Kildare prove too strong for Offaly in O'Byrne Cup

Offaly 0-11 Kildare 1-20

Offaly lost out to Kildare in their opening game of the O'Byrne Cup in Faithful Fields on Thursday with the visitors blitzing John Maughan's men in the first half.

By the break and with the assistance of the breeze, Kildare led by 1-14 to 0-4 and while Offaly held their own in the second-half, they still trailed by 12 points at the final whistle.

Starting with six players from the successful U20 All Ireland winning side this year, The Lilies took control fairly quickly and with the aid of a stiff breeze build up a commanding 1-14 to 0-4 led by the break.

It was 0-2 apiece early in the game with Johnny Moloney hitting Offaly's two early points but Kildare pulled away from there. Padraig Fogarty got the only goal of the game just before the break. Shane Tierney hit Offaly's other two points in the first-half.

Offaly did add seven points to their total in the second-half with Bernard Allen hitting three and Johnny Moloney and Anton Sullivan one apiece but they never made any inroads on their deficit. 

Offaly play Westmeath in their next game on Saturday, December 29 in St Loman's Park

Scorers: Offaly, Shane Tierney 0-4 (0-2f), Bernard Allen 0-3 (0-2f), Johnny Moloney 0-3, Anton Sullivan 0-1.

Kildare, Jimmy Hyland 0-6 (0-3), Padraig Fogrty 1-2 (45), Adam Tyrrell 0-4 (0-2), Ben McCormack 0-2, Eoghan O'Flaherty 0-2, Padraig Nash 0-1, David Malone 0-1, Fionn Dowling 0-1, Arron Masterson 0-1.

OFFALY: Barry Rohan; Declan Hogan, David Dempsey, Eoin Rigney; Cian Donohoe, Paul McConway, Joseph O'Connor; Cathal Mangan, Aaron Leavy; Nigel Bracken, Anton Sullivan, Ruairi McNamee; Bernard Allen, Johnny Moloney, Shane Tierney. Subs: David Fleming for Nigel Bracken (47 minutes); Mark Abbott for Cathal Mangan (57 minutes).

KILDARE: Mark Donnellan Maynooth; John O’Toole Monasterevan, Mark Barrett Ballymore Eustace, DJ Earley Monasterevan;Jason Gibbons Kilcock, Keith Cribbin Johnstownbridge, James Murray Moorefield; Paul Cribbin Johnstownbridge, Tommy Moolick Leixlip; Adam Tyrrell Moorefield, Padraig Nash Monasterevan, Eoghan O’Flaherty Carbury; Jimmy Hyland Ballyteague, Ben McCormack Sarsfields, Padraig Fogarty St. Laurences. Subs: Brian McLoughlin Clane for Ben McCormack (half time); David Malone Raheens for Keith Cribbin (half time); Fionn Dowling (Suncroft) for Paul Cribbin (half time); Neil Flynn (Maynooth) for Jimmy Hyland (39 minutes); Pascal Connell (Athy) for Eoghan O'Flaherty (45 minutes); Aaron Masterson (Moorefield) for Tommy Moolick (48 minutes); Eoghan O'Flaherty for Padraig Nash (54 minutes); Tommy Moolick for Padraig Fogarty(65 minutes).

REFEREE: Maurice Deegan, Laois