Offaly's dream ends with heads held sky high as young heroes run out of road

IT was a case of so close, so far for a tremendously gutsy young Offaly side as they just ran out of road, went to the well once too often in a thrilling All-Ireland Minor Football Championship quarter-final at a throbbing Dr Hyde Park, Roscommon on Sunday afternoon.

All-Ireland Minor Football Championship quarter-final

Mayo 3-13

Offaly 4-7

4-7 to 3-9 ahead with eight minutes left after staging another sensational, against the head comeback, Offaly were on the brink of another heroic win. With the wind on their backs and the momentum very much with them at this stage, Offaly looked like they would make an All-Ireland semi-final but Connacht runners-up Mayo got the final four points to advance to a meeting with Kerry.

The key moment was Conor Hession's two point free in the 52^nd minute, brought forward to within range when Tony Furey interfered with a quick Mayo free out the field. Furey had been instrumental in Offaly being so close to a famous win and just acted on instinct but it handed Mayo the initiative at a stage when they were gasping for breath.

Offaly still went very close, twice threatening an equaliser as Aaron Daly hit the post and then Cian McNamee was wide with a decent half chance, In four minutes of injury time, Offaly never really threatened again as Mayo got the closing two points from subs Oran Murphy and Ben Joyce for a win that they just about deserved on the balance of play.

Offaly were agonisingly close to extending their season and almost did it but they couldn't argue with the justice of the overall result. They had flown close to the wind so many times this year and once again lived on their wits, fought the odds here. It was always likely that they would fall the wrong side of a result at some stage, having recorded fantastic late wins against Laois, Wicklow, Meath, Kildare and Louth on their way to the Leinster title.

They can be so proud, however, of the way they performed the whole year as they got motoring after bad early beatings by Dublin and Louth. They displayed such honesty and character and these were once again evident in abundance here while they played some excellent football when they did get going at pace. Mayo, however, were marginally better, had a physical edge and had a few players who really hurt Offaly but if there is ever a way to lose a game, this was it and Offaly gave it everything they had in a hugely entertaining shootout.

The opening quarter was a real helter skelter affair, making for thrilling viewing but by half time Mayo were in the driving seat with a 3-7 to 1-4 lead.

The wind in their favour was a significant one and meant that Offaly still had a chance at the break but the deficit also meant that they needed the vast majority of things to go right for them in the second half.

Both sides looked like scoring goals every time they attacked in a breathtaking opening quarter. Mayo got the first goal through Conor Hession in the first minute but Offaly went at them with real abandon, ripping them to shreds.

Ruari Woods got a clinical fourth minute goal after Charlie Duffy went through the centre while Tony Furey got two points and Cathal Weldon curled over a nice one as Offaly led by 1-3 to 1-0 after eight minutes.

Ben Holmes hit the post with a rasper for Mayo in the 10^th minute, play being called back for an earlier free that he tapped over. Dylan Dunne put Offaly 1-4 to 1-1 ahead in the 12^th minute, forced off balance while shooting from close range with goal on his mind and the Leinster side were motoring very well.

They didn't score again in the half, however, as a powerful Mayo got on top in the middle third. Dara Flanagan and Conor Caghill raced through for goals too easily against an Offaly defence that struggled when Mago went at them. Mayo also missed a few sscoreable chances and Offaly could have been in a more acute position at the break.

An opportunist goal from Tony Furey a minute into the second half after Dylan Dunne's shot was blocked got Offaly right back into it but Mayo then succeeded in slowing it down, committing fouls out the field and not allowing the losers to get real momentum.

Conor Hession's free put the gap out to 3-8 to 2-4 after 38 minutes and Offaly were struggling. Jack Ryan kept them in it with a great 42^nd minute save from Conor Jordan and captain Cian McNamee brought the huge Offaly crowd to their feet with a super 47^th minute goal, running at the Mayo defence and slotting home with his left.

Suddenly the gap was only three points and with the crowd getting behind them, Offaly sensed another opportunity. Mayo were clinging to a 3-9 to 3-6 lead when Offaly equalised with their fourth goal in the 50^th minute, a super score by Dylan Dunne after Cian McNamee set him up. Furey tapped over a free two minutes later and Offaly were a point to the good.

