Below par Offaly let point slip as Carlow get deserved injury time equaliser

A HUGE long range free from Martin Kavanagh over three minutes into injury time gave Carlow a deserved share of the spoils in a very closely fought National Hurling League Division 1B opener in Tullamore on Saturday.

National Hurling League Division 1B

Offaly 0-19

Carlow 1-16

Kavanagh's free was from over 80 metres out and it rescued a point for them, leaving Offaly to harbour significant regrets. You couldn't say that Offaly played well enough to have won and they certainly didn't play well enough for long enough but it was still very much a point dropped by them. They had ample chances to have gone two or three points in front inside the last few minutes and left Carlow needing a goal. Instead, they didn't apply the knockout punch when they were on the ropes and paid a dear price.

It is a big year for Offaly with them back in the Leinster Senior Hurling Championship for the first time in a few years and the league performances are very important. With injuries ruling out players such as Brian Duignan, who was a late call up and came off the subs bench, Cillian Kiely, Ben Conneely, Eoghan Cahill and Adam Screeney, Offaly went with a mixture of experience and some of their exciting new talent – the starting team included James Mahon, Donal Shirley, Dan Bourke and Dan Ravenhill, who all won All-Ireland U20 hurling medals last summer. The list of absentees and what they bring to the table was a definite extenuating factor in Offaly's stuttering display on the day.

There was no disputing their work ethic and desire on the day but Offaly suffered first game blues to an extent and only played truly well in fits and starts.
An excellent fifth minute goal from Jake Doyle gave Carlow a 1-0 to 0-2 lead and the visitors were marginally the better side for the first twenty minutes or so. They led by 1-5 to 0-6 after seventeen minutes and were 1-7 to 0-9 up after 22. They could have been further ahead as Martin Kavanagh missed a couple of frees and was off target with a snap shot at goals in the 14^th minute.

Offaly finally settled in the ten minutes before half time. They won more clean ball, played with more intensity and got four points without reply for a 0-13 to 1-7 lead – Offaly had reason to be grateful to Dan Bourke and Charlie Mitchell who were very sharp in the attack, registering three points from play apiece.

Offaly were in a strong position but their second half performance was never quite good or consistent enough. It still could have got them the win but Offaly were living on their wits to an extent and their forwards didn't pull the trigger on ample possession, making too many mistakes in the second half.

Martin Kavanagh was instrumental in Carlow surviving, getting an almost 100% return from his frees in the second half. He got three out of five points as Carlow levelled it up at 1-12 to 0-15 with 46 minutes gone. Two more helped Carlow to a 1-14 to 0-16 lead with 53 minutes gone and Offaly were on very icy ground.

They did show great character after this to get back in front. Their defence got completely on top, only conceding two more points to Kavanagh frees, and both well out. Two David Nally frees and a Killian Sampson point from play put Offaly 0-19 to 1-14 ahead with eleven minutes left. It was there to be won and they really should have taken both points from here. They had more than sufficient chances to have won – Dan Bourke had dropped the ball with the goal looming in front of him for one of Nally's frees while David Nally was off target with a couple of long range frees and Bourke had a wide in open play. The ball didn't stick to Charlie Mitchell a couple of times as Offaly failed to score from the 59^th minute.

This is the single biggest reason they didn't take both points and Kavanagh's 62^nd minute free brought it back to a point. It looked like they might hold on until Kavanagh's huge free with the three minutes of injury time up gave Carlow a draw.

MATCH ANALYSIS

MAN OF THE MATCH

Oisin Kelly (Offaly): He didn't score but Oisin Kelly's work rate and ball winning ability was instrumental in Offaly being so close to the win. He turned over ball and was very physical. He set up scores and it was not his fault that at least a couple of other scores didn't come off him – David Nally was off target with a free that the Belmont man was fouled for and other balls were dropped inside. He did give a couple of wayward balls but Kelly regularly broke tackles and on a different day, his display would have a much greater return.

Ciaran Burke was a very close consideration, immense at full back and never putting a foot wrong while Donal Shirley was also very good in defence. Charlie Mitchell and Dan Bourke threatened to be match winners up front but it didn't quite happen for either in the second half, though Mitchell did get one fine point.

Martin Kavanagh was Carlow's most important player and after missing chances in the first half, his shooting improved considerably in the second half.

THE SCORERS

Offaly: David Nally 0-9 (8f), Charlie Mitchell 0-4, Dan Bourke 0-3, Killian Sampson 0-2, Cathal King 0-1.

Carlow: Martin Kavanagh 0-12 (12f), Jake Doyle 1-0, James Doyle 0-2, Kevin McDonald and Ciaran Whelan 0-1 each.

THE TEAMS

OFFALY: Mark Troy (Durrow); Padraig Cantwell (Shamrocks), Ciaran Burke (Durrow), James Mahon (Kilcormac-Killoughey); Ross Ravenhill (Durrow), Donal Shirley (Tubber), David King (Coolderry); Cathal King (Carrig-Riverstown), Jason Sampson (Shinrone); Killian Sampson (Shinrone), Dan Bourke (Durrow), Oisin Kelly (Belmont); Dan Ravenhill (Durrow), Charlie Mitchell (Kilcormac-Killoughey), David Nally (Belmont). Subs – Brian Duignan for Jason Sampson (44m), Colin Spain (Kilcormac-Killoughey) for Dan Ravenhill (47m), Sam Bourke (Durrow) for King (54m),

CARLOW: Brian Tracey; Jack McCullagh, Paul Doyle, Tony Lawlor; Fiachra Fitzpatrick, Dion Wall, Evan Kealy; Kevin McDonald, Ciaran Whelan; Jon Nolan, Martin Kavanagh, Fiach O'Toole; Jake Doyle, Paddy Boland, James Doyle. Subs – Jack Treacy for O'Toole (HT), Conor Kehoe for Jake Doyle (HT), Donagh Murphy for Fitzpatrick (65m), Ted Joyce for Jon Nolan (69m)m,

Referee – Colm McDonald (Antrim): replaced by Sean Cleere, Kilkenny, 24m.

REFEREE WATCH

Colm McDonald refereed the first 24 minutes before being replaced by Sean Cleere, who got a hamstring injury. McDonald had been solid, though there was a couple of soft frees given against Offaly in particular. Cleere did well with no real talking points.

MOMENT OF THE MATCH

Martin Kavanagh's injury time free was the big moment here.

VENUE WATCH

The recent adverse weather certainly didn't look to do any harm to the O'Connor Park pitch and it looked really well – the attendance was smaller than expected.

WHAT'S NEXT

Offaly travel to Laois next Sunday.

STATISTICS

Wides: Offaly - 10 (6 in first half); Carlow - 8 (5 in first half).

Yellow cards: Offaly – 1 (David King); Carlow – 4 (Jack McCullagh, Paddy Boland, Kevin McDonald, Jon Nolan).

Red cards: 0.