Birr regained the Offaly SH title after a three-year gap when they defeated the holders, Seir Kieran, by a four-point margin in the final at Birr yesterday. The winners played the better hurling over the hour but it was only in the final 10 minutes that they made their superiority count.

It wasn't a classic final but it was a hard fought and tight contest and the closeness of the exchanges maintained interest to the finish.

The sides were level three times in the opening quarter before Birr began to get on top and they were four points clear approaching halftime. Johnny Dooley then crashed a 20-metre free to the Birr net and that reduced the gap to 0-8 to 1-3 at half-time.

Seir Kieran regained the lead three minutes after the break when Billy Dooley doubled a free to the net. Birr began to waste good scoring opportunities and the sides were level twice more in the third quarter. Birr regained the lead 13 minutes from the end and three points in the final 10 minutes clinched the title for them for the 13th time.

Tipperary hurling manager, Len Gaynor, was cautioned by the Munster Council on Saturday for his incursions onto the field during the Munster Championship final against Clare.