Offaly minors pull away in second half to progress to Leinster quarter finals

OFFALY 0-17

WESTMEATH 0-6

REIGNING champions Offaly advanced to the quarter finals of the Leinster Minor Hurling Championship with a well deserved 11 point victory over Westmeath at TEG Cusack Park in Mullingar on Sunday.

Offaly started slowly but gradually grew into the game and by the finish were the dominant team and were very worthy victors.

It wasn't the perfect performance but it was one full of courage and determination as Offaly overcame the challenge from the home side and gradually enforced their will on the game. They adapted well to circumstances during the game and showed a will to win and they clearly grew in confidence the more the game progressed.

Westmeath made a bright start with two points inside a minute and a half and Offaly were struggling to impose themselves on the game in the early minutes. It took them nine minutes to get a score and Westmeath continued to cause them problems. However Offaly dominated the last 10 minutes of the half and went in leading 0-6 to 0-3 at half time.

Similar to the first half Westmeath got the first two scores of the second half to reduce the lead to the minimum but an inspirational score from Mark Mulrooney lifted Offaly and they were four points up entering the final quarter. It was all Offaly from there as they scored the last eight points of the game to win by a healthy 11 point margin.

Offaly made a number of personnel and positional changes from their defeat to Wexford on Good Friday. They started with Cillian Bourke as a sweeper but after 20 minutes they did away with that and pushed him further forward and that coincided with Offaly taking control of the game. They scored four points without reply, including one from Bourke himself, in those final 10 minutes of the half and could even have been further ahead at half time.

If there was one concern for Offaly it might be that they didn't find the net again. They had a couple of good chances, the best of them 10 minutes into the second half when a good move involving James O'Sullivan, Cillian Bourke and Liam O'Riordan ended with Niall Flannery in on goal but just as he was about to pull the trigger Jack Murtagh got across to make a block and deny Offaly the goal.

Offaly also dropped a number of efforts short into the goalkeeper but overall, they used the ball better than their opponents and were always on the look out for a colleague. At times those passes might have gone astray and they lost possession but they always worked very hard to win the ball back and their work ethic was excellent throughout.

Richard Bracken made some great high catches at full back while Caelum Larkin, Gearoid Maher and Mark Mulrooney also excelled in defence. James O'Sullivan put in a good hour in the middle of the field, while Liam O'Riordan, Cillian Bourke and Darragh Scully did best in attack.

After starting both halves well, Westmeath faded. They got very little change from a tight marking Offaly defence and a single point from Caolan Ready was all their starting forwards managed from play. Jack Murtagh, Darragh Smith and Neale Pierson worked hard in defene, Joe Mulvaney contributed two points from midfield while Conor Heffernan and Caolan Ready worked hard in attack.

Westmeath were in front inside a minute when captain Darragh Smith pointed from inside his own 65m line. They doubled the lead half a minute later when Joe Mulvaney lofted over another effort from 60m.

Offaly were finding it hard to get into the game and it took them nine minutes to get their first score when Liam O'Riordan pointed a 50m free and he quickly levelled with a fine effort from play. Conor Heffernan put Westmeath back in front after 11 minutes and then next 10 minutes passed without a score, during which Rob Carney saw an effort well saved by Westmeath goalkeeper Kian Loughlin.

Liam O'Riordan levelled again for Offaly after 21 minutes and Cillian Bourke, Mark Mulrooney and Darragh Scully all added further points to send in Offaly leading by 0-6 to 0-3 at half time.

Just 30 seconds after the restart Caolan Ready pulled a point back for Westmeath and they had it back to the minimum three minutes later when Conor Heffernan pointed a free.

Six minutes into the half Mark Mulrooney made a great burst out of defence and fired over a long range point to lift Offaly. They had a great goal chance but Niall Flannery's effort was blocked by Jack Murtagh. However quick points followed from Cillian Bourke and another from Mark Mulrooney and Offaly had stretched the lead to four after 12 minutes.

Westmeath replied quickly with a Joe Mulvaney point but that was their last score of the game. Darragh Scully was on target for Offaly and sub Ajay Cleary fired over another long range effort. In the closing stages Offaly really imposed their authority on the game.Darragh Scully and Liam O'Riordan both pointed frees before Cillian Bourke, Liam O'Riordan (2) and a long range free from Gearoid Maher put the gloss on the win for Offaly.

