Offaly dig deep to advance to knockout stages with badly needed win

THEY lived on their wits at times and certainly used up a good few of their nine lives but Offaly minor footballers did terrifically well to lift some of the impending sense of gloom with a dramatic, nerve tingling win over Laois in Faithful Fields on Tuesday evening.

Leinster Minor Football Championship Group 1 Round 3

Offaly 1-15

Laois 2-9

With the senior and U20 footballers gone out of the Leinster championship, a defeat or draw here would have put the minors with them and would have resulted in plenty of soul searching in the county.

This win doesn't mean that a bit of self reflection isn't required at underage level in particular but it was still a hugely important result and puts them into a preliminary quarter-final.

In a thrilling fiercely fought game that went right down to the wire, a draw would have done Laois and that outcome looked very likely as the game entered injury time with Offaly clinging for dear life onto a very tenuous one point lead. Goalkeeper Jack Ryan proved to be Offaly's hero with an absolutely sensational and spectacular two point free from way out on the right near the stand in the 61^st minute. The wind was in his favour but it was the wrong side for a right footed kicker and he somehow arrowed it straight over the bar.

That meant that Laois had to get a goal to qualify, an infinitely more difficult task than a point or two pointer and Offaly just barely held out – Laois dropped one last free into the danger area and Offaly supporters nearly had heart attacks when a forward gained possession but his shot was too high and too wide.

It was no surprise that supporters should experience cardiac movement as some of the football played by Offaly was of a heart attack variety. Their error count was a bit too high over the sixty minutes and some fairly simple passes went straight to Laois players while they often carried possession into heavy traffic but it is easy to forget how young minors are and they showed fantastic character to advance.

After bad defeats by Dublin and Louth, this was a winner take all tussle for Offaly and while Laois were the poorest of the three teams they had met, this was much better stuff by the home side. Their work ethic and all round energy levels were much nearer where they needed to be and the heart they showed was the most pleasing aspect. 1-8 to 1-6 ahead at half time after playing against the wind, a great two pointer from Tony Furey helped Offaly to a 1-12 to 1-7 lead after 40 minutes.

They were in control but then conceded 1-2 without reply, the goal a fine finish by David Timmons in the 46^th minute, to level it up at 2-9 to 1-12 after 53 minutes.

Darragh Stewart was also an Offaly hero. On briefly as a blood sub for Eamon Maher, he got a crucial 55^th minute point, to put Offaly back in front – he was reintroduced as a full sub near the end. Laois just needed a point to survive on scoring difference but Offaly worked so hard to close them down, trying not to concede soft frees and Ryan's breathtaking free gave them the cushion they needed as well as making sure a two pointer was no good to Laois.

Offaly made a flying start against the wind, storming into a 0-5 to no score lead after just five minutes – goalie Jack Ryan got a two point free while Dylan Dunne, Eamon Maher and Tony Furey all kicked points.

They were 0-6 to 0-1 ahead after ten minutes and dictating the play but then conceded a soft 11^th minute goal with the Offaly defence losing David Timmons who tapped to the net.

Ruari Woods replied for Offaly and Laois had a sustained spell of pressure but kicked five wides on the trot before Cian O''Sullivan converted a 22^nd minute free.

Dylan Dunne had a good goal chance blocked on the line by Conor Moran in the 24^th minute but a bad mistake by Laois goalkeeper Conor Dunne allowed Tony Furey in for a 25^th minute goal.

With a 1-8 to 1-2 lead, Offaly were in a very good position but their volume of mistakes and wrong options increased as the half wore on and they conceded four points, two of them an outstanding two pointer from Joe Larkin, before the interval.
With the wind to come, a 1-8 to 1-6 half time lead still represented a very satisfactory first half by Offaly and their fate was very much in their own hands.

MATCH ANALYSIS

MAN OF THE MATCH

Aaron Daly (Offaly): Offaly had a few serious contenders for man of the match and my selection is a bit from the left field as the contribution of Eoin Rouse and Tony Furey was more obvious. Aaron Daly put in a terrific shift for Offaly. A lot of his work was of the unseen variety but he won a lot of ball, carried it well and laid it off very effectively. He won one great, crucial ball at midfield in the second half and while he gave away one sloppy free, his ability to do the right thing and work hard commanded respect – the Clonbullogue man is a son of former Offaly and Clara footballer, Mark Daly and a grand nephew of the legendary Willie Bryan.

