Brave Offaly agonisingly short in shootout of very tight margins

A BRAVE, very honest and very hard working Offaly fell agonisingly short when their dreams of Leinster U20 Football Championship glory were ended by Longford in an enthralling quarter-final at Newtownforbes on Wednesday evening.

Leinster U20 Football Championship quarter-final

Longford 3-13

Offaly 1-17

The concession of three goals and two two pointers condemned Offaly to an unlucky defeat and it would have taken very little more for them to have come out on the right side of it. They fought hard enough and played almost well enough to win but just couldn't get over the line, running out of steam a small bit late on.

Both sides deserve huge credit for serving up an excellent game of football. Heavy rain that lasted most of the first half made underfoot conditions treacherous, though it did improve after the 20 minute mark. It was a fiercely fought game with no quarter asked or given, full of twists and turns.

There was almost nothing separating them the whole way through in this battle of the 2024 and 2025 Leinster minor football champions. 2024 champions Longford were a bit older and more mature than Offaly and this helped but Offaly's young guns showed that they are made of the right stuff and will be serious contenders at this grade in the next two years.

Longford led by 2-7 to 1-9 at the end of a gripping first half. Offaly settled very well and were 0-5 to 0-2 up when Max Gallagher got the first goal for Longford in the 13^th minute, possibly taking too many steps, though they could have had a penalty for a pick up earlier.

Offaly replied two minutes later with a breathtakingly brilliant goal from Dylan Dunne. The Clara man burst through traffic in the middle of the park, raced forward with only one thing on his mind and finished superbly into the far corner to put Offaly 1-5 to 1-3 ahead.

The game turned again for Longford when Jack Ryan was dispossessed while handpassing in the 19^th minute and Cormac Flynn lobbed the ball into the unguarded net – the Offaly goalie probably should have had the ball gone but did look to be fouled as his arm was tapped while he was passing. Late points from Christian McKeon and a Ryan '45' left only a point in it at half time and it went right down to the wire in the second half.

A heart warmingly spirited Offaly got their noses in front, 1-12 to 2-8, after eight minutes of the second half and were 1-14 to 2-10 up with 11 minutes to go. The game was there to be won and Offaly had a golden chance. Dylan Dunne had a great goal chance in the 21^st minute but Darragh Egan made the save. Longford broke with Kevin Baskett pointing and Patrick Molahan getting the decisive goal in the 57^th minute for a 3-12 to 1-14 lead. Jack Ryan's two point free kept Offaly in it but time ran out on them and a relieved Longford advanced.

MATCH ANALYSIS

MAN OF THE MATCH

Jack Maher (Offaly): Longford had a lot of players who played at a good level with Luke Donnelly and Cormac Flynn scoring very well in their attack. Collectively, Offaly were very solid and they had some excellent individual performances.

The choice is full back Jack Maher. The Tullamore man was very good going forward, even getting a point but it was his defensive brilliance that caught the eye. He made some great blocks and interceptions and he inspired all around him with this. Christian McKeon was also excellent in defence, Eoin Rouse and Charlie Duffy did some powerful work at midfield with Eoin Dunne doing very well off the bench. Dylan Dunne and Cian McNamee were the main men up front, showing their class – though Dunne had his late goal chance and McNamee just missed out on the final pass on a couple of occasions. Kaelem Bryan improved as the game went on.

THE SCORERS

Longford: Cormac Flynn 1-3 (1 x 2p), Luke Donnelly 0-4 (1 2p), Patrick Mollahan 1-1 (1f), Max Gallagher 1-0, Peter Farrell, Jamie Dorr, James Hagan, Kevin Baskett, Cian O'Donnell (f) 0-1 each.

Offaly: Dylan Dunne 1-1, Kaelem Bryan (3f) and Jack Ryan (1 x 2pf, 1f, 1 45) 0-4 each, Cian McNamee 0-3, Jack Maher, Christian McKeon, Charlie Duffy, Eoin Rouse, Colm Egan 0-1 each.

THE TEAMS

OFFALY: Jack Ryan (Doon); Tomas Carroll (Erin Rovers), Jack Maher (Tullamore), Patrick Kenna (Tullamore); Jake Maher (Ferbane), Christian McKeon (Clara), Harry Goulding (Edenderry); Charlie Duffy (Edenderry), Eoin Rouse (Tullamore); Kaelem Bryan (Edenderry), Dylan Dunne (Clara), Colm Egan (Ballycumber); Ruari Woods (Belmont), Cian McNamee (Rhode), Cillian Foran (Edenderry). Subs – Eoin Dunne (Clodiagh Gaels) for Carroll (HT), Eoghan Cullen (Edenderry) for Foran (42m), Dara Cuddihy (Walsh Island) for Woods (56m), Aaron Nmolloy (St Rynagh's) for Egan (58m).

LONGFORD: Darragh Egan; Sean Egan, Ronan Burke, Mark Cooney; Conor McHugh, Colin Gilna, Alan Minagh; William McEntire, Max Gallagher; Peter Farrell, Jamie Dorr, Luke Donnelly; James Hagan, Patrick Mollaghan, Cormac Flynn. Subs – Sean Fagan for McIntyre (39m), Kevin Baskett for Farrell (50m), Cian O'Donnell for Gallagher (55m), Daniel Galvin for Mollahan (59m).

Referee – Alan Coyne (Westmeath).

REFEREE WATCH

A mixed bag by Alan Coyne. He was clearly fair but there were a few missed decisions: Longford could have had an early penalty for a pick up, their first goal could have been a free out for cover carrying and Jack Ryan probably had his arm pulled for their second goal. Longford players also deliberately targeted Jack Ryan as he came up the field for frees, running into him on a few occasions in the first half and they weren't sanctioned for this.

MOMENT OF THE MATCH

The goal chance Dylan Dunne missed in the 51^st minute was a big turning point. Dunne is generally deadly and was the man Offaly would want with the ball in his hands in that position but Darragh Egan just got down to save it and Longford breathed – a goal would have put Offaly three clear./

VENUE WATCH

Clonguish's grounds at Newtownforbes is a fine venue and Longford managed the fixture very efficiently.

WHAT'S NEXT

Longford go into the semi-final.

STATISTICS

Wides: Offaly - 3 (1 in first half); Longford - 4 (2 in first half).

Yellow cards: Offaly – 2 (Tomas Carroll and Jake Maher); Longford – 1 (Cormac Flynn).

Black cards: 0

Red cards: 0