Bleak underage year continues for Offaly football as minors face into winner takes all showdown with Laois

A VERY bleak underage year for Offaly football continued in the grounds of Hunterstown Rovers, outside Ardee on Wednesday evening when the minors endured a soul destroying Leinster championship defeat to Louth.

Leinster Minor Football Championship Group 1 Round 2

Louth 2-26

Offaly 2-17

Once again, they were nowhere near as poor as the scoreline, 2-26 to 2-17, suggests, even though they scored 2-1 in the closing few minutes, and they produced spells of very promising, incisive football but they still endured a poor defeat.

The concession of 1-7 without reply in the opening ten minutes and six two pointers were the pivotal reasons why Offaly lost so heavily and were merely trying to improve their scoring difference in the closing quarter. Four of those two pointers were scored from play by brilliant Louth midfielder Cillian McQuillan and Offaly, the other two from frees by impressive corner forward Conell Kelly.

They were asleep at the start and did very well to get back into the game from there. A 1-13 to 0-11 half time deficit represented a terrific recovery for Offaly, who played some great football in the second quarter, but that start left them on a tight rope.

They had fallen off it within a few minutes of the resumption and were licking their wounds with the game out of reach. Offaly needed a flying start to the second half but instead conceded two two pointers within two minutes, one from McQuillan and the other a Kelly free. That pushed the gap out to 1-17 to 0-11 and those two pointers broke Offaly's morale.

They had worked so hard to get back into the game in the second quarter but the work rate of some players dipped after those scores. Dylan Dunne and Cian McNamee did convert frees and a McNamee shot was saved by Senon Connolly, though you would expect the Louth keeper to keep it out.

Louth's next two pointer, another super strike from McQuillan summed up the way Offaly were playing at this juncture – McQuillan had already got two two pointers but was left standing all on his own as Louth took a quick '45'. He was the one player Offaly had to mark and that was basic stuff,. He added another two pointer in the 42^nd minute and Conell Kelly's goal a minute later made it 2-22 to 0-13 and it was well and truly out of touch for Offaly.

To their credit, they did get the fight back into them and achieved scoring respectability. Sub Cian Duffy and Cian McNamee got in for excellent goals inside the last five minutes while impressive sub Eoin Rouse was sent off for a second yellow card in the 57^th minute.

With the U20 footballers having made an early exit with two opening defeats – Tuesday evening's last gasp win over a very weakened Meath outfit was a dead rubber for them - and this team having fallen apart for fifteen minutes against Dublin after a fantastic start, Offaly were crying out for a win here but unfortunately it didn't happen. Four defeats from five championship games for Offaly U20 and minor footballers does not look well and the current underage form is a problem for the county.

Yet all is not lost for this team. With three qualifying from the group, Dublin's hard earned win over Laois means that Offaly are alive and kicking. They face Laois in Faithful Fields on Tuesday evening and the winner here will go through as the third placed team. Offaly will have noted how close Laois ran Dublin but their fate remains in their own hands and there could be a big display in them.

They had displayed very encouraging form in the pre-season and it hasn't been replicated in the championship, yet this team has definite potential – their results may suggest otherwise but a few of this team looked to have the potential to play senior county football and they are closer to the mark than it may seem..

The impression that this team was better than they looked for the calamitous spell against Dublin was shown here for a while and their work ethic, their concentration on the basics was much nearer where it needed to be – once they got going after a positively shocking start.

1-7 to no score down after just ten minutes, Offaly had a huge mountain to climb and they were in serious trouble. It is hard to understand how Offaly were so far off the pace at the start as they were more than a match for Louth for the remainder of the half once they settled down.

In fairness to Louth, they had one of those spells that are hard to stop and everything they touched turned to gold. The didn't miss a chance, taking some quality points and their 8^th minute goal from Conel Kelly summed up Offaly's woes. Kelly's goal was a fine finish but it came just seconds after Dylan Dunne had almost got Offaly going with a goal at the far end, drawing a quality save from Senon Connolly, though the Clara man will be disappointed at not finding the net.

Louth were 1-9 to 0-2 ahead after 14 minutes and their haul included two two pointers. Offaly did really well to get back into it from here. Charlie Duffy and Eamon Maher began to win ball at midfield, the defence closed down much better and Dylan Dunne, Cian McNamee and Ruari Woods began to motor up front.

Offaly had it back to 1-9 to 0-7 after 18 minutes and were moving with real menace. Eoin Rouse, just back from injury, added strength when introduced, even though heavily bandaged and Offaly were unlucky when a McNamee fisted attempt at a point hit the upright and just flew past waiting forwards.