MATCH ANALYSIS

THE TEAMS

OFFALY: Eanna Mulhare (St Rynagh's); Caelum Larkin (Carrig & Riverstown), Richard Bracken (Kilcormac/Killoughey), Daire Daly (St Rynagh's); Luke Bracken (Kilcormac/Killoughey), Gearoid Maher (Shinrone), Mark Mulrooney (Kilcormac/Killoughey); James O'Sullivan (Shinrone), Harry Sweeney (Kilcormac/Killoughey); Dylan Hollywood (Drumcullen), Liam O'Riordan (Ballyskenach-Killavilla), Niall Flannery (St Rynagh's); Cillian Bourke (Tullamore), Rob Carney (Ballyskenach-Killavilla), Darragh Scully (St Rynagh's). Subs. Ajay Cleary (Coolderry) (for Harry Sweeney, 40 mins), James Morkan (Shinrone) (for Rob Carney, 44 mins), Niall Kelly (Ballinamere) (for Niall Flannery, 57 mins).

WESTMEATH: Kian Loughlin; Mikey Weir, Jack Murtagh, Darragh Kenny; Darragh Smith, Connaire Martin, Neale Pierson; Carl McCormack, Joe Mulvaney; Conor Leech, Winston Larkin McHugh, Eoin Meehan; Conor Heffernan, Caolan Ready, Ben McNamee. Subs. Cormac McKeogh (for Ben McNamee, half time), Dylan Corrigan (for Winston Larkin McHugh, 45 mins), Sean Hayes (for Eoin Meehan, 57 mins), Conor Daly (for Carl McCormack, 57 mins)

REFEREE: Matthew Redmond (Kildare).

MAN OF THE MATCH

Offaly wing back Mark Mulrooney was the outstanding player on the pitch. He was involved in the action from the very start and constantly delivered good ball into the Offaly attack. He defended well and read the game very well and he topped it off with three points from play.

MOMENT OF THE MATCH

Mark Mulrooney's second point, Offaly's first of the second half, was an inspirational score. He gathered the ball deep in his own defence and raced away, popped the ball over the head of an opponent and regathered it before firing over from 65m for a great score. Westmeath had just cut Offaly's three point lead to the minimum but that score got Offaly going again and they never really looked back from there.

REFEREE WATCH

Matthew Redmond didn't endear himself to Offaly fans early on. The home side appeared to get a couple of soft frees and Offaly were punished for dissent while they seemed to find it hard to win frees themselves. The referee also blew half time with Niall Flannery in possession and about to shoot for goals, which even the locals didn't fully agree with. He pulled Offaly for a couple of 'thrown' passes in the second half, one of which appeared particularly harsh but overall his display didn't affect the outcome.

TALKING POINT

Offaly recovered well from their setback against Wexford the previous week and while they started slowly in this game they worked themselves into the game well. Once they did away with the sweeper after about 20 minutes, they took control of the game. The sides were level at that stage but Offaly pushed into the three point lead by half time and controlled most of the second half. They certainly grew into the game and if they can build on that they will pose problems for whoever they meet in the quarter final.

WHAT’S NEXT

Offaly advance to the Leinster quarter finals where they are joined by the other Round 2 knockout winner and the two teams who finished runners up in Groups 1 and 2.

VENUE WATCH

There wasn't a huge crowd present for the fixture and there were plenty of stewards in place to cater for everything. The grass on the pitch did appear to be long for hurling in places and players had difficulty rising the ball.

STATISTICS

Wides; Offaly 9 (4 in first half) Westmeath 9 (5 in first half)

Yellow Cards: Offaly 2 (Niall Flannery, Rob Carney) Westmeath 2 (Conor Heffernan, Conor Leech).

Red Cards: None

THE SCORERS

Offaly; Liam O'Riordan (0-6, 0-2 frees), Cillian Bourke, Mark Mulrooney, Darragh Scully (one free) (0-3 each), Ajay Cleary (0-1), Gearoid Maher (0-1, free).

Westmeath; Joe Mulvaney (0-2), Conor Heffernan (0-2, frees), Darragh Smith, Caolan Ready (0-1 each).