Missed opportunity for Offaly as Westmeath get crucial early points

OFFALY have no complaints at the outcome but their defeat by Westmeath in the National Football League Division 3 on Sunday in O'Connor Park still represented a missed opportunity. Westmeath were there for the taking and it would not have taken a whole lot more for Offaly to have snatched a morale boosting win.

Allianz National Football League Division 3

Westmeath 1-11

Offaly 0-10

Unfortunately, Offaly did not play quite well enough to win. They were not clinical enough, both in their shooting and general play, and it allowed Westmeath to make the short journey home with the win.

With John Heslin missing, Westmeath were vulnerable but a blistering first half spell when they scored 1-4 without reply set them up for the win that they deserved. They were 1-8 to 0-5 up at half time after playing with a stiff wind and while they managed just three points in the second half, they came at regular enough intervals to ensure that their large supported didn't encounter real anxiety in the closing few minutes.

Offaly had a lot of the play in the second half and the wind did pick up in strength for a few minutes but five points was never going to be enough to rescue the game.

With twenty minutes left, Offaly had the gap back to three points, 1-9 to 0-9 and it was very much there to be won. Jordan Hayes, Anton Sullivan and Cian Farrell all got good points from play as Offaly turned the screw but they could only manage one point after that. With the wind on their back, that was nowhere near good enough and they had a couple of very poor wides.

There was still a score in it, 1-10 to 0-10 with ten minutes left with Farrell's 60th minute free proving to be Offaly's last score. Westmeath should have wrapped it up in the 62nd minute when Luke Loughlin somehow blasted over the bar with an open goal gaping in front of him. A four point lead, however, proved to be sufficient and Offaly's football in the closing ten minutes was frustrating as they spurned good chances and good positions, didn't play with true conviction and didn't manage to manufacture the goal they had to get, though they did look like they could get through on a couple of occasions. Their failure to score in the closing ten minutes plus with the wind on their back was the most disappointing aspect of the afternoon.

Offalty had played very poorly in the second quarter but apart from that, it wasn't that bad of a display. They were competitive, they tried very hard and played some good football but were let down by some simple things – poor shooting was one but they also made mistakes, took wrong options in general play and in a game of small margins, all these things counted.

There were green shoots to be taken from the afternoon, Eoin Carroll had a very good hour at midfield. Now very much in the veteran stages of his career, he has had his injury battles and only returned to the panel this year after spending over a year in Australia but he lasted the full game. He showed great appetite, overturned good ball and his physicality was very important with so many lighter, younger players around – a couple of bad wides late on was the one blemish on his display.

Rory Egan was terrific in the defence, winning very good ball and tackling very well. Aidan Bracken, Cian Farrell, Anton Sullivan and Peter Cunningham also had very good moments in an all round workmanlike display.

Much interest focussed on how some of the unestablished 2021 Offaly U-20s would fare. John Furlong was as comfortable at this level as you would expect, getting in some great dispossessions and driving forward at pace. Cathal Flynn and Cormac Egan were replaced during the second half but showed potential and they are very much worth sticking with. Flynn was excellent in the first quarter before drifting out of it and while Egan was not on the ball that much, he tackled and tracked very well and made the off the ball runs that count – it wasn't his fault that the ball didn't find it way to him but at least he was making himself available and on a different day, his impact will be much more profound. Offaly, however, didn't get any score from their starting half forward line of Cathal Donoghue, Cathal Flynn and Cormac Egan and you need scores from this sector to really flourish. Cathal Donoghue was taken off before half time while Keith O'Neill and Jack Bryant came on during the second half.

Offaly were in a very difficult position when they trailed, 1-8 to 0-5 at half time. Ecven though they had the wind to come, Offaly had been comprehensively outplayed in the second quarter and the management had shown their concern by making two substitutions before half time, bringing on Peter Cunningham and Kevin McDermott for Nigel Dunne and Cathal Donoghue.

It was a strange first half by Offaly. They had played well for fifteen minutes plus, working hard, moving at pace and turning over good ball. They were full value for their 0-3 to 0-2 lead after 15 minutes and could have been further ahead as they had three bad wides from Nigel Dunne, Cian Farrell and Lee Pearson – Dunne's and Farrell's shots in particular were not really on.

