Leinster Club HC Semi-final/Birr 2-14 Craobh Chiaráin 1-10: Two clubs with more in common than they perhaps realise got a bit off their chests on a raw November afternoon in Parnell Park yesterday. At the end of an afternoon of tough hurling the news that Birr had advanced to another Leinster final (this time with Ballyhale) wasn't going to shock anyone, but the persistence of Craobh Chiaráin's challenge will have raised a few eyebrows.

Both clubs are modern wonders of replenishment from scarce resources. Half of Birr's 20 county titles have come since 1991, four of Craobh Chiaráin's five titles have come since 1998. If Birr have managed to live off the graduates of one school and a tradition of finesse hurling, the Craobh have cut out a hurling culture from the population of a few roads around Parnell Park, known aptly as the Clans.

With Birr presenting themselves as visitors yesterday the game was going to be played on the terms set out by the Donnycarney men. Duly the hurling was hard and fast, the pot boiled over a couple of times and, if Birr were flattered by the margin, nobody could argue but that they did enough to win.

Craobh Chiaráin lost centre back Dave Wyse to a red card from the last round and for a club scarce on personnel the penalty was paid yesterday. Dave Kirwan, traditionally a muscular but skilled presence in around the square, was pulled out the field, Alan McCrabbe, the best poacher in Dublin, was out at wing forward.

These switches left the Craobh with very little presence or pace on the inside line. With possession so hard to come by, they needed those things.

Birr started well with a Simon Whelahan free, but they were never allowed to settle or pull away and typical of the pattern of the afternoon was the fact that straight after Whelahan's score McCrabbe drove over a huge point from 70 yards out on the right sideline to equalise.

That was the pattern for most of the game with Birr having the slight edge, but never able to see clear road in the rear-view mirror. The sides were separated by the width of a goal at half-time. A fortunate goal too, which arrived from the blue after 19 minutes.

Paul O'Meara ran at the Craobh defence who, not for the last time, deserted their posts in order to shut down the runner. O'Meara flicked inside to Simon Whelahan whose head-high drive looked to have been saved by Stephen Chester. Alas, the young goalkeeper turned the ball into his own net.

Again McCrabbe formulated the response as the Craobh went straight back downfield, Ger Ennis got a touch to a high ball and McCrabbe drove straight to the net.

Then, before the game had settled down again O'Meara was through again, handpassing this time to Gary Hanniffy who drove a perfect daisycutter of a shot past Chester to the net.

A goal in it at the break, but the Dublin champions had reasons for optimism, with the wind at their backs for the second half. McCrabbe was getting the better of Niall Claffey at wing forward, Keith Elliot was having a fine game at wing back while the breaks at midfield were falling evenly.

Hope was never higher than in the opening minutes of the second half when Craobh Chiaráin closed the gap with three points in as many minutes, McCrabbe with two frees and John Kingston with a point did the damage.

In other parts of the the field, though, Birr were just too good. Gary Hanniffy was ultimately physically too strong for Derek O'Reilly, a tidy and efficient hurler who was brought infield to work at centre back for the day.

That and the Offaly side's ability to stay focused and to patiently work a score would be the telling difference as the game came down the straight. Having closed the gap after half-time, Craobh Chiaráin let Birr score the next five points of the game, two of them Brian Whelahan frees, two of them from Stephen Brown, whose influence suddenly increased, and one from Gary Hanniffy.

Chiaráin's had closed to four points against when a tussle between McCrabbe and Niall Claffey evolved into a brief spate of pushing, shoving and shouting.

There were 10 minutes left then and, although McCrabbe scored a sweet point just afterwards from a sideline cut, it was Birr who stayed more committed to their own pattern to the close and they finished with three scores on the trot, the middle one coming from Aaron Whelahan, Brian's son. Two generations of one family on the field. Not even the Craobh use resources that well.

BIRR: B Mullins; JP O'Meara, P Cleary, M Verney; Brian Whelahan (0-3, frees), R Hanniffy (0-1), N Claffey; Barry Whelahan, N Rodgers; P O' Meara, G Hanniffy (1-1), S Brown (0-2); S Whelahan (1-1), D Hayden (0-2), S Ryan (0-2). Subs: J Errity (0-1) for Rodgers (37 mins), P Molloy for Barry Whelahan (65 mins), A Whelahan (0-1) for P O' Meara (66 mins). M Dwane for S Brown (70 mins).

CRAOBH CHIARÁIN: S Chester; J Kingston (0-1), K O'Donoghue, Damien O'Reilly; K, Elliot, G Shanley, G Kelly; J McGuirk, S McDonnell, P O'Boyle (0-2); Derek O'Reilly, E Farrell, D Kirwan (0-1); G Ennis (0-1), A McCrabbe (1-5, two frees and one sideline). Subs: G Duggan for S McDonnell (36 mins) S Ennis for E Farrell (51 mins) S Keeley for J McGuirk (64 mins) C McGuirk for J Kingston (66 mins).

Referee: F Smith (Meath).