PREVIEW: Huge performance needed as Offaly footballers bid to take the next step

IN a way, Offaly are into bonus territory and there is no real pressure on them for next Sunday's Leinster Senior Football Championship quarter-final against Kildare in Portlaoise. In another way, however, that is a defeatist attitude and one that will not serve Offaly well as they bid to take the next step by beating one of Leinster's second tier counties.

Offaly have made definite progress in the past couple of years under John Maughan. They have developed nicely and are transitioning into a decent middle of the road side. They have gone very close and competed very well against Meath and Kildare in the last two Leinster Senior Football Championships.

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Defeats, however, have been their lot and Offaly now need to beat one of those counties. They are of course a world removed from Dublin and their all dominating presence has ruined the Leinster championship as a competition. Without them, it would be a great competition with a number of counties having realistic chances of the title, including Offaly. Dublin, however, look unbeatable at provincial level and it means that the rest of the counties are in the market for signs of progress.

2021 has already been an excellent year for Offaly, who have done everything that could have been hoped for them. They took full advantage of the split National Football League Division 3 format by winning promotion to Division 2 and last Sunday's championship victory over Louth ensures that it will go down as a successful year.

Those were Offaly's twin goals at the start of the year and no matter what happens now, they can reflect proudly on their work. Manager John Maughan and the players won't want to be leaving it at that and a win over Kildare would turn a good year into an excellent year. The fact that it is an open draw for the semi-finals is a help too – it is good to know that the reward for winning here is a possible Leinster final place, if Dublin are avoided, and that gives Offaly a real carrot.

They will have their work cut out here and Kildare are favourite. Kildare are playing their first championship game and they won promotion to Division 1 of the National Football League. Winning promotion to the top tier is a very important step forward for them and they look to be in good health.

Offaly, however, have nothing to fear from them. They showed last year that they can compete against them and while Kildare have progressed, so have Offaly. Kildare are no world beaters and if Offaly can stay with them into the final quarter, they could be vulnerable.

Offaly will be tired though. This will be their fifth game in five successive weeks and it is a lot of action in a condensed period. Offaly opted to play their Division 3 league final against Derry on the basis that it was in Croke Park. With promotion assured, they could have opted out of that but Maughan and selectors felt that the game and Croke Park experience would serve the squad well.

They received a heavy beating from a flying Derry but that may have been the wake up call that Offaly needed. They were on a high after beating Wicklow, Limerick, Tipperary and Fermanagh and the manner of defeat against Derry brought them back down to earth.

They knew that a defeat to Louth would really taint the year and they did well to survive last Sunday's enthralling championship battle. It was football at its rawest, most human and it was a rip roaring tussle. Offaly were fortunate not to lose it in normal time as an injury time shot from Sam Mulroy went just wide. They were clear masters in extra time, and while a 3-19 to 0-19 final scoreline flattered them, there was no disputing the merit of Offaly's win.

Fortune did favour them a bit on the day and their three goals had a touch of luck about them. Bernard Allen's second half goal may have been a shot for a point and it came after a bad short kickout while the extra time goals would not always have come. The first from Niall McNamee came after a horrific mix up in the Louth defence while Peter Cunningham's match clinching one came after Bernard Allen's shot for a point hit the post.

Still Offaly deserved a bit of luck. They have played well the whole year, apart from the Derry game and last twenty minutes against Fermanagh, and their appetite and work rate has been impressive.

They made big selection decisions for the Louth game, starting Niall McNamee and dropping midfielder Eoin Carroll. McNamee was superb as he scored 1-3, set up Peter Cunningham's goal and gave Louth bother all afternoon. He played for 86 minutes and he is certain to now start the game against Kildare.

Offaly have plenty of room for improvement. They will have to drastically reduce their error count. They made too many mistakes on Sunday, carrying the ball into tackles and spilling it under pressure. Some of their mistakes led directly to Louth scores and they were fortunate that others were not punished.

Offaly are in trouble at midfield and this is an area where they must sort against Kildare, who will be physically strong here. Offaly have tried a variety of combinations this year and none have been truly dominant. They have been entirely honest and hard working but in some cases, they have been trying to fit square pins into round holes by playing players out of position. Eoin Carroll, Peter Cunningham, Cathal Mangan, Jordan Hayes, Aaron Leavy and others have all seen action out here and management still haven't found a settled pairing that they are happy with.

The reality is that they can only work with what they have. Apart from Kilcormac/Killoughey's Cathal Donoghue, who has been injured and has the potential to play here, even if it may not be his best position at the highest level, there are no midfield prospects waiting to be discovered in Offaly. They can only work with what they have and Offaly will have to come up with a tactical game plan to ensure they go close to breaking even with Kildare here.

Offaly do look to be fit and their conditioning is good. If anything, a couple of players look to be nearly too muscular and this is affecting their movement but Offaly have worked hard on this whole side of their game. This is important against Kildare, who will be physically big and full of running.

It will be interesting to see what team Offaly start. The team they announce near the weekend should not be taken as gospel as Offaly have made late changes before most games this year. Last Sunday, Bill Carroll and Bernard Allen were named on the team but Johnny Moloney and Niall McNamee started instead of them.

However, they won't be making drastic changes from the team that started last Sunday. Johnny Moloney is likely to start again at centre half back. He got injured during the league campaign but Sunday's game will bring him on. Carl Stewart was a surprise selection at centre half forward and he is worth another try here. He drifted down the field to make himself available to Moloney and the midfield and the quality of his foot passing was immense at times. He is not a natural centre forward and is more used to defence but he did well enough to justify another start.

Peter Cunningham is searching for his best form and may be on thin ice but he did well when he came back on in extra time and Offaly need their best players on the field. There is a case to be made for starting both him and Eoin Carroll, even if it is not at midfield.

Anton Sullivan was whipped off after 29 minutes following a few wayward passes. He did take the wrong option with some of those passes but the Rhode man remains one of Offaly's best footballers. While annoyed to be taken off, he showed character by playing with great energy and enthusiasm when brought on in extra time. They key for management is to restore Sullivan's confidence during the week. He seemed almost afraid to deliver a foot pass when he came back on and that is not healthy as he is a player with vision and flair. He is key to Offaly's prospects.

The first priority for Offaly is to be competitive here, to stay with Kildare and be in the hunt in the closing quarter. Time will tell but last year's game along with their form this year suggests that they should be able to do that. Victory is an outside chance but it is very possible. Kildare are vulnerable and they have their weak areas. Offaly can rattle them and some day they will beat a county like Kildare or Meath. They need to do so to develop further.

Verdict – Kildare.

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