Offaly's brave fightback falls agonislingly short as they exit Tailteann Cup

Tailteann Cup Senior Football Quarter Final

KILDARE 1-17

OFFALY 0-19

A TERRIFIC second half Offaly comeback almost produced a dramatic victory but they fell one point short against Kildare in the Tailteann Cup quarter final played at a packed Cedral St Conleth's Park in Newbridge on a wet Saturday evening.

Seven points down 11 minutes into the second half, it wasn't looking good for Offaly but they kept plugging away and twice in the closing minutes got the lead down to a single point. Then in the final minute of injury time they patiently played the ball around looking for an opening before Cillian Bourke took the shot on but his effort drifted just to the left and wide. Had it gone over it would have been a winner as it was from outside the arc and would have been a two pointer but such are the narrow margins between victory and defeat.

It was a tough way for Offaly to go out of the championship but they did so with their heads held high. They put everything into the game and had Kildare under a lot of pressure in the final quarter but in the end came up agonisingly short.

Kildare had started well and went two points up early on but Offaly settled into the game and four points without reply had them two up. The major score of the first half came after 21 minutes when James McGrath was allowed to travel way too far as he came in from the right and he finished to the Offaly net to put Kildare back in front and although Offaly quickly levelled again, Kildare took a two point lead into the break, 1-7 to 0-8.

It rained heavily at half time and Offaly were slow to get out of the blocks after the break and Kildare took advantage to outscore Offaly 0-6 to 0-1 in the first 11 minutes to open up a seven point lead. Offaly slowly got back into it and two two-pointers from Jordan Hayes helped them back into the game. But Kildare managed to reply to Offaly scores with points to keep their noses in front and although Offaly cut the gap to the minimum twice, they eventually ran out of time and Kildare were relieved to claim their place in the semi-finals.

It had the look of a game that was going to extra time for much of the final quarter but Offaly just couldn't get that equalising score. Kildare did well around the middle of the field, particularly in the first half, and they always seemed to be quickest to pick up any breaking ball in that area. Cillian Bourke went out around midfield in the second half and won some good possession for Offaly and helped them get back into the game.

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Ten different players got on the scoresheet for Offaly and they were unable to take a couple of goal chances. None of those chances was clearcut but a couple of good efforts were well parried by Kildare goalkeeper Cian Burke but had one of them gone in it could have changed the game.

Kildare managed the game well and while Offaly were patient in possession in the latter stages, Kildare defended their lines well and as a result Offaly kicked a couple of poor wides when they probably should have held possession a little longer.

Overall there has been nothing between these teams in three encounters this year and while Offaly came out on top on the two previous occasions, it was Kildare who had the luck on this one.

Offaly had some fine performers, Paddy Dunican provided three valuable points from placed balls late in the game. Daire McDaid, John Furlog and Cormac Egan battled hard in defence, Jordan Hayes drove things on from midfield while Cathal Flynn directed operations in attack where Keith O'Neill was also lively and Cillian Bourke had a fine second half.

Cian Burke did well in the Kildare goals, Ryan Burke, David Hyland and James McGrath did well in defence, Kevin Feely won a lot of good ball in the middle of the field, while Alex Beirne had a fine game in attack, ably assisted by Ryan Sinkey, Darragh Kirwan and Daniel Flynn.

Kildare got off the mark just a half a minute in when Ryan Sinkey kicked the first of his points. Offaly were level when Dylan Hyland pointed a fourth minute free but Kildare responded with points from Kevin Feely and Darragh Kirwan to lead by two after eight minutes.

Offaly had a goal chance when Cathal Flynn found Jack Bryant but his first effort was blocked and the rebound was diverted out for a '45' which Dylan Hyland sent wide. They did pull a point back when Cathal Flynn picked out Keith O'Neill and he drilled his effort over the bar. Flynn was involved again in setting up a chance for Lee Pearson but his goalbound effort was blocked.

Offaly took the lead for the first time after 14 minutes when Cathal Flynn sent over a two pointer and Keith O'Neill followed that up with another point.

From the kick out Kildare responded with a Ryan Sinkey point and they almost had a goal when Alex Beirne got through but his shot came off the post and Offaly cleared. Offaly picked off another point when John Furlong claimed a mark on the 13m line and kicked a point.

But Kildare hit back with a goal after 21 minutes. Wing back James McGrath worked his way in from the right and was really allowed to run too far before he booted the ball to the net.

Offaly responded when another good ball from Cathal Flynn after 23 minutes found Jack Bryant and he popped over a point to level but they missed further chances as both Dylan Hyland and Jordan Hayes dropped balls short into goalkeeper Cian Burke in quick succession.

They were made to pay as Ryan Sinkey and Daniel Flynn kicked a brace of points for Kildare. Daire McDaid raided upfield to fist an Offaly point after 34 minutes but Kildare had the last say when Alex Beirne pointed to give the home side a 1-7 to 0-8 half time lead.

The heavens opened during the half time break and left the pitch very soft again. It also led to a lot of handling errors in the early stages of the second half. Offaly had an early wide and were almost in for a goal chance but Jack Byrant's final pass was interecpted by Kevin Feely. Darragh Kirwan and David Hyland then picked off a couple of Kildare points and Offaly struggled to settle after the interval. When Alex Beirne kicked a fine two pointer Kildare were suddenly six points clear and Offaly had a big job on their hands.

Cillian Bourke got Offaly's first point of the second half after seven minutes but Kildare replied with two fisted points in quick succession from Alex Beirne to stretch their lead out to seven points 11 minutes into the half.

