Extra time a bridge too far as brave Offaly bow out with heads held sky high

DEFEAT may have been their lot but Offaly certainly went out of the Leinster Senior Football Championship with their heads held sky high when extra time proved a bridge too far in a thrilling semi-final shootout against Louth in Croke Park on Sunday.

Leinster Senior Football Championship semi-final

Louth 0-27

Offaly 2-15

A super comeback in normal time almost ended with a famous victory as Cian Farrell was wide with a chance to win it near the end of injury time. Offaly had shown tremendous character to find themselves so close, coming back from a dire looking situation inside the last quarter, when they twice trailed by four points.

Level at half time, 1-6 to 0-9, Offaly trailed by 0-16 to 1-9 and 0-17 to 1-10 as the last ten minutes approached. Looking a beaten docket, Offaly staged a sensational recovery, getting back onto level terms and almost snatching it deep in injury time as they finished level, 1-14 to 0-17.

Fears that they would not have the legs for extra time proved to be very correct as Offaly couldn't sustain the effort levels and ran out of steam. Louth were 0-23 to 1-15 ahead at the end of the first period and Offaly really needed a miracle.

While a Declan Hogan goal at the start of the second period brought Offaly right back into it and cut the gap to two points, a second fightback was not really on the cards. Quite simply, Offaly's legs were gone and Louth got the closing four points for an ultimately deserved win, even though they had come so close to a devastating defeat.

In extra time, Offaly just didn't have a team on the field that could win it. They had too many inexperienced, unproven players out there and most of their potential match winners were on the sideline or wrecked. Anton Sullivan and Ruari McNamee went off at the end of normal time and while Sullivan came back on, he was hobbling badly and could not make any impact.

Lee Pearson, outstanding up to then, had cramped up in the second half of normal time and his pace was sorely missed while Peter Cunningham's legs went early in the second half of extra time and Dylan Hyland's tank had emptied as he was replaced.

It was a pity and Offaly could badly have done with their U-20 trio of John Furlong, Cormac Egan and Keith O'Neill. Egan had opted to join the Offaly U-20 hurling panel, playing a key role in their win over Galway on Saturday, while Furlong didn't come in as he tries to give his groin injury a chance to fully recover. O'Neill had joined the panel but was not on the subs bench and Offaly supporters will be wondering what might have happened if this outstanding trio had been there to come in during the second half – injured wing back Rory Egan was also a huge loss while another injured absentee, Bernard Allen would have contributed off the bench. Jack Bryant almost took on the mantle of a game changer when he came on but despite looking hungry and dangerous, it didn't quite happen for him.

The potential influence of the other U-20s is all speculation, however, and the panel that was there deserves the gratitude and admiration of supporters. They fought with every ounce of their being, showed fantastic heart and character, providing another indication of the ferocious will to win that is there in all Offaly teams at the moment.

It wasn't enough on the day and Offaly don't have any complaints at losing, even if it would have took very little more to have won it in normal time. A few things went wrong for them in the second half of normal time – Ian Duffy encountered problems with his kickouts, though a sensational double save kept Offaly alive while a few mistakes were made and the influence of Anton Sullivan dwindled as the game wore on – he had been pivotal to Offaly going in on level terms at half time but didn't release quickly enough on a few occasions in the second half.

Offaly's midfield also went as Jack McEvoy and Conor McNamee were both replaced and they ended up with a novice pairing of Bill Carroll and Aaron Leavy, though both did very well for a while after coming on.

Offaly can be very proud of the way they competed and fought. There was no shame in defeat and it was a pleasure to witness a team trying so hard. Collectively, their work rate was excellent and you had to admire the way some players dug in when things weren't going right for them: the way Ian Duffy stayed focused when his head could have dropped after his wayward kickouts; the blocking, tackling and interceptions of Declan Hogan on a day when Louth's Ciaran Downey caused him a lot of problems – Hogan was not on Downey for all of his seven points but he was there for some of them. The captain also displayed great awareness to offer a close in option for Duffy kickouts when it became clear that the Walsh Island custodian was finding it hard to find men out the field as well as getting forward for a goal that could have turned the tide on a different day.

