Buoyant Offaly sets sight on All-Ireland qualification
Offaly need favour from Dublin in addition to win over Kildare
WITH their confidence soaring and supporters rallying behind them, Offaly hurlers are in a very good place but unfortunately their ambitions of extending their season into June are in the hands of others.
A hugely encouraging Leinster Senior Hurling Championship campaign sees Offaly with four points from four games and they travel to Newbridge next Sunday to face Kildare in their final group game.
Last Saturday's great 2-21 to 2-15 win over Wexford in Tullamore means that this game is not what many people feared, a relegation shootout with the losers going back to the Joe McDonagh Cup. While Offaly would have been favourites to win that, it was a nightmare scenario for them and it has been avoided now with safety secured with a round to go – Kildare are already relegated.
A win could put Offaly into an All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship quarter-final against the beaten finalists in Munster but that is now out of their hands. They also need Dublin to beat Kilkenny in Parnell Park to survive and they certainly won't be banking on that – a Dublin win is entirely possible but with Kilkenny staring a traumatic early exit in the face, they are favourites to get the job done.
Offaly are desperately unlucky to be in this position. Dublin snatched a dramatic late win over Galway last Saturday and had Galway held on, Offaly would have been in a great position for qualification – a win over Kildare would have put them on six points with the loser of Dublin and Kilkenny bowing out.
Offaly's form merits qualification as they have turned a major corner this year. This squad and management have made decisive progress in each of the last few years and they took a decisive step forward this year with draws with Dublin and Kilkenny. They did need to beat Wexford last Saturday, however, and they did so, pulling away for a six point win with a super closing quarter.
It was not as good a performance as the ones they produced against Dublin and Kilkenny but they showed great character to power home after struggling in the first half and in the third quarter. Lady luck did smile on Offaly but the tide turned with a big 48th minute call when they were awarded a penalty after Brian Duignan was pulled down by Conor Foley, who was sent off – already on yellow, his black card meant his afternoon was over.
The brilliant Eoghan Cahill converted the penalty and with the wind on their back and a man extra, the odds were with them. It took them a while to make these count but when they got their noses in front with Adam Screeney's goal, they were superbly relentless, scoring points from all over the place and pulling clear. A soul destroying defeat had loomed large until close to the hour mark and that would have really deflated the whole camp – Offaly obviously wanted to beat Wexford but they also needed to do so, and there was huge pressure on everyone.
The absence of stricken captain Charlie Mitchell was also a huge emotional factor as he watched from home after getting a heart procedure in the hours following the Kilkenny game.
Irrespective of what way the dice falls next Sunday, it has been an excellent campaign for Offaly. Relegated from Division 1 of the National Hurling League proved conclusively that they are well outside the contenders for All-Ireland glory at the moment but they are moving in the right direction. The first target was to compete in their own province and they are now doing that very decisively.
Dan Ravenhill could be out for Sunday's game. He has struggled with injury this season and was going well early on against Wexford but had to be taken off well before half time. Cathal King, however, played the full game at midfield, showing his value to the team with another very hard working display.
Offaly can't take anything for granted against Kildare. They have a decent team and are well capable of producing a surprise, even if they have only pride to play for. They will relish giving Offaly a go and taking them off their pedestal. A defeat would end the year on a real downer for Offaly and they do need to get the win.
In some ways, it would not be the worse thing for Offaly if Kilkenny beat Dublin. It is possible that they would be well beaten in an All-Ireland quarter final and that would also end the year on a bit of a low. At the same time, manager Johnny Kelly won't be allowing that line of thought to infiltrate the camp. They are desperate to qualify, get a big game and it would serve the squad of players very well. They can only fulfil their part of the deal by being focused and making no mistakes on Sunday. The rest is out of their hands.