Late goals help Offaly minors snatch victory after topsy turvy game

TWO goals in the last five minutes of play helped Offaly snatch a dramatic three point victory over Laois in the Leinster Minor Hurling Championship Preliminary quarter final at The Faithful Fields on Saturday.

Electric Ireland Leinster Minor Hurling Championship Preliminary Quarter Final

OFFALY 4-16 LAOIS 4-13

It was a topsy turvy game that swung one way and then the other but Offaly came up with the goods at the death to turn the game around and send them into the quarter finals next week and leave Laois devastated.

For much of the second half it looked like Laois were going to hang on for victory. They were still three points up with two minutes left of normal time but Offaly struck for two goals in just over two minutes to retake the lead and then held out for three minutes of injury time to seal the victory.

It was a game that swung one way and then the other. Offaly started well but Laois struck for two goals in the first nine minutes which left them in front. Ten minutes before the break they were still two in front but Offaly then hit 2-1 in two minutes to go five points clear and they seemed to be in control but Laois reeled off the last four points of the half to leave just one in it at the break, 2-9 to 2-8.

Laois scored two goals in the first 12 minutes of the second half with just a single point in reply from Offaly and they were four clear and looking to be controlling the game. Offaly kept plugging away but Laois were able to stay in front and when captain Ruaidhri Kavanagh put them three up with three minutes left, it was looking bleak for Offaly. Then they struck for those two goals to pull off a remarkable win.

This was a tough game for Offaly. They had to work extremely hard to eke out the victory and for long spells of that second half, it didn't seem like they would. Their delivery of ball into the forward line was very poor on occasions and some of their decision making put them back into trouble. They gave the ball away too often and also hit four wides from frees. But to their credit, they stuck with it and their efforts were rewarded at the end.

For Laois there was no such satisfaction. They put themselves in a position to win the game but saw it snatched away from them in the closing stages. They will look back particularly at a couple of missed chances in the second half which could have put the game out of Offaly's reach. Kyron Cuddy had a goal chance which was brilliantly deflected over the bar by Matt Watkins while sub Ashton Keenan pulled a loose ball just wide when he really should have scored. They will also look at a total of 12 wides and realise that they let chances slip.

Cian Kinnarney played well in the Offaly defence, particularly when switched onto dangerman Kyron Cuddy, while Oisin Carroll and Michael Dooley also did well. Luke Bracken and James O'Sullivan worked hard in the middle of the field while Conor Egan and Odhran Fletcher did well in attack with Killian Wynne having a very good first half and sub Macdara Mitchell also making an impact.

Liam O'Keeffe, Tony Mahony and Tommy Goode all did well in the Laois defence, Colm Brennan had a good hour at midfield and in attack Eoin Delaney and Kyron Cuddy caused most damage.

It was a lively first half with the lead changing hands on a number of occasions and both sides enjoying periods of supremacy.

Laois opened the scoring through Tom Og Phelan a minute in but Offaly quickly responded with James O'Sullivan levelling and Killian Wynne putting them in front for the first time.

Laois struck for their first goal in the fifth minute when Offaly defenders got caught under the ball and Ross Deegan's pass found Eoin Delaney and he drilled his shot to the net. Offaly responded well to that setback with the next three points. Michael Dooley pointed after a good run and straight from the puckout Offaly won the ball again and Killian Wynne found the range. The same player then put Offaly back in front from a free.

However Offaly were caught again after nine minutes when Laois netted for a second time. Ruaidhri Kavanagh and Tom Og Phelan combined to pick out Kyron Cuddy totally unmarked in front of the goals and he picked his spot.

Offaly came back again and Brian Guinan scored a long range point and Killian Wynne picked off two more points to edge Offaly back in front before Daniel Whelan replied for Laois to leave the sides level midway through the first half. Kyron Cuddy with a good point from the right sideline and Colm Brennan then pushed Laois two in front.

Offaly regained the lead after 20 minutes when Conor Egan won the ball after a throw in and worked his way in under pressure before flicking the ball to the net. Odhran Fletcher added a point and then supplied the pass for Conor Egan to find the net for a second time after 22 minutes to push Offaly five points clear.

However Laois weren't giving up and they scored the last four points of the first half. Tom Og Phelan pointed two frees and Ross Deegan and Kyron Cuddy also found the target which left Offaly 2-9 to 2-8 in front at half time.