Offaly began to work their way back into the game. Jordan Hayes kicked a fine two pointer and after Jack Bryant's effort was blocked Dylan Hyland picked up the loose ball and fisted over. Jordan Hayes kicked another two pointer with 15 minutes left and now the gap was down to two points and the game was on again.

Kildare had gone 10 minutes without a score but Darragh Kirwan settled them with a point. Shane Tierney pulled one back for Offaly but Alex Beirne replied with a pointed free for Kildare. With five minutes left Cillian Bourke fired a great shot goalbound but goalkeeper Cian Burke got his body behind it and it went out for a '45' which Paddy Dunican pointed.

Once again though Kildare went straight down field and sub Mick O'Grady restored their three point advantage. Then with three minutes left Cathal Flynn was fouled and Paddy Dunican kicked the free from outside the arc for a two pointer to leave the minimum in it again. Sub Rory Egan had an effort for the equaliser but it went wide before Alex Beirne pointed another Kildare free a minute into four minutes of injury time.

There was still time for Offaly and Shane Tierney reduced it to one again with two minutes left. Offaly came again and played the ball about patiently before Cillian Bourke fired in a shot from outside the arc which would have won it for Offaly but it drifted to the right and wide and the chance was gone as the referee blew the final whistle from the kick out.

It was the end of the road for Offaly but they went down fighting and very nearly pulled it out for the fire.

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MATCH ANALYSIS

THE TEAMS

KILDARE: Cian Burke; Harry O'Neill Mark Dempsey, Brian Byrne; Ryan Burke, David Hyland, James McGrath; Kevin Feely, Brendan Gibbons; Tommy Gill, Alex Beirne, Colm Dalton; Ryan Sinkey, Daniel Flynn, Darragh Kirwan. Subs. Niall Kelly (for Ryan Sinkey, 53 mins), Kevin Flynn (for Tommy Gill, 54 mins), Mick O'Grady (for Brendan Gibbons, 57 mins), Jack McKevitt (for Mark Dempsey, 63 mins), Brian McLoughlin (for Darragh Kirwan, 71 mins).

OFFALY: Paddy Dunican (Shamrocks); Lee Pearson (Edenderry), David Dempsey (Ballycommon), Daire McDaid (Tullamore); Aidan Bracken (Ballycommon), John Furlong (Tullamore), Cormac Egan (Tullamore); Jack McEvoy (Clonbullogue), Jordan Hayes (Edenderry); Kyle Higgins (Ferbane), Cathal Flynn (Ferbane), Cillian Bourke (Tullamore); Dylan Hyland (Raheen), Jack Bryant (Shamrocks), Keith O'Neill (Clonbullogue). Subs. Ruairi McNamee (Rhode) (for Kyle Higgins, 41 mins), Shane Tierney (Daingean) (for Jack Bryant, 53 mins), Rory Egan (Edenderry) (for Lee Pearson, 67 mins).

REFEREE: Thomas Murphy (Galway)

MAN OF THE MATCH

Over the 70 minutes Alex Beirne gets the nod for Kildare. He was a threat under the high ball throughout the game around the edge of the Offaly square. He hit the post with a fine goal effort in the first half and finished the game as Kildare's top scorer with seven points, including one excellent two pointer. He worked his way in for two important fisted points in the period after half time when Kildare were on top and overall he was very effective.

On the Offaly side Cathal Flynn had an excellent game. He was instrumental in setting up a lot of Offaly's scores, particularly in the first half and kicked a fine two pointer himself and overall he worked tirelessly throughout.

MOMENT OF THE MATCH

That period after half tiem proved costly for Offaly. Kildare outscored them by 0-6 to 0-1 in a nine minute spell to take control of the game and Offaly struggled to hold possession themselves in that period.

REFEREE WATCH

Thomas Murphy handled the game well and wasn't a factor in the outcome. He kept the game moving and he had few contentious issues to deal with. Considering the difficult conditions it wasn't easy at times but he took account of that and did a good job.

WHAT’S NEXT

Kildare move on to the Tailteann Cup semi-finals next weekend, the draw for which will be made on Monday morning. It's the end of the season for Offaly.

VENUE WATCH

Kildare's newly renovated Cedral St Conleth's Park has hosted a lot of games since re-opening this year. It's a much improved venue and with the game serving as part of a double header with the Kildare-Dublin All-Ireland senior hurling preliminary quarter final it was a sell out and ensured a good atmosphere. They hosted the game very well and everything ran smoothly. Heavy rain earlier in the day made the pitch and ball quite slippy at times and it wasn't helped by another heavy shower at half time which made conditions difficult at the start of the second half.

STATISTICS

Wides; Kildare 8 (4 in first half) Offaly 8 (2 in first half)

Yellow Cards: Kildare 1 (Tommy Gill) Offaly 1 (Jack McEvoy)

Black Cards: None

Red Cards: None

THE SCORERS

Kildare; Alex Beirne (0-7, 1 x 2p, 0-2 frees), Ryan Sinkey and Darragh Kirwan (0-3 each), James McGrath (1-0), Kevin Feely, Daniel Flynn, David Hyland, Mick O'Grady (0-1 each).

Offaly; Jordan Hayes (0-4, 2 x 2p), Paddy Dunican (0-3, 1 x 2pf, 0-1 '45'), Keith O'Neill (0-2), Cathal Flynn (0-2, 1 x 2p), Dylan Hyland (0-2, 0-1 free), Shane Tierney (0-2, 0-1 mark), John Furlong (mark), Jack Bryant, Daire McDaid, Cillian Bourke (0-1 each).

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