Offaly manager said spell before half time was decisive in Offaly's victory

THE period immediately before half time was decisive in helping Offaly overcome Dublin in the Leinster under 20 hurling final at O'Moore Park, Portlaoise on Wednesday according to Offaly manager Leo O'Connor.

“It was a tough game and the wind had a major bearing on it,” he said. “The 10-15 minute shift before half time that we put in, the goal really swung the game for that 10-15 minutes and we put in a major shift after that to go in two up. We keep emphasising this all the time, small things win games and there was one of two things happened there tonight, hooking, blocking, turnovers, but the most glaring thing for me was the free count at half time, Dublin had conceded 11, we had only conceded two. That's a major part of this, discipline, hooking, blocking, tackling workrate, intensity in tackle and it all boils down to that.

“It was a little bit nerve wracking over the last few minutes but we got over the line. We went four up, five up, six up and then Dublin got the goal to bring it back to three again. But hurling in unique when you see the level they are at out there tonight, both teams, it is not just Offaly. When you see what Dublin brought to the table tonight, Dublin have really improved. They are in a Leinster Minor Final as well, so everyone is getting their act together and it is becoming really competitive and it's just down to the game of hurling that we are all so proud of,” he added.

He agreed that Liam Hoare's second half penalty save “ultimately got us over the line. We keep mentioning to these guys that small things mean a lot, when you see the penalty save and you see Dublin getting the goal in extra time, so it is huge. We drill it into them that they have to keep going and keep the scoreboard ticking over and that's one of the most important things.”

The Limerick man had huge praise for the Offaly supporters. “When you see the crowd out there tonight, that was absolutely remarkable. Our 16th man, it's great. When you see the ball the far side of the field and you see one of the lads hitting it, the crowd reacts and you know it's going over the bar, so from that point of view it's massive.

“What an occasion again, absolutely unbelievable the Offaly crowd of supporters. It's just everything that we do is based on the development of hurling in Offaly over the last couple of years and this team – or two or three teams now amalgamated together – they are really beginning to push on so from our point of view it is huge and we go again.”

He did agree that the premature pitch invasions late on probably didn't help but said “No, it didn't but that's the way it is. They had indicated three minutes and ended up playing 64 and a half, I think they got the goal on the stroke of the three, so it's kids and it's great to see that among kids at a game. There's nothing that we will ever do to deter kids, just push on and get more of them into following the game and it's all good for Offaly.”

He accepted that it probably wasn't one of Offaly's best performances under his reign but said “it's all about winning. We've learned in the past, we conceded a goal in the last minute, we didn't get the rub of the green, tonight we are the winners and we'll take that. We've been pushing them all along into the mentality of thinking this is an All-Ireland semi-final, because we have got to get back there and try to put the wrongs right.”

Asked about getting the players down from the high of winning a provincial title and ready for an All-Ireland final 10 days later Leo replied “they are very high at the moment but a lot of them are in college or doing their Leaving Cert so from that point of view, some of them did exams in college this week, some of them did exams last week, so it has been an intense week for them. I know Adam Screeney did an exam last Thursday morning after playing Kilkenny on Wednesday night, so from that point of view they are a grounded bunch, we'll let them enjoy tonight and get back training tomorrow night.”

Speaking ahead of Friday night's Munster Final between Cork and Tipp, it was pointed out that Offaly had history with both sides.

“That's all water under the bridge. It's another All-Ireland Final, whoever comes out on Friday night, they'll be getting ready to play us, we'll be getting ready to play them, that's the way it goes. Cork are on the crest of a wave, Tipp won a minor the other night and that will drive them on to win an under 20. They have solid bases coming on.

“At this level it is very, very hard to be producing teams year in year out and to be getting to the levels we're at. This is our third Leinster final on the trot with this group, with four or five players ahead of them, four or five players behind them, and there is 11 of the starting 15 there tonight underage again next year, so it's huge the experience they are gaining now. There are six of them on the senior hurling panel in a Joe McDonagh Cup Final, so it's all learning, learning, learning and pushing on,” Leo said.

He said it was doubtful that Dan Ravenhill would be available for the final. “Let's call a spade a spade, Dan has a long term injury, I'm not going risking him. The lad has a bright future ahead of him but there is no way we are going to risk him. We could try and fast track it and see what happens but at the end of the day, don't risk a player's long term future for short term game.”

It's now a big couple of weeks for Offaly with an All-Ireland under 20 final and the Joe McDonagh Cup final coming up over a couple of weeks.

“The pressure is off now. I've said it previously, myself and Johnny (Kelly) have a very, very good relationship. All the pressure is off now and we've managed things from game to game. Credit to Johnny, he took off the two boys last weekend against Kerry, that all adds up and that's the way it goes.”

The finals probably come in the right order for Offaly this year with the under 20 final a week before the Joe McDonagh Cup final. “It is a help but it's Offaly and that's what we are talking about, we're not talking about an under 20, we're not talking about a senior team, it's Offaly, it's about development and getting back up and I went through this with Limerick, so from our point of view, it's development, development, development and these results keep coming and that's what happens.”