Peter Cunningham and Ruari McNamee were brilliant at times while Dylan Hyland was also tremendous and Cian Farrell worked his socks off. Unfortunately, Offaly's limations on the bench showed up and this was where the U-20s were needed – Morgan Tynan wasn't selected on the panel and he was another who might have had something to offer on the day. To make progress, Offaly really need a number of those U-20s to start coming of age next year.

It was a compelling game of football and provided great entertainment. Compared to their last two Croke Park outings, Offaly competed much better from the start and they did well to go in at level terms at half time, 1-6 to 0-9.

Louth were marginally the better team in the first half and picked off scores that bit easier, whereas Offaly had to work very hard for all of theirs.

In particular Offaly didn't cope at all with Louth forward Ciaran Downey. He broke forward at pace from deep positions and everything he touched turned to gold as he picked off five sensational first half points.

Yet Offaly worked very hard at closing Louth down in general and the opening ten minutes were closely contested. The sides were level on three occasions before Louth got two ahead with points from Conor Grimes and Dylan McKeown. Dylan Hyland did very well to win a lost cause and make it 0-5 to 0-4 after seventeen minutes but Louth were now in the ascendancy.

Outstanding midfielder Tommy Durnin and Downey picked off points to put them three ahead and Offaly were crying out for a score. That came almost out of nothing when Peter Cunningham arrowed over a super 22nd minute point.

Nigel Dunne dropped a free short and Downey's fourth point restored Louth's three point lead. Offaly were a bit ponderous on the ball at times but were dangerous when they broke at pace and Anton Sullivan was the one man consistently breaking the line. A super 27th minute break by the Rhode man and lay off sent Peter Cunningham in on goal and his low drive made it 1-5 to 0-8.

Downey again and Nigel Dunne (free) exchanged points to leave it all square at half time and Offaly were happy to be in that position.

The second half was a thrilling affair as Offaly looked to be dead and buried when Louth went on a rampage just after the three quarter stage but somehow found the reserves of courage to come back.

1-9 to 0-10 ahead after 48 minutes, it unravelled at the seams for Offaly in the next seven minutes as Louth scored six points on the trot to take a 0-16 to 1-9 lead.

Offaly were the architects of their own misfortune as three of the points came after poor Ian Duffy kickouts and other mistakes were made out the field.

Anton Sullivan blazed a free wide, just moments after free taker Nigel Dunne had been replaced, before Ruari McNamee converted one in the 58th minute to keep Offaly in there. Louth's last point in normal time came from that man Ciaran Downey a minute later and a four point lead looked to be a sufficient cushion. They almost killed it off but Ian Duffy made a remarkable double save from Daire McConnon and Sam Mulroy in the 60th minute.

Suddenly Offaly's spirit was renewed and they then turned the screw on Louth. Cian Farrell got a free and two class Dylan Hyland points brought it down to a point with five minutes left. Louth looked shell shocked and Offaly hit them with everything. Sub Jack Bryant was wide from a well won mark while McConnon missed a good chance at the other end. Anton Sullivan broke the line to fire over a super 73rd minute equaliser and Cian Farrell blazed wide with a great chance to win it almost at the end of extra time as it finished level, 1-14 to 0-17.

As feared, Offaly's legs ran out in extra time and the alarm bells were ringing when Ruari McNamee and Anton Sullivan didn't come back out onto the field, though Sullivan did come back on before the end of the first period.

Bill Carroll did give Offaly an early lead and Jack Bryant was blocked down with a great goal chance by Conor Early. That might have changed things had it gone in but instead, Louth got six points in the first period, five of them in a row for a 0-23 to 1-15 lead and Offaly were needing a miracle.

Declan Hogan gave Offaly hope three minutes after the resumption, blasting to the net after a Jack McEvoy punch hit the crossbar. With only two points in it, the game should have been back in the melting pot but the realistic among the Offaly supporters did not get excited. It was clear that too many players were now very much in the red and the more inexperienced players couldn't be expected to win it. With almost an air of inevitability, a fitter Louth got the closing four points for the win and a disappointed Offaly were left to reflect on what might have been.

