Shinrone 0-26 Kilcormac/Killoughey 2-13
A decade on from playing his part in Kilcormac/Killoughey’s breakthrough, Trevor Fletcher oversaw a historic first for Shinrone in Offaly.
Fletcher was part of the K/K side that won the club’s first Offaly SHC in 2012, starting a run of three-in-a-row in an era that also included a Leinster title and All-Ireland final appearance, but he successfully plotted their downfall this time as manager of the Tipperary border club.
Coming from Roscrea originally, the closest town to the village of Shinrone, he threw in his lot with K/K many years ago having set down his roots in the parish.
But it was strictly business at O’Connor Park and his side applied themselves brilliantly after a shaky start, skating to victory in the end with the seven-point margin a fair reflection of their dominance as Kilcormac lost their way badly.
“Look, to be honest with you, I'm so passionate towards K/K,” Fletcher admitted. “I hurled with them, I won county medals with them (but) I'm delighted for this bunch of players.
“I know all the boys from K/K and I'm sure they won't begrudge us this one.”
Shinrone were competing in just their second ever final, 62 years after their first, and they wore the look of a side that was daunted by the occasion early on in front of 5,793.
By the third minute, K/K had three points on the board and, in truth, could have been out of sight by the end of the first quarter.
Alex Kavanagh was prominent for the favourites but squandered two clear goal chances early on, shooting wide on both occasions, while also seeing three efforts at points go awry.
Shinrone hung in though and with Ciaran Cleary, one of four brothers on the starting team along with a smattering of cousins, a menace on the edge of the square, they got a foothold. He hit his third point in the 17th minute, after which Kavanagh saw another goal effort blocked by Darren Crean, but Declan Cleary brought Shinrone level at 0-6 each before Donal Morkan put them in front for the first time in the 25th minute.
They pushed on to lead by 0-10 to 0-8 at half-time, a commanding position with the wind to come after their opponents had spilled 12 wides and dropped another effort short.
K/K opened the second half scoring with a Cathal Kiely free but Shinrone then rattled off six on the bounce to effectively put the game to bed, with wing-back Killian Sampson contributing three of them.
Goals were K/K’s only realistic route back into the game and they tested Eamonn Cleary a few times, with Ger Healion and Cillian Kiely finding the net in the 53rd and 61st minutes, but they had left themselves too much to do against a rampant Shinrone side that responded to each of those setbacks with a pair of unanswered points.
"It's hard to believe,” said Fletcher. “I'm just delighted for the players, to be quite honest with you. They've been knocked and knocked and knocked and I knew there was huge talent in them.
“They just had to believe in themselves and I think this year they believed. I was so happy they put in the performance they did today and they got their just rewards.”
KILCORMAC/KILLOUGHEY: Conor Slevin; Thomas Spain, Enda Grogan, Oisin Mahon; Jordan Quinn, Damien Kilmartin, Alan Spain (0-1); Cillian Kiely (1-1, 0-1 ‘65’), Colin Spain; Conor Mahon (0-1), James Kilmartin (0-1), Cathal Kiely (0-7, 0-4f, 0-1 sideline); Alex Kavanagh, Ger Healion (1-0), Lochlann Kavanagh (0-1).
Subs: Jack Screeney for Kilmartin (HT), Charlie Mitchell (0-1) for Kavanagh (37), James Gorman for Kavanagh (38), Thomas Geraghty for Spain (40).
SHINRONE: Eamonn Cleary; Darren Crean, Darren O’Meara, Peter Cleary; Killian Sampson (0-4), Michael Cleary, Dara Maher; Declan Cleary (0-1), Luke Watkins; Donal Morkan (0-7, 0-4f, 0-1 ‘65’), Sean Cleary (0-2), Adrian Cleary; Paul Cleary (0-1), Ciaran Cleary (0-5), Jason Sampson (0-4).
Subs: Conor Doughan (0-1) for Adrian Cleary (48), DJ McLoughlin (0-1) for Sean Cleary (57), Cillian Ryan for Paul Cleary (57), Mark Morkan for Declan Cleary (60+2).
REFEREE: Shane Guinan (Drumcullen).
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