Birr 0-17 Dunloy 0-9: HAILSTONES DURING the warm-up, a pitch with all the consistency of hot sticky toffee pudding and a cool brrrr in the air. By now, though, Birr have encountered all there is to experience in an ongoing love affair with the All-Ireland club hurling championship and, after an opening half that was perhaps a little too close for their comfort, the Offalymen booked a date with destiny next month with a comprehensive eight-point win over Dunloy Cuchullain at St Tiernach's Park, Clones yesterday.
No team does this competition better than Birr, who produced a classy second-half performance to reach a sixth final. As things stand, Birr and Ballyhale Shamrocks - with four titles apiece - lead the honours; but, as was evident in this display, the allure of Croke Park on St Patrick's Day gets the adrenaline flowing.
Yesterday provided further proof of Birr's great desire. On a pitch that more than once sucked the ball into its soft core, ground hurling was kept to a minimum and an even greater emphasis was placed on speed and power. As the match progressed, this factor worked increasingly in Birr's favour, with Rory Hanniffy turning in a towering performance, JP O'Meara particularly effective in defence and the Whelahan clan aiding and abetting to great effect.
Yet, for much of the first part of this semi-final, Dunloy more than held their own. Birr raced into a three-point lead - with points from Brian Whelahan (two) and Seán Ryan - but the Ulstermen knuckled down and, on less possession, dragged themselves back into the game and even went ahead for the first time when Damian McMullen sent over a wonderful long-range point in the 17th minute.
McMullan's point followed a hat-trick of points from Gregory O'Kane and put Dunloy into a 0-4 to 0-3 lead, and it was a game of nip and tuck for the rest of the half which saw Birr, eventually, establish an interval lead of 0-7 to 0-6.
It was very much all to play for as the teams trudged in for the break; but, within minutes of the restart, there was an increasing sense Birr had returned to the pitch in a higher gear.
Rory Hanniffy, whose workrate was an example for his team-mates, and Simon Whelahan, after some wonderful interplay with impressive substitute Michael Dwane, fired over the opening two points of a second half that was, for the most part, one-way traffic. While Dunloy drove into cul-de-sacs in search of a way to out-manoeuvre their opponents, Birr played with a simple directness.
When O'Kane claimed his fifth point in the 43rd minute, there still appeared to be some hope for Dunloy. At that stage, the Northerners trailed by just three points, 0-11 to 0-8.
But all changed utterly in the following 13 minutes, as Birr reeled off a sequence of five unanswered points that effectively put the game out of reach. Three of those points came from Simon Whelahan frees as Dunloy, who had five players yellow-carded, struggled with the pace of the Birr attack.
The pure economy of Birr's play was exemplified by a fine Gary Hanniffy point in this period when he took a direct pass from Simon Whelahan. It was vintage Birr, and demonstrated the familiarity that has been bred into the team.
"We're disappointed, but there is no doubt the better team won on the day. They're some side, so many household names. Our forwards weren't winning balls and we weren't getting the breaks. They just overpowered us," conceded Dunloy co-manager Gary O'Kane.
For Birr, the road to Croker is a familiar one. "It's all about winning, and we came here to win," said Birr manager PJ Whelahan with typical frankness. "I knew the conditions would be bad. We were here two weeks ago and I heard it was inspected during the week and when I heard that I knew what to expect. But that's the way it is. I was disappointed with the first half, but we hurled well in the second half. We're there now and we're going to enjoy it."
BIRR: B Mullins; M Verney, N Claffey, JP O'Meara; B Watkins, P Cleary (0-1, 65), D Hayden; R Hanniffy (0-4), Barry Whelahan (0-1); G Hanniffy (0-1), Brian Whelahan (0-2, one free), S Whelahan (0-5, four frees); S Brown, P O'Meara, S Ryan (0-2). Subs: M Dwane (0-1) for P O'Meara (half-time), K Hehir for Ryan (68 mins), B Lonergan for S Whelahan (70 mins).
DUNLOY CUCHULLAIN: G McGhee; M McClements, J McKeague, K Martin; S Mullan, D McMullan (0-1), G McAllister; L Richmond, P Shiels (0-1); M Curry, C McGuckian, C Cunning; A Elliott, G O'Kane (0-5, four frees), P Richmond (0-1). Subs: D Quinn for Elliott (33 mins), M Molloy for Curry (37 mins), P Shivers for G McAllister (51 mins), S Dowds for McGuckian (55 mins), P Doherty (0-1) for Shiels (55 mins).
Referee: M Haverty (Galway).