Eoin Rouse was brilliant for Offaly. Carrying a leg at times, his return from injury was instrumental to Offaly surviving and he really strengthened up the midfield zone. He scarcely put a foot wrong, getting back to help the defence and carrying the ball into attack.

Tony Furey displayed great opportunism up front with 1-4 while Dylan Dunne, Ruari Woods and Cian McNamee also had good spells.

Centre back Tadgh Kelly was also a man of the match contender. A son of Offaly senior football joint manager, Declan Kelly, his influence at the heart of the defence was considerable. He defended well and moved forward very well – his running looked a lot more natural and free than it had in Louth last week and he anchored a very hard working defence very well.

Incidentally, there was a few Offaly connections on the Laois team. Highly rated full forward Ultan Dunne is a son of former Gracefield footballer Adrian Dunne and credit to the Offaly defence who worked hard to limit his influence. Sub Tadgh Slattery is a son of former Gracefield stalwart Barry Slattery, who was a Laois selector, a nephew of a long serving Offaly stalwart Karol Slattery and grandson of a former Walsh Island player, Mick Slattery.

THE SCORERS

Offaly: Tony Furey 1-4 (1 x 2p), Jack Ryan 0-4 (2 x 2p free), Ruari Woods 0-2, Patrick Duffy, Dylan Dunne, Cian McNamee, Eamon Maher, Darragh Stewart 0-1 each.

Laois: David Timmons 2-0, Sean Rowan 0-4 (3f), Ultan Dunne (1f) and Joe Larkin (2p) 0-2 each, Cian O'Sullivan 0-1 (f).

THE TEAMS

OFFALY: Jack Ryan (Doon); Caden O'Beirne (Tullamore), Daniel Stoyanov (Clara), Cormac Farrell (Edenderry); Patrick Duffy (Tullamore), Tadgh Kelly (Kilclonfert), Stephen Byrne (Raheen); Eamon Maher (Ferbane), Eoin Rouse (Tullamore); Isaac Ryan (Clara), Dylan Dunne (Clara), Aaron Daly (Clonbullogue); Tony Furey (Edenderry), Ruari Woods (Belmont), Cian McNamee (Rhode). Subs – Cathal Weldon (Bracknagh) for Isaac Ryan (40m), Charlie Duffy (Edenderry) for Byrne (50m), Darragh Stewart (Tullamore) for Duffy (60m), Cian Duffy (Doon) for Furey (63m).

Laois: Conor Dunne; Sean Powders, Sean Maher, Conor Moran; Finn Dawson, Fionnan Brennan, Joe Lennon;Joe Larkin, Mark O'Connor; David Timmons, Sean Michael Ward, Sean Rowan; Cian O'Sullivan, Ultan Dunne, Bobby Rowan. Subs – Harry Browne for Powders (38m), Dan Downey for O'Sullivan (42m), Tadgh Slattery for Lennon (46m), Aaron Mackey for Timmons (60m),

Referee – Ultan McElroy.

REFEREE WATCH

Ultan McElroy gave a few harsh or questionable frees but these balanced out – his neutrality was beyond reproach and while he was not a factor in the result, there were too many of these for comfort. The two teams took way more than the allotted ten minutes at half time with Laois over 15 minutes and Offaly a couple of minutes later – the referee then exchanged words with Offaly manager, Roger Ryan before the restart, delaying things further.

MOMENT OF THE MATCH

Jack Ryan's superb two point injury time free was the single biggest factor in Offaly winning.

VENUE WATCH

Faithful Fields was in terrific condition as usual and there was a decent crowd present.

WHAT'S NEXT

Offaly into the preliminary quarter-final.

STATISTICS

Wides: Offaly - 9 (3 in first half); Laois - 10 (7 in first half).

Yellow cards: Offaly – 0; Laois – 1 (Cian O'Sullivan).

Black cards: 0.

Red cards: 0.