and co. fire the black and amber clad side to the last four, where they would face the winners of the clash between Commercials and Naomh Brid.
