Bad defeat sends Offaly into relegation showdown with Cork

A MASTER class of attacking play from Roscommon laid a first half foundation that Offaly were never going to break down in a crunch National Football League Division 2 tussle in Tullamore on Sunday afternoon.

National Football League Division 2

Roscommon 2-18
Offaly 0-14

The Roscommon attack was brilliant in the first half as they built up a 1-12 to 0-7 half time lead. The quality of their shooting took the breath away as they barely wasted an attack and never put a foot wrong. They didn't have a solitary wide in the first half and some of their points were right out of the top drawer.

Offaly couldn't live with them, even after Roscommon were reduced to fourteen men after fourteen minutes when Keith Doyle picked up a second yellow card. It was a soft red card though Doyle's two tackles were clumsy and he certainly should have been very careful with the second one.

At the time, Roscommon had stormed into a 0-8 to 0-2 lead and Offaly were not at the races. The sending off changed things but only briefly. Offaly were better when they attacked with more pace and directness and they got the gap back to four points, 0-10 to 0-6 by the 25th minute with Dylan Hyland, Bill Carroll and Niall McNamee (2, 1 free) all pointing.

Just when it was looking like Offaly would get back into it, Roscommon rallied again and opened up daylight. A controversial goal from Donie Smith in the 25th minute put Roscommon back in the driving seat. Cathal Heneghan had opened up the Offaly defence with a blistering run and off loaded to Smith who got the ball into the net – he was not far from being in the square but his attempt at a punch looked more like a throw ball than anything.

Despite protests from Paddy Dunican, it stood and Smith added two more points, the first a free, the second a sensational shot from play, to open up a eight point half time lead. Offaly did have a couple of goal chances before the break but both fell to defenders who couldn't take advantage. David Dempsey was crowded out with the first while Rory Egan drew a fine save from Colm Lavin, who deflected it out for a “45” that Paddy Dunican pointed.

That deficit was always going to be too much for Offaly and Roscommon ended any slim hopes they may have harboured with a 45th minute goal, a fine individual score from Enda Smith who twisted and turned before lofting the ball into the net for a 2-12 to 0-7 lead.

The remainder of the game did nothing to excite the senses as Roscommon adopted a “what we have, we hold” attitude. They were content to dominate possession without playing with the same intensity or drive as the first half. Their attack remained very efficient, adding four points before they had their first and only wide from sub Paul Carey two minutes from time.

The Offaly attack were certainly not efficient. While they had limited possession, they didn't make the best use of it, kicking nine wides in the second half to add to their three first half ones. Some of those second half wides left a lot to be desired and were a symptom of a team who were well beaten and whose interest in proceedings was gone.

Cathal Donoghue, Anton Sullivan, Ruari McNamee and Niall McNamee (free did add late points but this was a very bad beating for Offaly, leaving them in a winners' take all relegation showdown with Cork in Tullamore next Sunday.

It won't be easy to pick themselves up from this as Offaly were not competitive, even against fourteen men and Roscommon were very much in a different class to them. Roscommon did play very well on the day, especially in the first half and there weren't many redeeming factors for Offaly, who introduced three of their subs at half time and had their full quota in by the 58th minute.

MAN OF THE MATCH

Ultan Harney (Roscommon): Roscommon had great performances throughout the field with Brian Stack, Niall Daly, Ultan Harney and Eddie Nolan all catching the eyes while the shooting of their forwards was exceptional. Harney is the choice as he had a powerful game at midfield before being given a rest in the 61st minute. Offaly had no player in contention for man of the match, though Niall McNamee was good at times and Declan Hogan, Niall Darby and Anton Sullivan had their moments.

THE SCORERS

Roscommon: Donie Smith 1-3 (1f), Conor Cox 0-5 (2f and 1m), Enda Smith 1-0, Cian McKeon 0-2, Richard Hughes, Ronan Daly, Ultan Harney, Eddie Nolan, Ciaran Murtagh, Niall Kilroy, Keith Doyle and Diarmuid Murtagh 0-1 each.

Offaly: Niall McNamee 0-5 (3f), Ruari McNamee 0-2, Paddy Dunican (“45”), Ciaran Donnelly, Cathal Donoghue, Dylan Hyland, Bill Carroll, Johnny Moloney and Anton Sullivan 0-1 each.

THE TEAMS

ROSCOMMON: Colm Lavin; David Murray, Brian Stack, Eoin McCormack; Richard Hughes, Niall Daly, Ronan Daly; Ultan Harney, Eddie Nolan; Ciaran Murtagh, Enda Smith, Keith Doyle; Cathal Heneghan, Donie Smith, Conor Cox. Subs – Niall Kilroy for Donie Smith (50m), Cian McKeon for Heneghan (50m), Paul Carey for Murtagh (55m), Diarmuid Murtagh for Cox (58m), Shane Cunnane for Harney (61m).

OFFALY: Paddy Dunican (Shamrocks); Declan Hogan (Tullamore), James Lalor (Raheen) Niall Darby (Rhode); Ciaran Donnelly (Bracknagh), David Dempsey (Ballycommon), Rory Egan (Edenderry); Cathal Donoghue (Kilcormac-Killoughey), Jordan Hayes (Edenderry); Mark Abbott (Edenderry), Dylan Hyland (Raheen), Bill Carroll (Cappincur); Bernard Allen (Tubber), Anton Sullivan (Rhode), Niall McNamee (Rhode). Subs - Joseph O'Connor (St Rynagh's) for Dempsey (H/T), Kieran Dolan (Shamrocks) for Egan (H/T), Ruari McNamee (Rhode) for Abbott (H/T), Cathal Flynn (Ferbane) for Hyland (54m), Johnny Moloney (Tullamore) for Donnelly (58m).

Referee – Anthony Nolan (Wicklow).