Brave Offaly pipped by Galway in fiercely competitive final

DON'T let the score mislead you for one moment. The winners Galway and gallant losers Offaly may have found scoring a big problem in the Adam Mangan U-15 Football Tournament final at Kilclonfert on Saturday afternoon but this was a compelling game, played between two fiercely determined teams who left it all on the field.

Adam Mangan U-15 Football Tournament Final

Galway 0-7

Offaly 0-6

Conditions were the reasons for such a deceptively low scoring final. They were in no way conducive to the type of football both sides were capable of playing yet their peseverance, their insistence on trying to do the right thing, was a credit to them.

A strong wind blew into the bottom left corner and Offaly had the first use of it. In a way, it was almost as difficult to play with as against and it is significant that neither side cut loose with it. A difficult day for football nose dived with a monsoon like shower of rain early in the second half. It continued to rain most of the way through, albeit, not with the same severity as the first outburst, which sent many in the large crowd scurrying for shelter – the Kilclonfert pitch held up well in the conditions and with spectators close to the pitch, there was a good atmosphere.

Even in these conditions, the two sides stuck with their game plan of trying to retain the ball and create openings. Galway were better at breaking the line in the second half and making space. That is why they scraped over the line, though Offaly had ample late chances of getting an equaliser and forcing extra time.

Even Galway would not have complained at that and it was one of these games that could have as easily went one way as the other. It was in the melting pot the whole way through with the two sets of players playing whole hearted, fullycommitted football.

Offaly led by 0-6 to 0-2 at half time and didn't manage to score in the second half as Galway turned the screw for twenty minutes. A red card for striking for wing back Oisin Carroll with eleven minutes left loaded the dice against Offaly but they knuckled down with every inch of their fibre after this. The sides were level at 0-6 each when Carroll walked and Galway had to wait until the 58th minute for Cillian McPhillips to float over the winning point from a free.

Having struggled to break out of their own half for twenty minutes plus in the second half, Offaly showed impressive fitness as they lifted the siege when a man down. Their first second half wide only arrived in the 52nd minute and they attacked dangerously after this. They dropped a couple of frees short while Ruari Woods was wide with their final chance deep in extra time. Galway's Cian Acton was sent off for a second yellow card with the 60 minutes up but that was too late to have any real bearing on it.

This final served up a great occasion for the young players. Hosted by Kilclonfert GAA Club and held in the memory of a talented all round sportsman and former Offaly minor footballer, Adam Mangan, who tragically died in a farm accident some years ago, a large crowd, including many from Galway, showed that this was more than a mere tournament.

It has developed into a very important competition for U-15 players and it was Offaly's first time to contest the final in the top grade. As a result, the home crowd here included many more than the usual parents and club activists who will follow games at this level. People were curious to see how players were developing at this level and while they are clearly a work in progress with a long road ahead that is full of pitfalls, there was a lot of grounds for optimism.

It was shameful to witness the manager, Declan Kelly getting abuse from one Offaly supporter after the game for the style of football they played. They may have focused on trying to keep possession but Kelly and mentors are clearly preparing these players for the type of football they will have to play if they are to survive and prosper in older age groups. They retained possession really well in their defence and while a bit too much ball did break down from midfield on, in both halves and maybe the odd longer ball could have been let in, this was down to the conditions as well as an element of sloppiness by some players.

Trying to do the right thing is crucial and it will be interesting to see how this group of players perform as they begin to step up to minor level in the next couple of years. There is obvious potential here, some very good emerging players – some of these performed very well here and for a couple of the ones who didn't quite click, it was easy to see that they will do much better on a different day.

The Offaly development squad system came under scrutiny a couple of years ago when players were dropped from one after missing training because of a soccer game. Yet this team showed the work that is going on, provided evidence that they are on the right road. There is obvious early strength and conditioning work ongoing, with strong physical players, able to tackle hard, stop players in their tracks and move at pace.

Galway are a serious football county and Offaly competed very well in every facet of play. Offaly were the better side in the first half, retaining possession and dictating the play once they settled. The sides were level at 0-2 each after 10 minutes and Offaly attacked well after this. Dylan Dunne, Ruari Woods (two) and Darragh Sullivan (free) gave them a four point interval lead and Offaly played some good football, though they did cough up a few balls a bit softly.

The half back line of the very impressive Joe Rouse, Tadgh Kelly and Oisin Carroll were particularly good in the first half while Dylan Dunne handled a lot of ball very well in a roving role and Eamon Maher did a lot of good things at midfield.

It was no surprise that Galway forced Offaly onto the back foot in the second half and it was all about work rate, tackling and making life hard for the visitors. Offaly did this very well for the most part and Galway found it hard to break them down. Offaly kept them at bay very well for ten minutes but with the wind picking up and the rain thundering down, it was inevitable that Galway would eventually make inroads.

They got four points to level it up at 0-6 each after 45 minutes and it is to Offaly's credit that they didn't collapse after the sending off, made Galway work so hard to win it. In the wind up, Galway just about deserved the win but it was a very close run thing.

Offaly scorers: Ruari Woods 0-3, Dylan Dunne 0-2, Darragh Sullivan 0-1 (f).

The teams

OFFALY: Jack Ryan (St Manchan's); Caden O'Beirne (Tullamore), Jack O'Donoghue (Kilcormac-Killoughey), Eoghan O'Neill (Ferbane-Belmont); Joe Rouse (St Oliver Plunkett, Dublin), Tadgh Kelly (St Vincent's), Oisin Carroll (Kilcormac-Killoughey); Eamon Maher (Ferbane-Belmont), Eoin Rouse (Tullamore); Cian Multaney-Kelly (Na Fianna), Darragh Sullivan (St Vincent's), Cormac Farrell (Edenderry); Ruari Woods (Ferbane-Belmont), Dylan Dunne (Clara), Aaron Daly (St Broughan's). Subs used – Cathal Weldon (St Broughan's), Leon Nolan (Clara), Toney Furey (Edenderry), Stephen Byrne (Na Fianna).

GALWAY: Oisin Hernon; Ben Moran, Cian Acton, Darragh Meehan; Conor Winston, Evan Cunningham, Shane Lally; Eoin Doyle, Andrew Kehoe; Shay O'Driscoll, Cian P. Hynes, Oisin Kelly; Dara Costello, Cillian McPhillips, Timmy Madden.

Referee – Andrew Smyth.