Offaly hurling manager not deflated after seeing expected defeat to Kilkenny

ACKNOWLEDGING that a 4-25 to 2-16 Leinster Senior Hurling Championship defeat by Kilkenny on Saturday was a heavy beating, Offaly manager Johnny Kelly was by no means down in the dumps as he reflected on it afterwards and the big season defining battles ahead against Wexford and particularly, Antrim.

Saturday's game in Nowlan Park went more or less as expected. Kilkenny had the game won early and they only hit the high gears occasionally in the second half but Kelly was happy that Offaly fought harder than they did in their previous loss to Galway and didn't throw in the towel.

Results of this nature were always probable after their return to top flight hurling for the first time since 2017 and it is all a learning curve for a young, exciting Offaly side.

On Saturday, Offaly needed everything to go right from the throw in to be anyway competitive but the concession of a fourth minute goal was too early and dealt them a body blow that they never really recovered from.

Kelly agreed:

“The start was bad and we had hoped we wouldn't concede early and that is exactly what happened. You were on an uphill battle straight away. They fought harder than they did against Galway I thought. They let in goals against Galway as well before half time and it seemed to take the life out of us.

“Even though it was a similar scoreline to the Galway game, I take a small bit of heart that they fought a little bit harder and never gave up the ghost.”

The Portumna man acknowledged that it could have got out of hands and that in the wind up, the defeat was actually not too bad.

“Ah yeah, it could have. That is what happens against these boys but look it, I remember a few years ago in an All-Ireland quarter-final against Tipperary and conceding seven goals. We conceded 4-25 which is not a pretty scoreline but that happens against a top team. They are going to go very hard to win a Leinster championship and push on in the All-Ireland series. That is something we are going to have to deal with and learn from.”

2-16 to 0-11 behind at half time, Offaly had the wind in the second half but struggled to make any impact in the third quarter, scoring only one goal and not able to get shots at the posts.

The manager referred to the things that went wrong at that stage.

“We didn't really get a lot of shots off in the second half which is disappointing again and our retention rate in the second half hit the floor really. We didn't get on to anything really up front. In fairness to them, they are trying the right thing, it just isn't coming off. Some of the deliveries went one side and forwards breaking the other side. A couple of hard balls drilled down the line to lads trying to pick up the ball coming at full pace. That's the area you learn. Kilkenny can execute that whereas our execution was a bit off. That is an area you have to improve upon.”

He was under no illusions from day one about what Offaly were facing in to against Galway and Kilkenny but re-iterated criticism that the Joe McDonagh Cup winners aren't guaranteed two years to settle into the higher grade.

“It is ruthless but we knew that all along. We didn't go into this with our eyes closed at all. They are an ambitious bunch, we all are. We are not too deflated by that at all today, we are learning.

“I have a bigger issue with the structure of the competition. The team coming up from Joe McDonagh gets one shot at this and if it doesn't stick, you are gone. I know Munster is really strong but you have no relegation out of Munster. I don't know how that is let pass but anyway, I'm not complaining about it. We are in this to do our best for Offaly.”

They are away to Wexford nest Saturday and a week later, they host Antrim in their most important game of the season. Kelly saw positives in Kilkenny, mentioning the performances of Charlie Mitchell and Oisin Kelly.

“A big couple of weeks, yes. Physical fatigue is one thing but mental fatigue is another thing. We just have to get our heads around that today, take it on the chin. Go away from it and take away the areas where we went well. I thought Charlie Mitchell had a right good game. Oisin Kelly at various stages showed what he can do, he is tremendously quick. What a powerful man on the ball, two brilliant goals. We just need more of that for longer.”

Dan Bourke was one of the players that helped steady the Offaly ship in the first half before a heavy hit after 30 minutes rattled him.

“Dan got taken out from behind fairly heavy. He did well to get up but he said he was okay to continue. That is Leinster championship, that is senior hurling at Liam McCarthy level, those hits come in and you have to be able to take them.”

Wexford is next up but there is a sense that both Antrim and Offaly only have eyes for each other at this stage.

Kelly said:

“It is hard to know yet. It is a block of three games, we knew this was going to be the hardest one of the three games and obviously Antrim at home, all eyes will be on that. Antrim will look at that also. The Wexford one is a little bit different because of them getting beaten today, I don't know how they react to that. They would probably have designs on finishing in the top three. We will go to Wexford and we will try and pick the team as strong as possible. A couple of guys, Sam Bourke came in today and did really well and so did other guys we introduced. Try and use the panel as well as possible without . . Getting as much game time as we can and going to try and win it in Wexford.”

Offaly's exit from the Leinster U20 championship means that the seniors have complete access to all players. That is a help to them and the manager spoke about the delicate balancing act in managing the commitments of players on both teams, pointing out that some counties didn't play their U20s in that grade.

“The U20 championship has been great for Offaly over the last couple of years. We have had a good relationship with these lads all along. There is a lot spoken about it and it is a trying time because you have two competitions going at the one time. We saw in Tipperary where they held back Darren McCarthy and Sam O'Farrell from playing with theirs. That is the nature of those other top counties whereas we didn't do that in Offaly. It is a balancing act and I think we got it right by and large. Yes there was injuries there but from a senior point of view, no one really got injured with the seniors. We got some belts and bruises and stuff like that but no soft tissue injuries. We move forward and rally the troops and go again.”

SEE NEXT: Antrim showdown looms into focus as Offaly suffer predictable heavy loss in Nowlan Park

Adam Screeney went off with a suspected fractured ankle in the U20 defeat to Dublin and Kelly explained:

“I won't lie, Adam and his injury, we were giving him as much time as we could, he hasn't really trained with the seniors at all. He has just continuously done his rehab for the last three months. This is a new injury that rules him out basically of potentially the Antrim game so that is a loss and he is a talented young fellow, as is Brecon Kavanagh, James Mahon, Donal Shirley. These lads got exposed to high level hurling today and hopefully come the next two games, that will give Offaly the lift they need.”