Late consolation goals give Offaly heart as Dublin get away for deserved win

OFFALY gave a decent account of themselves on their return to the top flight camogie following their great All-Ireland intermediate win last year but defeat was still their lot as Dublin proved much too strong in a keenly fought Leinster Senior Championship final in O'Connor Park on Saturday afternoon.

Leinster Senior Camogie Championship quarter-final

Dublin 3-15

Offaly 2-9

Offaly worked hard and were very honest but the loss means they are out of the Leinster championship and now have to wait a few weeks for the All-Ireland campaign to begin.

Offaly played some nice camogie and had a high work ethic. They will take encouragement from aspects of this performance but were in trouble when they trailed by 1-7 to 0-5 at half time.

Offaly could have been closer but left 1-2 behind them in the first half. Grace Teehan could very well have put the boot down and went for goal with her opening point as the path was opened in front of her while Clodagh Leahy had a couple of uncharacteristic wides from frees – with Mairead Teehan taking over then.

Dublin's experience of playing All-Ireland senior last year helped them, even if they didn't come out of their group. It took them a while to settle and Offaly fully deserved their 0-3 to 0-1 lead after eight minutes but Dublin got their goal through Grace O'Shea in the 11^th minute. They were 1-6 to 0-4 up after 24 minutes and Niamh Comerford and Mairead Teehan (free) exchanged scores to leave that five point gap in it at half time.

Sarah Harding was blocked with a great goal chance at the start of the second half and that was a score that Offaly really needed. They continued to work hard and they hung in there as long as they could but their already dwindling prospects went when corner back Aoife Liffey was sent off for pulling down Kerrie Finnegan in the 42^nd minute. The Shinrone woman was on a yellow, it was a deliberate foul and the referee Justin Heffernan had no option but to end her afternoon. Aisling Maher slotted the free to make it 1-10 to 0-6 and in a low scoring game with defences on top, that deficit was always going to be beyond Offaly.

Offaly had the ball in dangerous territory but couldn't manufacture a goal at this stage and Dublin drove the final nail in their coffin when Grace O'Shea broke through for her second in the 46^th minute. Sub Kerrie Finnegan got in for Dublin's third goal in the 53^rd minute and the winners led by 3-15 to 0-7 with five minutes left.

Dublin relaxed with a semi-final secure and Offaly to their credit kept going and fighting hard. They got in for a late 2-2 with the goals coming from two Mairead Teehan frees - these will give them something to build on but they will be under no illusions about the challenges awaiting them in the coming weeks.

MATCH ANALYSIS

PLAYER OF THE MATCH

Aisling O'Neill (Dublin): All the contenders were on the Dublin team with Eve O'Brien, Emma O'Byrne and Claire Gannon providing commanding displays in defence. Sinead Wylde did some great work at midfield when Offaly were competitive, Aisling O'Neill had a great game for Dublin, getting on a huge amount of ball while Aisling Maher was also pivotal. Her free taking was flawless, she got a point from play and use the ball well in open play.

Mairead Teehan did a lot of good work for Offaly as well as converting her frees and they had several other players who gave it their all.

THE SCORERS

Dublin: Aisling Maher 0-10 (9f), Grace O'Shea 2-0, Kerrie Finnegan 1-1, Aisling O'Neill, Aisling Gannon, Eimear Kehoe, Niamh Comerford 0-1 each.

Offaly: Mairead Teehan 2-5 (2-4 f, 1 '45'), Clodagh Leahy 0-3 (2f), Grace Teehan 0-1.

THE TEAMS

OFFALY: Emer Reynolds (Shinrone); Aoife Liffey (Shinrone), Amy Byrne (Shinrone), Una Kilmartin (Kilcormac-Killoughey); Megan King (St Cillian's), Orlagh Phelan (Naomh Brid), Allie Butler (St Rynagh's); Mairead Teehan (Moneygall), Katie O'Connell (St Rynagh's); Grace Teehan (Naomh Brid), Fianait Dooley (Drumcullen), Aisling Brennan (St Cillian's); Clodagh Leahy (Drumcullen), Sarah Harding (Birr), Rachel Brennan (St Cillian's). Subs – Faye Mulrooney (Birr) for O'Connell (39m), Ciara Maher (Moneygall) for Butler (51m), Emma Buggy (Ballinamere) for King (56m), Becky Bryant (Tullamore) for Leahy (56m), Aine O'Connor (Naonh Brid) for Dooley (58m).

DUBLIN: Ciara Jones; Emilyt Adderly, Eve O'Brien, Emma O'Byrne; Sarah Power, Aoife Higgins, Claire Gannon; Sinead Wylde, Gaby Couch; Leah Butler, Niamh Comerford, Grace O'Shea; Aisling O'Neill, Aisling Gannon, Aisling Maher. Subs – Kerrie Finnegan for Comerford (38m), Eimear Kehoe for O'Shea (50m), Jennifer Moore for Wylde (55m), Grainne Skelton for Aisling Gannon (55m), Hannah Leddy for Adderly (58m).

Referee – Justin Heffernan (Wexford).

REFEREE WATCH

Justin Heffernan had a good game and was consistent. He had no option but to give Aoife Liffey a second yellow and he was not a factor in the result.

MOMENT OF THE MATCH

Dublin's first half goal from Grace O'Shea settled them down at a stage when Offaly were asking serious questions.

VENUE WATCH

The decision to play this game as a curtain raiser to the big hurling one between Offaly and Dublin was a very good one but unfortunately, the big gap between games mitigated in it getting any significant attendance bounce. This game started at 4pm and with the hurling on at 6.30pm, it only attracted a few more spectators than it normally would. The hurling did bring in some but gap meant that there was not a big volume of early arrivers from half time onwards - the gap was necessary as the camogie was winner on the day. That was a pity but it was still great that this game was played in O'Connor Park – it certainly created a sense of occasion for the Offaly players and the pitch was in excellent shape.

WHAT'S NEXT

Offaly now have to wait for the All-Ireland championship while Dublin go into the Leinster semi-final against Carlow.

STATISTUICS

Wides: Offaly - 6 (4 in first half); Dublin – 5 (4 in first half).

Yellow cards: Offaly – 2 (Aoife Liffey 2); Dublin – 1 (Aoife Higgins).

Red cards: Offaly – 1 (Aoife Liffey, 2 yellows).