In seasonal terms this was more of a humbug than a cracker as Birr cantered to victory in yesterday's AIB Leinster hurling final replay at Nowlan Park. The difference between this match and the drawn encounter was neatly summed up in the person of winning captain Simon Whelahan. Absent with injury a fortnight previously, he returned unexpectedly yesterday to shoot 1-8, which turned out to be the precise margin between the teams on the scoreboard.
Birr coach Pad Joe Whelehan said the decision to play his son had been taken earlier in the week. "We decided to hurl him but we wanted it held," he said afterwards. It was a decisive selection. In the drawn match, the Offaly champions created good scoring opportunities but failed to take a lot of them.
Yesterday they again moved the ball well and looked more menacing than Castletown, but crucially, this time they had the incisiveness. Of Whelahan's total, 1-4 came from play.
A frenetic match simmered throughout with some wild challenges going in and after the match Pad Joe Whelahan wasn't opting for diplomacy. "Terrible. Anyone that pulls on a man from behind across the chest they were hitting across the legs, they weren't hurling at all - simple as that. We're a hurling team. We don't like dirty hurling; we like good, clean hurling and Castletown just weren't at the races. They weren't good enough on the day."
Whereas undoubtedly true in the end, that summary distorts the competitiveness of the first half hour. For a long period Castletown remained in touch. It was nearly the interval by the time the fatal cut was made. This was partly due to Birr's continuing inaccuracies but also to some spirited play from the Laois team who actually led after the first quarter. Responsibility for the scrappy nature of the match could be laid at the door of both teams and Johnny Pilkington admitted that Birr hadn't been happy with their ground hurling.
But once they had penetrated decisively, there looked little chance that Birr could be caught. In their competitive phase, Castletown defended well. Paul and Cyril Cuddy gave the defence a solid central structure and at centrefield they held their own, with Brian Ferns busy on the breaks.
Up front, though, they were short of options. Fionβn O'Sullivan clipped two fine points amid the maelstrom of some early attacks but in general the attack was struggling against the Birr defence - a fact emphasised by four of the starting forwards being replaced in the search for a sharper edge.
It was to no avail. Birr's own defensive spine was unshakeable. Joe Errity was untroubled by his many companions on the edge of the square, including enfant terrible James Hooban, who came in at half-time. At centre back Brian Whelahan survived a couple of nasty clatters to mop up with customary efficiency as well as inject some urgency into the attack when necessary.
A good save by John Lyons from Gary Hanniffy in the 19th minute seemed to indicate it was to be another frustrating day for Birr but instead it was to be the last time the teams would be level.
With his team trailing 0-4 to 0-6, Paul Cuddy dropped in a 29th-minute long-range free. Gary Cahill caught it, passed and Donal Franks hit a soaring clearance. Stephen Brown - back in the forwards after starting at centrefield where he had played so well in the drawn match - caught it, turned and headed off on a cutting solo run. Within range, he finished expertly to the net and the two-point margin was now five.
Simon Whelahan made it six by half-time and in those couple of minutes the match had turned for good. Two weeks before, it was Castletown who had started the second half with a big lead; now they would need a lot of scores.
As in the drawn match they got only one, but on 35 minutes, Simon Whelahan hammered a bobbing ball into the net just as it was looking as if Castletown had cleared the danger off a dropping ball from Rory Hanniffy, who played really well at centrefield in the second half.
Any residual tension as to the fate of the title evaporated and the crowd of about 4,500 were left to concern themselves about matters such as whether Gary Hanniffy could break his scoring duck. The answer, despite some great ball-winning and whole-hearted effort, was no. However, he can try again on February 17th when Birr break new ground with a trip to Clones to face Ulster champions Dunloy.
BIRR: B Mullins; G Cahill, J Errity, JP O'Meara; D Franks, Brian Whelahan, N Claffey; J Pilkington, S Brown (1-1); L Power, Barry Whelahan (0-1), D Pilkington; G Hanniffy, S Whelahan (1-8, 0-4 frees; capt), R Hanniffy. Subs: P Molloy for Power (57 mins), D Hayden for D Pilkington (60 mins), C Hanniffy for S Whelahan (62 mins), P Carroll for G Hanniffy (63 mins).
CASTLETOWN: J Lyons; T Phelan, P Cuddy, M Phelan; D Keenan, C Cuddy, R Delaney; J Palmer (0-1), B Ferns; P Phelan, D Cuddy (0-2, one free), F O'Sullivan (0-2); JR Kingston, P Cuddy, J O'Sullivan. Subs: J Hooban for P Cuddy (half-time), P Mullaney for Kingston (half-time), S Lyons for P Phelan (48 mins), T Dooley for J O'Sullivan (48 mins), M Butler for Palmer (58 mins).
Referee: D Morris (Dublin).
