All Ireland Club Champions 1995

BIRR’S BONANZA Dunloy never in hunt as Offaly Champs run riot BIRR 3-13 DUNLOY 2-3 (Referee: P. O’Connor, Limerick)

A brilliant tactical switch by Birr helped secure Offaly’s first ever AIB All-Ireland Club Hurling title when they swamped Antrim and Ulster’s best in a surprisingly one-side replay at Croke Park yesterday.The re-arranging of Birr’s forwards, particularly the moving of No. 11 Paul Murphy to full-forward yielded two goals in eight minutes which Dunloy were unable to recover from.The official team lists may not have changed from the drawn game, but Birr made a series of changes with Dáithí Regan at midfield, Murphy at full-forward and named midfielder Conor McGlone, an injury doubt beforehand due to a hamstring complaint, at centre-forward with magnificent effect.

BLISTERING Birr, managed by Offaly legend Pádraig Horan, matched the heat of a super spring day with a blistering start as Declan Pilkington put Murphy through for a goal after just 75 seconds.Six minutes later, Murphy struck again after batting a high, dropping Brian Whelahan ’65 past Dunloy goalkeeper Shane Elliot.It was a dream start which Birr copper-fastened by keeping Dunloy scoreless for the entire first half.Much of that was down to a sublime exhibition from 1994 Texaco Hurler of the Year Brian Whelahan, who gave a further demonstration why his passing over for an All-Star last year was such a farce. His half-back colleagues Gary Cahill and Noel Hogan, as well as midfielders Johnny Pilkington (captain) and Regan, were also outstanding while Murphy, Declan Pilkington and Adrian Cahill (0-6) excelled in attack in a display of guts and skill which finally did justice to a team which has promised so much for so long.As expected, the fine weather and perfect sod, in total contrast to the wintery conditions of the drawn final on St. Patrick’s Day, suited Birr’s wristy, ground skills better.The platform came from midfield where inter-county stars Regan and Pilkington totally dominated Tony McGrath and Colm McGuckian while Whelahan dealt capably with a succession of markers which included Nigel and Jarlath Elliott, and later Eamonn McKee. 

The Offaly men racked up a massive wind and sun-assisted 2-7 to nil lead, feeding in blinding high balls to Murphy as well as swinging it wide to Simon Whelehan and Adrian Cahill, whose unselfish passing yielded some excellent scores.Could Phonsie Kearns’ brave Dunloy make a comeback after the break?They made a stab at it in the second-half, abandoning their ineffective, short-passing game to allow two quick McKee points to open their scoring just after the resumption.Things looked even better when Jarlath Elliott ran onto a Gary O’Kane clearance and raised a green flag in the 43rd minute, but Birr’s reply was emphatic with two points from Declan Pilkington combined with scores from Adrian Cahill and Brian Whelahan as the Faithful men made sure that they were not going to be caught for a second time.Allstair Elliott bagged Dunloy’s second goal, cleverly dispossessing Whelahan of both ball and hurl with six minutes left before Seamus McMullan, whose duties at full-back had been switched to Brian Óg Cunning, ran the length of the pitch for an excellent, individual point.The writing was long dried on the wall by then, though, as Birr coasted to victory and joined an illustrious roll of honour.Offaly teams had contested and lost All-Ireland club finals on four occasions before this win with St Rynagh’s defeated at the final hurdle three times while Birr went down to Kiltormer in the 1992 decider. Birr rubbed out all of those memories in sensational style to put Offaly club hurling firmly on the All-Ireland map.

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