No fear factor as Offaly bid to take golden opportunity

RORY Egan looks set to miss Sunday's Leinster Senior Football Championship semi-final against Louth in Croke Park.

The flying Offaly wing back went off injured at half time in Sunday's super 1-11 to 0-10 quarter-final win over Meath and manager Martin Murphy expects that he will be out.

The Edenderry man has a grade 1 hamstring tear and while that is not the most serious of those injuries, seven days will probably be too quick of a turnaround. “Bar a miracle, he won't play,” said Murphy. “Any grade, 1, 2 or 3, needs time and rest. Seven days is a bit quick.”

Management are also waiting for word on Bernard Allen. The long serving Tubber man came on for his 100th competitive appearance in the second half but went off ten minutes later after pulling up with what looked like it could be a bad knee injury. Thankfully, it was not that bad and Allen was walking afterwards but went to Dublin on Tuesday for a scan that will determine the extent of it and whether he can play this Sunday or not.

Cian Donohue came on for Egan on Sunday and is likely to get his place if he is ruled out. Egan was in great form on Sunday and got forward for a decisive goal and a point. Outstanding as Offaly won the All-Ireland U-20 Football Championship in 2021, he had struggled a bit earlier this year but had come into a rich vein of form in recent weeks.

Murphy remarked: “He was on fire on Sunday and was very disappointed after the game that he will miss out in the semi-final. I feel for him. He put in a serious shift. He is doing exams as well and has that pressure too.”

The Gracefield man acknowledged the improvement Egan has made in recent weeks. “Rory is a very honest player and is a big loss. In training we have been trying to put a bit more drive and emphasis on doing things faster. Lads have bought into it. That higher tempo suited Rory. He is that type of player and has the pace to do that. If a team is playing slow, laborious football, it rubs off on everyone. We have upped the ante in the last four-five weeks and have really pushed ourselves to play at a higher pace and intensity and that is proving effective.”

Midfielder Conor McNamee carried a dead leg injury into Sunday's game and went off with just over ten minutes left. He will have to do “serious recovery work” to get ready but should be able to start. Outside of that, Offaly are carrying a number of soft tissue injuries, bangs, bruises and general soreness/fatique but nothing serious.

U-20 player Keith O'Neill has joined the panel but John Furlong has not come in while Cormac Egan is concentrating on U-20 hurling.

Offaly will be underdogs on Sunday but a semi-final against Louth gives them a great opportunity of a Leinster final place and avoiding the Tailteann Cup by going into the qualifiers.

“It's a free roll of the dice for us,” remarked the manager. “Meath were favourites to beat us and Louth will be favourites. They are a Division 2 team but we are enthused with our performance last Sunday and if we get a rub of the green, who knows.

“It is about performing at our highest level consistently. We have had two great wins and there is a great buzz with players and management. It is about generating an incentive to do better and winning is a habit.”

Offaly did not perform well on their last two outings in Croke Park, losing heavily to Derry in the Division 3 final two years ago and Westmeath in the Tailteann Cup semi-final last year. Asked was this a concern, Murphy remarked:

“I think physically we are in a much better place. The attitude is very good. I wouldn't question or comment on the previous setup but we are very happy with here we are with fitness and attitude. We had a good chat after the game on Sunday and I did mention that it is a chance to redeem ourselves after a poor performance against Westmeath last year. There was a lot of buy in. It is about attitude and how we apply ourselves on the day. We are in with a small chance of an upset but it is small.”