Still Offaly were motoring well with Cathal Flynn and Cormac Egan lively in attack and John Furlong storming up field every chance he got. The game turned between the 16th and 18th minutes. Offaly had a great goal chance in the 16th minute when Furlong made a fantastic charge down field, interchanged with Cian Farrell to get through on goals but his pile driver was saved by Jason Daly – he should have passed to Cormac Egan who had peeled off him but may not have seen him.

Westmeath made no mistake with their chance two minutes later with Senan Baker, a son of former Offaly hurling manager and Clare star, Ollie, blasting to the net after a Conor Dillon pass. Offaly floundered badly after this. They couldn't break out of their half and their error count crept worryingly high, Westmeath scored four points for 1-4 without reply to lead by 1-6 to 0-3 after 26 minutes.

A fine point from Anton Sullivan lifted the siege but Westmeath scored two of the last three points to leave Offaly with a mountain to climb at the break.

MATCH ANALYSIS

MAN OF THE MATCH

Ray Connellan (Westmeath): Rory Egan, John Furlong and Eoin Carroll were Offaly's main contenders but the choice is Westmeath midfielder Ray Connellan. The Athlone man put in a great shift, winning high and low ball and using most of it efficiently as well as scoring a good point.

THE SCORERS

Westmeath: Senan Baker 1-2 (2f), Luke Loughlin 0-3, Ronan O'Toole 0-2, Sam McCartan, James Dolan, Ray Connellan and Conor Dillon 0-1 each.

Offaly: Cian Farrell 0-5 (4f), Anton Sullivan and Nigel Dunne (1 mark) 0-2 each, Jordan Hayes 0-1.

THE TEAMS

OFFALY: Ian Duffy (Walsh Island); Aiden Bracken (Ballycommon), David Dempsey (Ballycommon), Lee Pearson (Edenderry); Rory Egan (Edenderry), John Furlong (Tullamore), Jack O'Brien (Durrow); Eoin Carroll (Cappincur), Jordan Hayes (Edenderry); Cathal Donoghue (Oughterard), Cathal Flynn (Ferbane), Cormac Egan (Tullamore); Cian Farrell (Edenderry), Anton Sullivan (Rhode), Nigel Dunne (Shamrocks). Subs – Peter Cunningham (Bracknagh) for Dunne (31m), Kevin McDermott (Durrow) for Donoghue (33m), Ruari McNamee (Rhode) for Flynn (45m), Keith O'Neill (Clonbullogue) for Cormac Egan (54m), Jack Bryant (Shamrocks) for O'Brien (60m),

WESTMEATH: Jason Daly; Conor Dillon, Charlie Drumm, Jamie Gonoud; James Dolan, Ronan Wallace, David Lynch; Ray Connellan, Andy McCormack; Sam McCartan, Ronan O'Toole, Jonathan Lynam; Luke Loughlin, Senan Baker, Lorcan Dolan. Subs – Eoin Mulvihill for McCartan (47m), Matthew Whittaker for Dillon (54m), Robbie Forde for Lorcan Dolan (54m), Kieran Martin for Baker (67m),

Referee – Seamus Mulhare (Laois).

REFEREE WATCH

Seamus Mulhare had a good solid game. He gave Westmeath a couple of soft early frees and these were important as they were struggling at that stage. However, they balanced out as they could have got a couple later on and overall, he was fair and in control.

MOMENT OF THE MATCH

Westmeath's 18th minute goal was a huge turning point. Offaly were going well until then but the game changed when Senan Baker blasted to the net after a good move. It came just two minutes after a great John Furlong chance was saved for Offaly and two things happened after it – Westmeath improved significantly while Offaly lost their way and the visitors went from one point down to six up in twenty minutes.

VENUE WATCH

The O'Connor Park pitch looked close to its best and a big, enthusiastic crowd created a good atmosphere.

WHAT'S NEXT

Offaly play Antim in Belfast next Sunday and Westmeath have Clare at home.

STATISTICS

Wides: Offaly - 8 (5 in first half);Westmeath – 6 (2 in first half).

Yellow cards: Offaly – 1 (Aidan Bracken); Westmeath – 3 (Sam McCartan, Jonathan Lynam, Ronan O'Tool).

Black cards: 0

Red cards: 0.