Devastated Offaly go down with their boots on

Cork 1-21

Offaly 1-20

OFFALY won't be in any mood for accepting pats on the back or plaudits for the way they played but they certainly went down with their boots on as they suffered an agonising National Football League Division 2 defeat to Cork in Tullamore on Sunday afternoon.

A cruel one point defeat put Offaly back to Division 2 and they were in very hard luck to lose after a fantastically brave second half performance put them on the threshold of a famous win. 1-13 to 1-7 behind early in the second half and 1-15 to 1-11 down after 47 minutes, Offaly looked to be heading to a disappointing defeat but they threw caution to the win after this and almost pulled it out of the fire.

Offaly's football from the 47th minute on was breathtaking as they got some superb points. They were really fearless in the way they played, both in terms of their shooting and their passing. They were not afraid to take chances and Cork were out on their knees at times.

Two Niall McNamee frees and a super Ruari McNamee point brought it back to a point, 1-15 to 1-14 after 51 minutes. A Stephen Sherlock free put Cork two ahead but brilliant points from Keith O'Neill and Bill Carroll levelled it up with thirteen minutes left.

Mattie Taylor put Cork in front but Offaly then produced a sensational spell of sustained pressure. Paddy Dunican got a great long range free, Anton Sullivan fired them in front and Niall McNamee tapped over a mark to put Offaly 1-19 to 1-17 ahead in the 62nd minute. There was plenty of drama to come as Cork got back on terms with points from Blake Murphy and Brian Hurley. Another excellent Ruari McNamee point put Offaly back in front as it went into injury time.

Offaly had to win and a draw was no good to them. They just couldn't hold on as Cian Kiely equalised and Cork got the winner from a bizzarre free for a kickout infringement after Paddy Dunican took a short one, the ball went back to him and he was penalised as he stopped it going out over the endline - Dunican could not touch it after the short kickout was returned to it and a free was the right penalty. Stephen Sherlock tapped over the free and a shell shocked Offaly needed a goal.

That was never going to come against a packed Cork defence with just a few seconds remaining and a relieved Cork celebrated a get out of jail win.

Offaly trailed by 1-10 to 1-7 at half time and that was a good position considering they had made a dreadful start.

Cork started off like a high speed train and could have got three goals in the first 10 minutes. They did get one after Cathal O'Mahony raced through in the second minute but twice Colm O'Callaghan opted to point with the goal at his mercy – his first chance after a few seconds was particularly gilt edged and he really should have went for it. A super mark from Brian Hurley gave Cork a 1-4 to 0-1 lead after 11 minutes and it could have been a lot more.

Offaly did settle into the game and improved significantly as the half progressed. They tightened up a bit, though the defence did remain loose at times and began to move with more pace and intensity. Niall McNamee got a couple of magnificent points while Bill Carroll and Niall Darby got quality scores as Offaly reduced it to 1-6 to 0-5 after twenty minutes.

Cork led by 1-9 to 0-6 after 31 minutes but Offaly were handed a lifeline in the 33rd minute when Niall McNamee was hauled down by Kevin Flahive after superbly winning a great Cathal Flynn ball in. Flahive got black, Anton Sullivan blasted the penalty home and then a fantastic Bill Carroll point made it a two point game. A point from the very lively Stephen Sherlock gave Cork that three point half time lead but Offaly were happy to be that close considering the way the first quarter had went.

Stephen Sherlock cut loose at the start of the second half, getting three points, two of them quality scores from play as Cork went six clear with the wind now on their backs. You wouldn't have given tuppence for Offaly's chances at this stage but four points on the trot two from Niall McNamee, one a mark and one each from Cathal Flynn and Anton Sullivan made it 1-13 to 1-11.

Cork got the next two through John O'Rourke and Brian Hurley but Offaly then staged a heartwarming rally that almost kept them up in Division 2. The last twenty five minutes was played in a welter of championship type excitement with a passionate crowd backing both teams and it was real heart in the mouth stuff.

While disappointed to go down, Offaly have no shortage of factors to console themselves with. There were mistakes made – that last free, Cathal Flynn blazing wide when he should have fisted over the bar and a few more but some of these were always going to happen in a game of this intensity.

Offaly certainly laid their bodies on the line while there were some outstanding individual performances with James Lalor, Niall Darby, Johnny Moloney, Declan Hogan, Bill Carroll, Niall McNamee and Anton Sullivan all on top of their game while Jordan Hayes, Ruari McNamee and Cathal Flynn also made their presence felt.

MAN OF THE MATCH)

Stephen Sherlock (Cork): Stephen Sherlock was the single biggest reason Cork survived. He got nine points, five from play and created problems all day for Offaly, who did give him too much room.

THE SCORERS

Cork: Stephen Sherlock 0-9 (4f), Cathal O'Mahony 1-1, Brian Hurley and John O'Rourke 0-3 each, Colm O'Callaghan 0-2, Mattie Taylor, Cian Kiely and Blake Murphy 0-1 each.

Offaly: Niall McNamee 0-7 (2f and 2m), Anton Sullivan 1-3 (goal from a penalty), Bill Carroll 0-3, Ruari McNamee 0-2, Paddy Dunican (f), Niall Darby, Johnny Moloney, Keith O'Neill and Cathal Flynn 0-1 each.

THE TEAMS

OFFALY: Paddy Dunican (Shamrocks); Kieran Dolan (Shamrocks), James Lalor (Raheen), Niall Darby (Rhode); Lee Pearson (Edenderry), Declan Hogan (Tullamore), Colm Doyle (Clara); Cathal Donoghue (Kilcormac-Killoughey), Jordan Hayes (Edenderry); Dylan Hyland (Raheen), Ruari McNamee (Rhode), Bill Carroll (Cappincur); Johnny Moloney (Tullamore), Niall McNamee (Rhode), Anton Sullivan (Rhode). Subs – Cathal Flynn (Ferbane) for Pearson (23m), Keith O'Neill (Clonbullogue) for Donoghue (40m), Mark Abbott (Edenderry) for Hyland (50m), Ciaran Donnelly (Bracknagh) for Doyle (55m), Bernard Allen (Tubber) for Sullivan (68m),

CORK: Micheal Martin; Kevin O'Donovan, Kevin Flahive, Tommy Walsh; Rory Maguire, John Cooper, Mattie Taylor; Ian Maguire, Cathal O'Mahony; Daniel Dineen, Eoghan McSweeney, Colm O'Callaghan; Stephen Sherlock, John O'Rourke, Brian Hurley. Subs – Blake Murphy for McSweeney (47m), Cian Kiely for Flahive (52m), Mark Cronin for O'Mahony (53m), Brian Hartnett for Dinneen (59m), Fionn Herhily for O'Rourke (69m),

Referee – Niall Cullen (Fermanagh).