Louth swept forward for the next two points and were 1-13 to 0-8 ahead after 24 minutes. Offaly finished very well, with Isaac Ryan very unlucky not to goal in the 25^th minute, Connolly getting a boot to his powerful drive. Goalkeeper Jack Ryan pointed the '45' and also got a two point free while Aaron Daly and the outstanding Dylan Dunne kicked points to leave Offaly behind by 1-13 to 0-11 at the break and very much in the hunt.

MATCH ANALYSIS

MAN OF THE MATCH

Cillian McQuillan (Louth): There is actually merit in going for a member of the losing side here. Dylan Dunne was brilliant for Offaly in their attack. He scored five points, four from play, and his movement, on and off the ball was excellent. He is a real prospect but you just couldn't ignore the contribution of Louth midfielder Cillian McQuillan.

Four two pointers was a huge haul but he brought much more to the table than that, fielding some great ball and racing forward. Him and Tom Maguire certainly took the midfield honours for Louth while Connel Kelly and Conal Mannion were super in a very potent attack.

Cian McNamee also oozed quality in the Offaly attack. He was tightly marked but was so hungry for it and he is another with the potential to be a senior star. Ruari Woods had good moments in the attack and Aaron Daly did very well on limited possession. Eoin Rouse went well before getting his second yellow card late on.

Cormac Farrell, Tadgh Kelly and Tomas Carroll caught the eye in defence when on the ball but as a unit, Louth's midfield dominance meant they were under savage pressure and 2-26 was a big tally to concede.

THE SCORERS

Louth: Connel Kelly 2-9 (2 x 2p free, 3f), Cillian McQuillan 0-8 (4 x 2p), Conal Mannion 0-3, Conor Marron, Oisin Reidy, Andrew O'Reilly, Cian Rooney, Jack Martin, Niall McCreesh 0-1 each.

Offaly: Dylan Dunne 0-5 (1f), Cian McNamee 1-2 (1f), Jack Ryan 0-3 (1 x 2pf and 1 '45'), Tony Furey (2p free) and Aaron Daly 0-2 each, Cathal Weldon, Ruari Woods, Eoin Rouse 0-1 each.

THE TEAMS

OFFALY: Jack Ryan (Doon); Caden O'Beirne (Tullamore), Daniel Stoyanov (Clara), Cormac Farrell (Edenderry); Thomas Carroll (Erin Rovers), Tadgh Kelly (Kilclonfert), Isaac Ryan (Clara); Eamon Maher (Ferbane), Charlie Duffy (Edenderry); Arron Daly (Clonbullogue), Dylan Dunne (Clara), Stephen Byrne (Raheen); Cathal Weldon (Bracknagh); Ruari Woods (Belmont), Cian McNamee (Rhode). Subs – Eoin Rouse (Tullamore) for Byrne (23m).Tony Furey (Edenderry) for Weldon (40m), Patrick Duffy (Tullamore) for Ryan (44m), Cian Duffy (Doon) for Charlie Duffy (51m).

LOUTH: Senon Connolly; Finn McEneaney, Ciaran Titley, Rian Hickey; Michael McGlew, Tadgh Devaney, Conor Marron; Tom Maguire, Cillian McQuillan; Oisin Reidy, Andrew O'Reilly, Conal Mannion; Cian Rooney, Jack Martin, Connell Kelly. Subs – Senan Hoey for Mannion (38m), Niall McCreesh for Martin (44m), Chris Conlon for Titley (49m), Ruari Carpenter for Marron (52m), Luke Woods for Hickey (54m).

Referee - Cathal Boland.

REFEREE WATCH

Cathal Boland had a solid game. He implemented the new rules well and was not a factor in the outcome.

MOMENT OF THE MATCH

The scores Offaly conceded at the start of the second half were disastrous. A manageable 1-13 to 0-11 half time deficit was gone out to 2-22 to 0-13 after 43 minutes and they eight of those points were two point ones. Three of them came from McQuillan and Offaly gave him way too much room.

VENUE WATCH

Huntertown Rovers' ground at Pairc Fiach outside Ardee was a very well presented venue and the hosts looked after things very well. They had plenty of stewards and were clearly proud of their grounds.

WHAT'S NEXT

Offaly are at home to Laois next Tuesday.

STATISTICS

Wides: Offaly - 6 (3 in first half); Louth - 4 (2 in first half).

Yellow cards: Offaly – 2 (Eoin Rouse 2); Louth – 2 (Ciaran Titley and Tadgh Devaney).

Black cards: 0.

Red cards: Offaly – 1 (Eoin Rouse, 2 yellow); Louth – 0.