MATCH ANALYSIS

MAN OF THE MATCH

Ciaran Downey (Louth): A choice between Ciaran Downey and Tommy Durnin. There is a strong case to be made for Durnin, who was the dominant figure at midfield, making some spectacular catches and surges forward. However, you can't ignore the seven point haul of Downey and the fact that they all came in normal time tells its own story – Offaly's questions about how one player could score seven points will be legitimate ones. Downey did attack from deep, moving onto the ball and quickly pulling the trigger and it seemed at times that no one person had or took on responsibility for picking him up. Whoever was responsible, seven points was a huge, game winning contribution by one player.

THE SCORERS

Louth: Ciaran Downey 0-7, Sam Mulroy 0-6 (2f), Conor Early and Craig Lennon 0-3 each, Niall Sharkey, Conor Grimes and Dylan McKeown 0-2 each, Tommy Durnin and Liam Jackson 0-1 each.

Offaly: Dylan Hyland 0-5 (1f), Peter Cunningham 1-1, Declan Hogan 1-0, Ruari McNamee 0-3 (1f), Cian Farrell (1f) and Nigel Dunne (1f) 0-2 each, Anton Sullivan and Bill Carroll 0-1 each.

THE TEAMS

OFFALY: Ian Duffy (Walsh Island); Lee Pearson (Edenderry), Declan Hogan (Tullamore), David Dempsey (Ballycommon); Cian Donohoe (St Brigid's); Peter Cunningham (Bracknagh), Ciaran Donnelly (Bracknagh); Jack McEvoy (Clonbullogue), Conor McNamee (Rhode); Cian Farrell (Edenderry), Ruari McNamee (Rhode), Anton Sullivan (Rhode); Dylan Hyland (Raheen), Nigel Dunne (Shamrocks), Jamie Evans (Gracefield). Subs – Joe Maher (Ferbane) for Evans (49m), Aaron Leavy (Tullamore) for Conor McNamee (55m), Bill Carroll (Cappincur) for Dunne (55m), Jack O'Brien (Durrow) for Pearson, inj. (61m), Jack Bryant (Shamrocks) for McEvoy (63m), Luke Egan (Tullamore) for Ruari McNamee (FT), Nigel Bracken (Tullamore) for Donohoe (FT), Jack McEvoy Sullivan for (FT), Shane O'Toole-Greene (Shamrocks) for Donnelly (79m), Anton Sullivan for Hyland (80m), Aaron Brazil (Shannonbridge) for Cunningham (82m).

LOUTH: James Califf; Dan Corcoran, Ciaran Murphy, Donal McKenny; Leonard Grey, Niall Sharkey, Conall McKeever; Tommy Durnin, Conor Early; Paul Matthews, Sam Mulroy, Conor Grimes; Ciaran Keenan, Ciaran Downey, Dylan McKeown. Subs – Daire McConnon for Keenan, inj. (31m), Liam Jackson for Matthews (HT), Craig Lennon for McKeown (HT), Peter Lynch Murphy (45m), Anthony Williams for McKeever (64m), Ryan Burns for Jackson (FT), Conall McKeever for Corcoran (82m), Liam Jackson for McKenny (85m), Ciaran Murphy for Grey (87m)

Referee – Joe McQuillan (Cavan).

REFEREE WATCH

Joe McQuillan had a very good game. You can always highlight a couple of soft frees in any game but he exuded competency and was always in control.

MOMENT OF THE MATCH

Cian Farrell's miss right at the end of normal time was crucial. With Jack Bryant running off his shoulder, it was a great chance for Offaly to snatch a sensational victory. The impression that Offaly had to win it in normal time and would not be able to do so in extra time proved to be all too accurate.

VENUE WATCH

There is a strong case to be made for playing provincial semi-finals at provincial venues but Croke Park is always a special place and it was great to see loads of cars and buses with Offaly supporters making their way to Dublin once again. As usual, the Croke Park venue was perfect.

WHAT'S NEXT

Louth play Dublin or Kildare in the Leinster final.

STATISTICS

Wides: Offaly - 12 (4 in 1st half, 4 in 2nd half, 1 in 1st period of extra time, 3 in 2nd period); Louth - (3 in 1st half, 5 in 2nd half, 1 in 1st period of extra time, 2 in 2nd period).

Yellow cards: Offaly – 1 (Anton Sullivan); Louth – 3 (Donal McKenny, Conall McKeever and Conor Grimes).

Black cards: 0.

Red cards: 0.