Offaly cruise into All Ireland semi-final with comprehensive win

OFFALY cruised into the semi-finals of the All Ireland U-16B Championship with a 38 point demolition of Armagh in St Brendan’s Park in Birr on Saturday afternoon.

Armagh had struggled throughout the Championship and despite scoring the first point of the game, they were no match for a talented Offaly side.

Playing against the wind in the first-half, Offaly opened up a 5-4 to 1-2 lead. Three goals in the first 10 minutes really put Offaly in the driving seat .This gave the management the chance to try out all the panel and many of the substitutes played very well in the second half as Offaly continued to pile on the pressure in the second half finishing up easy winners on a score-line of 10-13 to 1-2.

All players played very well but bigger challenges lie ahead with a semi-final against Wexford in three weeks time. Next up for Offaly is the Leinster Championship quarter final game against Carlow next Saturday at 2.30pm in Birr. Speaking after the game, team manager Sean O’Meara said he feels the team is progressing well with the win in Antrim being the turning point of the season so far

Scorers

Offaly: Helen Dolan 1-7 (0-1f), Ciara Ditzgerald 3-0, Deirdre Coonan 1-1, Rachael Brennan 1-1, Grainne Egan 1-0, Ann-Marie Guinan 1-0, Eimear Mooney 1-2, Lisa Gorman 1-2.

Armagh: Ami McGuinness 1-0, Caoimhe Short 0-1, Aoife Crilly 0-1

Fixtures U-14 feile final: Birr v St Cillian’s, Wednesday, April 6, St Brendan’s Park; U-16 Leinster Quarter Final: Offaly v Carlow, Saturday, April 9, 2.30pm, St Brendans Park, Birr.

County Board Meeting, Wednesday, April 6, 8.30pm in Tullamore Court Hotel.

U-14 Development Blitz

Offaly had two teams taking part in an U-14 School Of Excellence National Blitz in Thurles on Sunday last. Other counties to participate were Cork, Limerick, Clare and Meath.

Offaly performed well in all matches and can look forward to the upcoming blitzes with great confidence.

The panels were Cailin Fitzgerald, Maisey Currams, Eimear Buckley, louise Flannery, Sarah Walsh, Roisin Egan, Becky Troy, Aisling Feeney, Grainne Dolan, Clodagh McCormack, Emma Kirwan, Shauna Stringer, Meave |Gleeson, Aoife Sweeney, Aine O’Meara, Ellen O Grady, Aisling Brennan, Molly Darcy, Lucy O Driscoll, Martha Ward, Danielle Walsh, Roisin Kelly, Aoife Kiely, Teri Delaney, Aileen Gorman, Shannon Touhey, Michelle Sammon, Helena Silke, Rachel Dermody, Katie Bourke, Sarah Devery, Niamh Gath, Grainne Minnock

An Offaly selection will take part in the Limerick blitz on Saturday, April 16 while the next development blitz will take place on Easter Monday, April 25.