Offaly agree to let result of abandoned Walsh Cup tie stand

OFFALY have agreed to let the result of last Sunday's abandoned Walsh Cup senior hurling tie with Galway stand.

Offaly were trailing by 4-14 to 1-11 and heading to an inevitable defeat when the game was abandoned because of heavy fog in O'Connor Park – a late decision had been made by the referee to go ahead with the game but conditions worsened as it wore on and by the time it was called off with fourteen minutes left, visibility were impossibly poor.

Immediately after the game, however, Offaly manager Johnny Kelly said they would be looking for the game to be refixed. Acknowledging that Offaly would have been beaten, he pointed out that they had got very little field work done because of weather conditions and would take the opportunity of another competitive game.

Kelly's sole desire was a game and not to grab an unfair opportunity. No one in Offaly would have expected a different result but Offaly have now had a change of heart and Leinster GAA have confirmed that the result stands by agreement of both counties.

With the game not being finished, Leinster GAA would have had to refix it unless the two counties agreed. It was immediately clear that Galway had no desire for a second trip to Offaly and there were even suggestions that they would not have travelled for one.

Offaly's agreement, however, has solved any problems that may have arisen. While Offaly were fully within their rights to look for a refixture and did nothing wrong, their decision to concede is the correct one because of Galway's opposition to it. It was also clear that there was an impasse once the game was not fixed for this Tuesday or Wednesday. The Kilkenny v Carlow game which was cancelled last Sunday because of the fog took place last night with Kilkenny having an expected easy win.

It means that Sunday's group 3 game between Laois and Galway in Ballinasloe is a winners' take on tussle with the victors going into the semi-final and the losers bowing out.

Johnny Kelly will now be trying to arrange a challenge game or two for the coming weeks ahead of the Division 1 National Hurling League opener at home to Waterford in Tullamore on February 4. Offaly face a tough league campaign with games also to come against Clare, Cork, Kilkenny and Wexford.