Offaly county board chairman Michael Duignan gave an emotional speech as he presented the Sean Robbins Cup to Kilcormac Killoughey captain Conor Slevin.
Kilcormac Killoughey defeated Ballinamere 0-16 to 1-11 in the Offaly senior hurling final, with a second half clinic from Adam Screeney inspiring The Special Ks to glory.
Ballinamere led by two points on the three quarter hour mark when Dan Bourke pointed but they would only manage one more point into a swirling breeze, with KK taking over to win their second title in a row.
Duignan was a selector on the Ballinamere team alongside manager Niall Rigney, the former Laois hurler, while his son Brian played full forward, scoring 0-7.
The two-time All-Ireland winning hurler Duignan is stepping down as chairman at the end of the year, meaning this his was his last official business as chairperson.
He paid a big tribute to his fellow officers Dervill Dolan and Colm Cummins, describing them as his 'right and left arm over the last few years,' before thanking the volunteers, clubs and delegates who keep Offaly GAA going.
Duignan praised both teams for their display, sportingly hailing Kilcormac Killoughey as the 'better team on the day.'
"This is my last official day as Offaly GAA chairman and what a day it has been in Glenisk O'Connor Park today," began Duignan, with the speech shown on Clubber.
"What an exhibition of hurling they gave in outrageously bad conditions. Two brilliant teams, one team delighted here behind me and another bitterly disappointed."
"To the Ballinamere lads, a very hard luck, I've been with ye since underage. I went back in eight years ago, but the hard work had been done over the last good few years.
"We've come from a very low-ebb, to get to a county senior final today for the first team. Niall Rigney, all the management team and the backroom team out there, ye're doing a fantastic job.
"To the players, you can hold your heads high after that performance today, I know you will be back in the future."
"Coming in here today, we all knew out in Ballinamere it was going to be a massive battle. We were facing a fantastic team, a team that came in 2010 and has led the charge in Offaly GAA ever since.
"Ye (Kilcormac Killoughey) are producing phenomenal young players and you're old guard and young who combined today.
"Winning a county championship with six nineteen year olds, and seven under-20s is a remarkable achievement."
"No one can take away that over the hour today, ye were a better team. Well done lads."
