Joyous scenes on Shinrone's glory day
The second day of October in 2022 is a date that will forever resonate in the annals of Shinrone GAA club as it earned a first-ever county senior hurling title by defeating Kilcormac-Killoughey in the Molloy Environmental Systems Offaly SHC decider.
The final whistle sparked scenes of jubilation at O'Connor Park as Shinrone, competing in only a second senior county final in the club's almost-140-year history, ran out seven-point winners.
Speaking afterwards, the club's centre back, Michael Cleary, said it was hard to put the significance of the win into words.
"It's genuinely overwhelming," he told Offaly GAA. "We're on the road a long time. We were in the county semi-final back in 2012. We got there last year again but we lost, I think it was nine knockout games in a row from that semi-final to the quarter final this year.
"It means so much, not just to the players on the team, or the parents, families and partners, but just the whole village. In the last two weeks since we got over the line (in the semi-final) it's just been a sea of red and white in Shinrone.
"It's unbelievable what it does for the community and the people involved in the GAA in Shinrone. It's really brought everyone together.
"It's a lift everyone needed, because it's never been done in Shinrone before. It's history. We're creating history here today," he said.
Shinrone, managed by former Kilcormac-Killoughey player, Trevor Fletcher, were second best in the initial exchanges yesterday.
However, with their attack spearheaded by man of the match Ciarán Cleary, they soon gained a foothold in the game and were ahead by 0-10 to 0-8 at the half time break.
The third quarter was to prove decisive, as Fletcher's charges hit six points in succession to open up a commanding eight-point lead going into the final ten minutes.
As Shinrone continued to keep the scoreboard moving in the closing stages, goals for Kilcormac-Killoughey by Ger Healion and Cillian Kiely were't enough to prevent a landmark victory for the underdogs.