Four minutes into the second half Laois regained the lead when Kyron Cuddy was fouled and Tom Og Phelan blasted the penalty to the net. It took Offaly ten minutes to get off the mark when Odhran Fletcher pointed a free but two minutes later Laois got in for another goal and Eoin Delaney whipped a ground ball to the net.

Conor Egan immediately replied and Odhran Fletcher added a free but Kyron Cuddy and Tom Og Phelan (free) had Laois four ahead again with 10 minutes left. Odhran Fletcher (free) and Conor Egan kept Offaly in touch but a great point from Eoin Delaney kept Laois in charge. Michael Dooley and Ruaidhri Kavanagh exchanged points before the late drama.

With two minutes left Andrew Hogan, who had been moved into attack, offloaded to Macdara Mitchell and he fired to the net to level matters and a minute later he put Offaly in front. Then Andrew Hogan won another ball and hit shot was half blocked but it had enough on it to end up in the top corner of the net and Offaly were four up. Tom Og Phelan pointed a free to leave a goal in it but Offaly held firm and advance to the quarter finals.

MATCH ANALYSIS

THE TEAMS

OFFALY: Matt Watkins (Ballyskenach-Killavilla); Conor Berry (Clodiagh Gaels), Joey McLoughney (Coolderry), Cian Kinnarney (Durrow); Oisin Carroll (Kilcormac/Killoughey), Andrew Hogan (Coolderry), Michael Dooley (Kinnitty); Luke Bracken (Kilcormac/Killoughey), James O'Sullivan (Shinrone); Brian Guinan (Kilcormac/Killoughey), Killian Wynne (Tullamore), Eamon Maher (Ferbane); Odhran Fletcher (Kilcormac/Killoughey), Conor Egan (Shamrocks), James Hennessy (Drumcullen). Subs: Macdara Mitchell (Kilcormac/Killoughey) (for Killian Wynne, 37 mins), Morgan Feenane (Birr) (for Joey McLoughney, 44 mins), James Sampson (Shinrone) (for James Hennessy, 48 mins), Sean Carey (Seir Kieran) (for Andrew Hogan, 61 mins).

LAOIS: Donnacha Carroll; Liam O'Keeffe, Conor Mortimer, Matthew Cunningham; Tony Mahony, Tommy Goode, Eoin Duggan; Shane Connolly, Colm Brennan; Daniel Whelan, Ruaidhri Kavanagh, Tom Og Phelan; Ross Deegan, Kyron Cuddy, Eoin Delaney. Subs. Eoin Bracken (for Shane Connolly, 49 mins), Ashton Keenan (for Ross Deegan, 52 mins), Shane Walsh (for Conor Mortimer, 61 mins).

REFEREE: Brian Kearney (Kildare)

MAN OF THE MATCH

For the second week running, the vote goes to Conor Egan. The Shamrocks man scored two goals in the first half, having to do a lot of work for both, and then added two points in the second half to keep Offaly ticking over and he won some very good ball in that half as well.

MOMENT OF THE MATCH

Macdara Mitchell's equalising goal with two minutes left was the moment that Offaly wrestled the match back in their favour. It gave them the lift for him to add the lead point and Andrew Hogan to snatch another goal and send Offaly into the quarter finals.

REFEREE WATCH

Brian Kearney handled the game well. He let some things go and both sides felt they should have had frees at different stages, but overall he got the majority of the decisions correct and he wasn't a factor in the outcome of the game.

WHAT’S NEXT

Offaly advance to the Leinster quarter finals next weekend where they will play the team that finishes third in Tier 1, while for Laois, it's the end of their season.

VENUE WATCH

On a nice crisp evening, The Faithful Fields was in great condition for this contest. There was a big crowd present for the local derby and all the usual arrangements were in place to ensure everything ran smoothly.

STATISTICS

Wides; Offaly 8 (5 in first half) Laois 12 (5 in first half)

Yellow Cards: Offaly 1 (Joey McLoughney) Laois 3 (Ruaidhri Kavanagh, Tommy Goode, Daniel Whelan).

Red Cards: None

THE SCORERS

Offaly; Conor Egan (2-2), Killian Wynne (0-5, 0-1 free), Macdara Mitchell (1-1), Odhran Fletcher (0-4, 0-3 frees), Andrew Hogan (1-0), Michael Dooley (0-2), James O'Sullivan, Brian Guinan (0-1 each).

Laois; Tom Og Phelan (1-5, 1-0 penalty, 0-4 frees), Eoin Delaney (2-1), Kyron Cuddy (1-3), Daniel Whelan, Colm Brennan, Ross Deegan, Ruaidhri Kavanagh (0-1 each).