Injury time goal sees Offaly snatch unlikely victory from dispiriting defeat to second string Meath

IT was a championship clash in name only as Offaly wound down their Leinster U20 football campaign with a dramatic and unlikely win to a second string Meath side in Ashbourne on Wednesday evening – they now have a second tier competition to contest in the Andrew Corden Cup and at least the win leaves them in a much better place for this than a defeat would have.

Leinster U20 Football Championship Group 1 Round 3

Offaly 1-15

Meath 2-11

A fine goal from sub Brian Carroll two minutes into injury time saw Offaly snatch victory from the jaws of a dispiriting, morale sapping defeat as they got the reward for a hard working and honest display, after a very poor opening quarter. Offaly did steal it a bit as Meath looked to have done enough to record a win that would not have been undeserved but full credit to Carroll, who resisted the opportunity to try and set up a two pointer to salvage a draw, raced straight at the heart of the defence and drove the ball to the net.

With Meath having won their two games to wrap up top spot, Offaly having lost theirs, this was a dead rubber in every sense of the word and it was reflected in most aspects. Meath opted to give their fringe players a run while Offaly also availed of the opportunity to give a handful of players their first start: Paul Conway, Charlie Keogh, Dara Cuddihy, Davin Keegan and Ciaran Scully.

Some of them were seeing their first action in the championship and it was no harm to give them a game but it was also a reflection of where Offaly were and the stakes at play. They were non existent and their earlier defeats to Westmeath and Dublin saw management make the correct call to fully release one of their most important players, Niall Furlong to the U-20 hurlers – he played in their defeat to Galway on Tuesday evening.

It just never happened for Offaly this year and from the word go, there was a mood of despondency about the prospects of this team. The absence of their star player, Cillian Bourke with a knee injury was a factor but it is deeper than that. The bottom line is that Offaly have not made an impact at this grade since their sensational All-Ireland win in 2021 and it is fast becoming a major problem.

Better teams than this one didn't come out of their group but it is not that long ago since Offaly had a long run without a win in this grade and they urgently need to arrest this streak. Minor and U20 is a very important feeder for senior county teams and their performances do matter.

After a poor performance in their first round loss to Westmeath, Offaly improved significantly in last week's defeat by Dublin but ran out of steam late on. At least their effort levels were where they needed to be that day but it has been a bleak year for Offlay and they now face into the Andrew Corden Cup for teams eliminated in the group stages.

Offaly football teams have displayed almost zero appetite for these subsidiary competitions in recent years and they probably need this one like a hole in the head. Last year, the senior footballers suffered horrific Tailteann Cup defeats against London and Limerick, the U-20 footballers were dire in their loss to Carlow and the minor footballers endured a humbling reverse to Waterford.

With the Liam O'Connor Cup, in memory of an iconic Offaly full back, up for offer for the All-Ireland second tier winners, Offaly have to enter this but there really is no point unless they are going to give it a decent go – or at least use it as a building base for next year and give experience to players eligible then.

There was a hardcore of very dedicated players that gave it their best shot but some things certainly looked off, with at least a couple of players withdrawing from the panel at different stages when they were not picked – that is never a good sign, it doesn't look good on the players, irrespective of what raw deal they felt they were getting or deficiencies they felt were present: it is unfair on the players who do stay the course and take the knocks while players also need to remember that they are representing their county, not any team management. There were a couple of players who didn't look that fit in some games and the impression that Offaly didn't work hard enough collectively and meet the standards required for this level is hard to evade – the truth may be different but it looks like Offaly reaped what they sowed to an extent, though fair play to the players who turned out here and worked very hard to rescue a win.

This game was a predictably lacklustre affair at times, albeit with some decent football played. Meath gave their full panel a run and they certainly wanted to make an impression while the apathy in Offaly was reflected by their tiny support – not even all the parents made the journey for this one!

There was little of the usual championship tension present for the Offaly players before hand and they were way more relaxed than they would be for a high stakes game. It couldn't be any other way and this was chiefly responsible for a nightmare start as they conceded two goals inside a minute and a half – Evan Kelly blasted home the first straight from the throw in and corner back Cillian Tore broke through for one just over a minute later.

Offaly hadn't laid a hand on a player at this stage and it looked like it could be a humiliating evening for them. Meath led by 2-3 to 0-2 after 23 minutes and Offaly's first point from play was theirs and Kaelem Bryan's fourth in the 25^th minute.

