Comprehensive defeat sends Offaly into championship with clouds hanging over prospects

THERE were occasional green shoots for Offaly in a predictable National Football League loss to Meath in Tullamore on Sunday but no one is under any illusions about the improvements that have to take place if they are to bloom in any meaningful way in the upcoming championship/Tailteann Cup campaigns.

Allianz National Football League Division 2 Round 7

Meath 2-22

Offaly 0-18

The final scoreline of 2-22 to 0-18 could have been a lot worse but provides no hiding place for management or players as Meath got away for a convincing win - there were spells when it looked like Offaly are on the verge of turning a corner but four late points gave them a measure of late scoring respectability at a stage when they were well and truly beaten.

If Offaly are beginning to turn a corner, and they possibly are, it is very much a hairpin bend and despite missing a handful of key players, they enter the championship with a cloud hanging over their prospects and an increasing focus being placed on the team management – Keith O'Neill was out for this one, mainly as a precaution with a calf injury, joining Paddy Dunican. John Furlong and Cathal Flynn on the sideline.

With Offaly already relegated and Meath having to win to be sure of promotion, the result here was as inevitable as it can be in football. Instead we were looking for positives for Offaly, the right effort levels and some decent football. The small home support, vastly outnumbered by visitors, received glimpses of both, particularly in the first half an hour but not enough to raise anticipation for the championship.

There was an extended spell in the first half when Offaly did look like something was changing and they fully deserved to be 0-8 to 1-3 up after 20 minutes. They got going with a two point free from Conor Melia and were then forced onto the back foot with Bryan Menton getting in for a fine fourth minute goal as Meath grabbed a 1-3 to 0-3 lead.

Offaly were very good for a ten minute spell from the tenth to 20^th minutes. They controlled the game and retained possession very well, frustrating Meath. Indeed Meath were beginning to get worried, looking a bit lethargic and making too many errors for comfort. Offaly struck for five points without reply, two Shane Tierney frees, a delightful Daire McDaid two pointer and a fisted Jordan Hayes one.

Offaly were going well but by half time the game was over as a contest with Meath leading by 2-9 to 0-9. The game turned with a very debatable, harsh penalty, awarded in the 27^th minute for an alleged foul on Cian McBride by Shane O'Toole-Greene. The improving Shamrocks defender did very little wrong but the penalty was given and Meath took control. The penalty also demonstrated some of Offaly's problems as it came after a Conor Melia kickout went straight to Eoghan Frayne, who launched Meath into attack. Offaly certainly contributed to their own problems with loose marking and some unforced errors and Meath took advantage to lead by six at half time.

That half time deficit meant that Offaly were on a hiding to nothing for the second half as Meath had a decent launching pad. With Meath having to win and Offaly just fighting for pride, it was not any surprise that Meath were able to pull well clear and there was little excitement in the second half.

The lively Darragh Flynn got the first point of the second half for Offaly but Meath pulled well clear with four without reply, goalkeeper, Sean Brennan getting a two point point free. It was 2-14 to 0-11 after 43 minutes and it all drifted out very harmlessly from here. Offaly's energy levels dipped as it wore on and Meath played some very good football. They hit the 20 point mark with Jordan Morris' 58^th minute one and Offaly were just chasing consolation scores late on.

Harry Plunkett came off the bench and got two very nice points from play as well as one from frees. The Tullamore man is definitely an opportunist while Jordan Hayes also crowned a productive afternoon with a third point and Eoin Sawyer got one in a late run of four without reply. The end result, however, was a comprehensive defeat and the end of a bad league campaign – one where injuries were a major factor but don't explain everything as opportunities to win games were left behind them. The bottom line is that Offaly have lost all seven games, some of them badly, and all eggs are now in the championship basket.

MATCH ANALYSIS

MAN OF THE MATCH

Jordan Morris (Meath): Jordan Morris took a while to get going but ended up having a huge influence on Meath's win. His 1-6 haul included five points from play and he had quite a few scoring assists as well. Meath looked good when they got going and were able to open Offaly up too easily.

It was very much a mixed bag by Offaly. They did try and they did keep fighting when the game was gone but they were over powered at times too, making some mistakes. Therte were good individual performances. Cormac Egan was superbly hard working in the first half and Daire McDaid had a very good game in defence. Darragh Flynn took his chances very well and Jordan Hayes was excellent at times. Harry Plunkett took his scores well but as a unit, Offaly now focus on championship with a lot of questions about where they are.

THE SCORERS

Meath: Jordan Morris 1-6 (goal from a penalty) and 1f), Bryan Menton 1-0, Aaron Lynch 0-3, Sean Brennan (2pf), Donal Keogan, Eoghan Frayne and James Conlon 0-2 each, Sean Coffey, Ciaran Caulfield, Ruari Kinsella, Cian McBride and Jason Scully 0-1 each.

Offaly: Darragh Flynn 0-4, Harry Plunkett (1f), Daire McDaid (1 x 2p) and Jordan Hayes 0-3 each, Shane Tierney (2f) and Conor Melia (1 x 2pf) 0-2 each, Eoin Sawyer 0-1.

THE TEAMS

OFFALY: Conor Melia; Shane O'Toole-Greene, David Dempsey, Lee Pearson; Cormac Egan, Diarmuid Egan, Daire McDaid; Jack McEvoy, Ed Cullen; Marcas Dalton, Jordan Hayes, Rory Egan; Niall Furlong, Shane Tierney, Darragh Flynn. Subs – Dylan Hyland for Cullen (HT), Eoin Sawyer for Diarmuid Egan (HT), Harry Plunkett for Tierney (50m), Eoin Dunne for Furlong (58m), Robbie Gallagher for Flynn (66m).

MEATH: Sean Brennan; Seamus Lavin, Sean Rafferty, Brian O'Halloran; Donal Keogan, Sean Coffey, Ciaran Caulfield; Bryan Menton, Cian McBride; Jack O'Connor, Ruari Kinsella, Jack Flynn; Jordan Morris, Eoghan Frayne, Aaron Lynch. Subs – Cathal Hickey for O'Connor (46m), James Conlon for Lynch, Conor Duke for Flynn (55m), Jason Scully for Menton (60m), Killian Smyth for Caulfield (60m),

Referee – Seamus Mulhare, Laois.

REFEREE WATCH

Seamus Mulhare had a generally solid game but his decision to give Meath a 27^th minute penalty was a big turning point. Offaly were doing well at that stage, Shane O'Toole-Greene's hit on Cian McBride looked legitimate and it was certainly in the soft category.

MOMENT OF THE MATCH

That Meath penalty goal was a big moment as it gave them the initiative at a stage when they were struggling, not playing well and Offaly were asking serious questions.

VENUE WATCH

Once against, there was a lot of apathy among the Offaly support. There was less than 600 present for the game against Cavan and while the attendance was much bigger here, it was predominantly Meath fans present. O'Connor Park was in fine order.

WHAT'S NEXT

That concludes the campaign for Offaly.

STATISTICS

Wides: Offaly - 5 (2 in first half); Meath – 8 (4 in first half).

Yellow cards: 0

Black cards: 0

Red cards: 0