Another wake-up call as Offaly adjust to life in higher division

FEW people expected anything other than a relegation battle for Offaly but the extent of their struggles to date in Division 2 of the National Football League has certainly come as a wake up call.

National Football League Division 2

Derry 2-13
Offaly 0-7

After a bad defeat by Clare in the opening round, Offaly followed up with another substandard performance in a comprehensive home defeat by a strong Derry side on Sunday afternoon.

Seven points against Clare, six here tells its own tale and while it is early in the season, Offaly have a massive challenge to avoid relegation. It is too early for definitive judgements but the initial indications are that Division 2 is too big of a leap for Offaly in this stage of their development.

There weren't many consoling factors here, other than both Derry goals were very avoidable, coming in injury time in the first half and the second half, and the defeat was not quite as bad as the score would suggest.

Having said that, it was still a very bad defeat and Offaly never looked like they would win. Derry were a vastly superior side and were much more powerful and purposeful when racing forward.

Their first goal was a particularly defining moment. It came two minutes into first half injury time when Paddy Dunican fumbled a Ciaran McFaul delivery, under duress from a forward and Niall Loughlin tapped into the net – Dunican and Offaly appealed for a foul and a free out but David Coldrick awarded the goal after speaking with his umpires.

That goal was an absolutely devastating blow to Offaly. They had worked hard and did their best to hang onto Derry's tails when playing against a strong wind in the first half. They succeeded in that for thirty minutes but a 1-9 to 0-2 half time deficit was always going to be too much to haul back.

Offaly were not bad in the first half. Derry had most of the ball but Offaly defended tenaciously and got forward on a good few occasions. Their two points may have come from defenders, a fisted point from Declan Hogan in the 7th minute and a Paddy Dunican free in the 29th but Offaly were playing well enough to concern Derry.

Unfortunately, the game was gone from them by half time. Derry led by 0-6 to 0-2 after 29 minutes and they had not reached peak form. Offaly were the happier side at that stage but by half time Derry were smiling as 1-2 without reply gave them that interval lead.

Offaly's second half display was poor. Again, they tried but they never looked like breaking down an excellent Derry defence and getting the run of scores they needed to make it interesting. In fact, Derry outscored Offaly by 1-4 to 0-5 against the wind and that says a lot. Bill Carroll kicked two of Offaly's points, Dylan Hyland three but a comeback was never on the cards.

Derry broke frequently and looked like scoring every time they went forward. The inform Shane McGuignan had a super 47th minute goal disallowed for over carrying but he hit the target in the 73rd minute, lobbing the ball into an unguarded net after Paddy Dunican couldn't get back – Dunican had spent most of the second half around midfield, contesting kickouts and trying to get forward, even shooting a wide from open play at one stage, and a goal of this nature was always likely.

Derry had led by 1-11 to 0-3 after fifty minutes and it was threatening to get humiliating for Offaly but fortunately they did get a few points to take the sour look off the scoreboard.

A big problem for Offaly in the second half was free taking. Shane McGuigan had been deadly accurate from a variety of distances and angles for Derry frees in the first half while Niall Loughlin got one from the left side but Offaly didn't have the same success rate at all in the second half. Instead Paddy Dunican, Ruari McNamee and Dylan Hyland had wides from frees that Derry were converting – they wouldn't have saved Offaly's bacon but it is a problem that management simply has to rectify.

There were some decent performances on the Offaly side. Declan Hogan and Lee Pearson defended well and attacked very strongly, especially in the first half when they carried the ball deep into enemy territory. David Dempsey covered a lot of hard yards, Anton Sullivan and Ciaran Donnelly toiled honestly while Bill Carroll and Dylan Hyland both stood up to be counted in the second half but overall, it was a day to forget for the home side.

MAN OF THE MATCH

Shane McGuigan (Derrry): Shane McGuigan had a great game for Derry. His accuracy from frees helped Derry build up their half time lead and he was dangerous in the second half. McGuigan sored 1-6, 1-1 from play and his performance was pivotal to Derry's second win.

THE SCORERS

Derry: Shane McGuigan 1-6 (5f), Niall Loughlin 1-2 (1f), Brendan Rogers, Ciaran McFaul, Padraig McGrogan, Benny Heron and Lachlan Murray 0-1 each.

Offaly: Dylan Hyland 0-3, Bill Carroll 0-2, Paddy Dunican (f) and Declan Hogan 0-1 each.

THE TEAMS

DERRY: Odhran Lynch; Shea Downey, Brendan Rogers, Conor McCluskey; Ciaran McFaul, Conor Doherty, Padraig McGrogan; Conor Glass, Emmet Bradley; Ethan Doherty, Niall Loughlin, Paul Cassidy; Benny Heron, Shane McGuigan, Lachlan Murray. Subs – Niall Toner for Murray (45m), Matthew Downey for Heron (52m), Paul McNeill for McCluskey (57m), Padraig Cassidy for Doherty (60m), Declan Cassidy for Paul Cassidy (68m).

OFFALY: Paddy Dunican (Shamrocks); Declan Hogan (Tullamore), James Lalor (Raheen), Niall Darby (Rhode); Lee Pearson (Edenderry), Johnny Moloney (Tullamore), Colm Doyle (Clara); Jordan Hayes (Edenderry), Bill Carroll (Cappincur); Ciaran Donnelly (Bracknagh), David Dempsey (Ballycommon), Dylan Hyland (Raheen); Anton Sullivan (Rhode), Bernard Allen (Tubber), Ruari McNamee (Rhode). Subs – Cormac Egan (Tullamore) for Moloney (45m), Niall McNamee (Rhode) for Allen (48m), Jack Bryant (Shamrocks) for Sullivan (55m), Joseph O'Connor (St Rynagh's) for Doyle (57m), Cathal Donoghue (Kilcormac-Killoughey) for Pearson (63m).

Referee – David Coldrick (Meath).