They did improve as the half went on, working harder and a few players drove everyone else on, particularly midfielder David O'Rourke and centre forward Dara Bates while Patrick Kenna helped with a couple of surging runs forward, Davin Keegan came into it and Luke Kelly and Kaelem Bryan used the ball well in attack.

Two pointers from Dara Bates and Davin Keegan brought Offaly back into it as they trailed by a point, 2-4 to 0-9 at half time.

Meath looked like they would be able to win it for most of the second half. They were 2-6 to 0-10 ahead after 34 minutes and responded very well when points from Bates and subs Cillian Foran and Conor Fox put Offaly 0-13 to 2-6 ahead after 47 minutes. It was set up for Offaly to take control, instead they reverted back into a shell and Meath produced a great spell of pressure to score four unanswered points and lead by 2-10 to 0-13 after 52 minutes.

Brian Carroll and Pat Crawley (free) exchanged points to leave a goal in it as it went into injury time. Cillian Foran's point brought it back to two and Meath looked like they would hold on until Carroll's dramatic intervention.

MATCH ANALYSIS

MAN OF THE MATCH

Dara Bates (Offaly): Dara Bates was a major factor in this win. Him and his Shamrocks club mate David O'Rourke were instrumental in getting Offaly going after their poor start. O'Rourke showed a captains' desire at midfield while Bates was hugely effective at the attacking fulcrum. He got an important two pointer as well as a second half point and a lot of ball went through his hands.

Jack Daly, Jake Maher and Harry Goulding moved good ball forward from defence while Eoin Dunne also came into the game at midfield. Cillian Foran and Brian Carroll both contributed very well off the bench while Davin Keegan and Kaelem Bryan were taken off to give other players a run, not because they went that bad.

THE SCORERS

Offaly: Kaelem Bryan 0-5 (3f), Brian Carroll 1-1, Dara Bates 0-3 (1 x 2p), Davin Keegan (1 x 2p) and Cillian Foran (1f) 0-2 each, David O'Rourke and Conor Fox 0-1 each.

Meath: Evan Kelly 1-1, Cillian Yore 1-0, Pat Crawley 0-3 (2f), Conor O'Brien 0-2, Brian Mackey, Sean Betson, Zach Thornton, Cian Duggan, Cormac Liggan 0-1 each.

THE TEAMS

OFFALY: Conor Meila (Bracknagh); Jack Daly (Tullamore), Paul Conway (Ballycommon), Charlie Keogh (Bracknagh); Jake Maher (Ferbane), Patrick Kenna (Tullamore), Harry Goulding (Edenderry); David O Rourke (Shamrocks, Captain), Eoin Dunne (Clodiagh Gaels); Dara Cuddihy (Walsh Island), Dara Bates (Shamrocks), Davin Keegan (Tullamore); Ciaran Scully (Kilcormac-Killoughey), Luke Kelly (Doon), Kaelem Bryan (Edenderry). Subs – Cillian Foran (Edenderry) for Cuddihy (38m), Jack Maher (Tullamore) for Kenna (38m), Conor Fox (Tubber) for Bryan (44m),, Cian Bracken (Daingean) for Kelly (44m), Brian Carroll (Ferbane) for Keegan (53m).

MEATH: Brayden Colfer; Cillian Yore, Fiach Hartigan, Oisin Brennan; Aidan Mackey, James Reeves, Semi Byrne; Harry Cahill, Sean Betson; Conor O'Brien, Zach Thornton, Ivo Fitzherbert; Pat Crawley, Cian Dugan, Evan Kelly. Subs – Eoin Drysdale for Byrne, inj. (5m), Michael O'Sullivan for Cahill (HT), Aaron Farrelly for Thornton (HT), Cormac Liggann for Mackey (33m), John Gormley for Betson (62m).

Referee – Enda Kelly.

REFEREE WATCH

It was an easy game to referee and Enda Kelly did it well.

MOMENT OF THE MATCH

Brian Carroll's dramatic match winning goal was the big moment here.

VENUE WATCH

Ashbourne have lovely impressive grounds and were very welcoming but there are a lot more convenient venues in Meath for Offaly fans and perhaps, it could have been played at one of these.

WHAT'S NEXT

Offaly go into the Andrew Corden Cup while Meath march on to the quarter-finals.

STATISTICS

Wides: Offaly – 8 (4 in first half); Meath - 5 (2 in first half).

Yellow cards: Offaly – 2 (Paul Conway, Dara Bates); Meath – 0.

Black cards: 0

Red cards: 0.