Birr back with some youth on its side

Nobody has been as surprised as the wandering manager himself, Pad Joe Whelehan, at Birr's regeneration. Even with three sons of his own playing, the team's expeditious rise to take Offaly and Leinster championships inside a year of him assuming control of the reins still caught Whelehan, a man who has seen most sides of hurling's fickle nature, off his guard.

The reason is plain and simple. The Birr team that will contest tomorrow's AIB All-Ireland club hurling semifinal with Clarecastle in Thurles has undergone radical surgery since their success in this competition in 1995, when they beat Dunloy in a final replay. When Birr won the county title last year, no less than seven players were doing so for the first time. "They weren't even near the panel last time out," says Whelehan. "This is a completely different team."

With minimal expectations at the commencement of the campaign, the manner in which Birr manoeuvred their way effortlessly through the provincial championship - scoring 4-45 in three matches, and conceding just 2-18 - has led to a real appreciation of their efforts in hurling's Offaly heartland.

Things are good in Birr. They wiped the floor with everyone this past season. They won everything at senior level (county championship and county league, and of course the provincial title) and added the intermediate county title to boot. Whelehan, who'd spent the best part of 12 years going from county to county, Tipperary to Galway to Laois, looking after club teams, is on cloud nine. "It's great to be back to your own," he admits, "but to see such a young team, one with seven under-21s in it, achieve so much is especially satisfying. This team have learned more in one club championship than many teams would learn in four."

Joe Errity, an architect in the town, is one of a number of county players who provide the backbone. He's in his second year as team captain - "it's an honour to have such a position," he says - and he can't heap enough praise on the attitude and approach of everyone connected with the team's march.

Hard work has been the bottom line. On St Stephen's Day, Whelehan and his co-selectors, Finbar Spain and Dr PJ McAuliffe, summoned the squad to a light session, putting down a marker for their approach for the following weeks and months. "In any other year, it probably wouldn't have been necessary to resume training until around the 14th of January," explains Whelehan, "but we knew we were facing Clarecastle who are so fit, so we had to get back earlier." Nobody complained, typical of Birr's determination.

Perhaps the Offaly-Clare rivalry of recent years had a little to do with it. Indeed, Errity can't remember when there was such a buzz, not only in Birr itself but also the county and surrounding areas. "There is an unbelievable amount of talk about this match, for some reason," says Errity. "But it is great for the town and great for hurling."

Whelehan will tell you that Birr, with so many youngsters in the side (indeed, Paul Carroll is still a student at the local community school which has acted as a superb nursery for the club), have "kept a low profile, kept it nice and cool" throughout the campaign to date.

The Clare factor, though, has heightened interest greatly this time around. "I suppose it all hits back to the Offaly-Clare All-Ireland Final (in 1995)," says the manager, adding: "Clare hurling is on such a high now that it will take a great effort to beat them. Honestly, I've never seen so much interest in a game. Not alone here in Birr and Offaly, but in north Tipperary and even in south Galway which is just nine miles away over the bridge."

Errity knows Clarecastle by reputation. "They've come through difficult Clare and Munster campaigns," says Birr's captain, "but it all comes down to what happens on the day and, as I see it, it is very much 50-50." His words show suitable respect for the opposition, but also sufficient belief in his own side.

The promise of a terrific semifinal has been in the air around Birr and Clarecastle for the past few weeks. In one department, Birr are one up - they have played in an All-Ireland semi-final previously, although the Offalymen play down that aspect, pointing out just how many AllIreland (inter-county) winners are on the Clare club's team.

Last Saturday, the Birr panellists enjoyed a training session on the Semple Stadium turf - "it's in great condition," says Whelehan - which was particularly beneficial to the younger players who haven't played there yet. When Whelehan took over as manager, he expected it to take two years to reach the stage where they are now at. Tomorrow's game, however, will be the hardest test yet for his team.