Unfortunately they didn't score again as that two point free changed the game and Mayo got the last two points for a very hard earned win.

MATCH ANALYSIS

MAN OF THE MATCH

Dara Flanagan (Mayo): Dara Flanagan was the single biggest factor in Mayo's win as he ran their game from the fulcrum of the attack. He scored 1-3 but brought a lot more to the table as he was so composed on the ball and he was one of the players who settled them down when Offaly came at them in the closing quarter.

Offaly had several players who really stood up to be counted. Caiden O'Beirne did a lot of very good work on the ball in defence while Tony Furey had a very good game in the attack, showing real opportunism and finishing clinically. Eamon Maher and Charlie Duffy were so honest in a very congested midfield zone while Offaly's ace forwards Dylan Dunne and Cian McNamee were earmarked for special attention but did everything they could. Aaron Daly's work rate typified Offaly and a unit, it was such an honest display with every player laying it all on the line.

THE SCORERS

Mayo: Conor Hession 1-5 (2 x 2pf and 1f), Dara Flanagan 1-3, Ben Holmes 0-2 (2f), Rhys Neary, Ben Joyce and Oran Murphy 0-1 each.

Offaly: Tony Furey 1-4 (2f), Ruari Woods and Dylan Dunne 1-1 each, Cian McNamee 1-0, Cathal Weldon 0-1.

THE TEAMS

OFFALY: Jack Ryan (Doon); Caden O'Beirne (Tullamore), Tomas Carroll (Erin Rovers), Cormac Farrell (Edenderry); Patrick Duffy (Tullamore), Tadgh Kelly (Kilclonfert), Eoin Rouse (Tullamore); Eamon Maher (Ferbane), Charlie Duffy (Edenderry); Cathal Weldon (Bracknagh), Dylan Dunne (Clara), Aaron Daly (Clonbullogue); Tony Furey (Edenderry), Cian McNamee (Rhode), Ruari Woods (Belmont). Subs – Darragh Stewart (Tullamore) for Weldon (46m), Cian Duffy (Doon) for Furey (53m), Daniel Stoyanov (Clara) for Carroll, inj. (57m),

MAYO: Thomas Williams; Conor Caghill, Barry Langan, Cahair Tighe; Ryan O'Donnell, Declan Duffy, Eoghan Dever; Adam Kelly, Patrick Garvey; Rhys Neary, Dara Flanagan, Conor Jordan; Fiachra O'Cinnseala, Ben Holmes, Conor Hession. Subs – Oran Murphy for Holmes (39m), Fionn O'Cinnseala for Neary (46m), Oisin McCann for Fiachra O'Cinnseala (50m), Ben Joyce for Garvey (53m),

Referee – Alan Coyne, Westmeath.

REFEREE WATCH

Alan Coyne adopted a let it run policy and it contributed to an open, enjoyable game, even if it meant that some fairly obvious looking fouls were let go. He did get the balance right overall though and refereed it well. He was hard on Offaly a few times in the second half when not allowing a tap and go as they fought to get back into it. Sub Oran Murphy also looked to have picked the ball clean up for Dara Flanagan's 50^th minute point though the referee was right beside it, looking straight at it.

MOMENT OF THE MATCH

The two point free that Conor Hession kicked with eight minutes left changed the game and halted Offaly's victory charge. It was an unfortunate one from an Offaly perspective, a new rules infraction, but without it, Mayo may not have won and another Offaly point could have broken them.

VENUE WATCH

There was a great atmosphere in Dr Hyde Park with a big Offaly crowd making the short hop to Roscommon. It was great to see such support getting behind this young team with traffic slow from Athlone onwards and people parking well out the road. Roscommon managed it all very efficiently and their pitch was in fine order – once again, the only complaint was the distance the covered part of the stand was from the pitch.

WHAT'S NEXT

Mayo play Kerry in the All-Ireland semi-final in two weeks time.

STATISTICS

Wides: Offaly – 7 (3 in first half); Mayo – 7 (5 in first half).

Yellow cards: Offaly – 1 (Cian McNamee); Mayo – 1 (Barry Langan).

Black cards: 0

Red cards: 0