Draw not enough as unlucky Offaly make exit
Offaly Ladies Intermediate footballers welcomed Monaghan to Glenisk O’Connor Park on Sunday afternoon last knowing that a win would secure them a place in the All-Ireland quarter-final while anything other than that would see the visitors qualify.
Tg4 All-Ireland Ladies Football Intermediate Championship Group 2 Round 2
Offaly 0-10
Monaghan 0-10
Unfortunately it was to be the latter on this occasion as two injury time frees for the Farney ladies saw them snatch a draw before moments later Offaly were denied a free at the edge of the “D” when Ellee McEvoy was taken out of it and referee blew the full time whistle rather than award the clear cut opportunity to Offaly.
Away from this the Faithful ladies had enough possession and plenty of opportunities to have had this clash wrapped up and will be disappointed not to have secured a last eight spot here.
It was the visitors who started the brightest racing into an early two point lead, a pair of Leanne Maguire frees inside the opening five minutes.
The Offaly girls were soon on level pegging with two well taken scores of their own, Emma Hand with a fine effort from the stand side of the field before Marie Byrne pointed from just out side the twenty one metre line to leave proceedings all square at the ten minute mark.
Monaghan suffered a setback in the twelfth minute when wing back Aine Loughman was sent to the sin bin for a high challenge on Ciara Walsh.
The first goal chance of the game came a minute later when clever play between Ellee McEvoy and Amy Gavin-Mangan put the latter in one on one only for her shot to be saved by Orna Kelly in the Monaghan goals.
Offaly found themselves in the lead on the sixteenth minute mark when Emma Hand broke through the defence and as the angle tightened on the attacker she cleverly fisted the ball between the posts for a badly needed score.
The following minutes saw the Offaly ladies retaining a mountain of possession but just could not break down the Monaghan defence who had a lot of bodies filtered back to keep out the danger and this lead to a counter attack in which Sarah Tierney took a shot from distance to once again leave things all square before a free from Chloe McBride pushed her side ahead.
Emma Hand made it four a piece as the clock ticked into injury time from a free after Claire O’Brien was fouled.
The Monaghan girls replied almost instantly when Leanna Maguire pointed from close range before two frees in the space of two minutes through McBride left the visitors three points to the good as the half time whistle was sounded.
In many ways the hosts would have been very disappointed not to have been closer, if not in the lead at this stage given the chances in which they had created.
The hosts were the better starters in the second half with Ellee McEvoy reducing the gap to two before two on the bounce from Fiona Dempsey had the sides all square at the forty minute mark.
Offaly should have also added a second goal at this point but once again Orna Kelly in the Monaghan goals pulled off a great save from a Ciara Walsh effort.
Monaghan regained the lead five minutes later when Lauren Garland scored a lovely point after creating some valuable space and shooting from just shy of thirty meters out.
Monaghan could have added a goal to their tally moments later, however, Kelley Cunningham showed she can match her counterpart at the opposite end when called upon to pull of saves, saving excellently with a Lauren Garland effort from close range.
Ellee McEvoy once again pulled the hosts back level when she pointed well from distance after excellent link up play from Roisin Cockram and Meabh Rouse put McEvoy into space, this was quickly followed by another fine effort from the brilliant Emma Hand to leave the Faithful with their noses slightly in front as the stopwatch approached the fifty minute mark.
Offalys lead was doubled minutes later when Claire O’Brien pointed well from a tricky angle after great play from Fiona Dempsey.
With one minute left on normal time the Monaghan girls cut that lead back to one when Leanne Maguire pointed a close range free.
The equalising score came just over a minute later when a tug on the jersey of Amy Garland led to a Monaghan free from the fourteen metre line in which substitute Tara Renaghan made no mistake in pointing from right in front of the posts.
Offaly worked fierce hard to break down the Monaghan defence who knew a draw would see them qualify and the hosts looked to have found their chance when Ellee McEvoy looked to have been fouled and a minute later Amy Gavin-Mangan was taken out - neither of which was blown by the referee leaving the Faithful county pondering what might have been.
MATCH ANALYSIS
PLAYER OF THE MATCH
Emma Hand (Offaly): Emma Hand was probably Offaly's best player on the day, getting through a mountain of work and winning loads of possession. She finished the afternoon with 0-4 and could have had more, but she led from the front and took on the Monaghan defence plenty of times.
Amy Gavin-Mangan, Marie Byrne, Emma Maher and Michelle Mann had some good moments for their side while Sarah Tierney and Maeve Monaghan were standing out players for the visitors
THE TEAMS
Offaly: Kelley Cunningham (Tullamore); Anna Grehan (Naomh Ciaran), Michelle Mann (Naomh Molaoise), Claire O’Brien (Tullamore); Nicole Farrelly (Edenderry), Emma Maher (Naomh Ciaran), Róisin Ennis (Naomh Ciaran); Meabh Rouse (Tullamore), Amy Gavin-Mangan (Naomh Ciaran); Kiah Farrelly (Edenderry) Ciara Walsh (Naomh Molaoise), Fiona Dempsey (Naomh Molaoise); Ellee McEvoy (Naomh Ciaran), Emma Hand (Ballinamere/Durrow), Marie Byrne (St Conleths). Subs: Róisin Cockram (Naomh Ciaran) for Ciara Walsh, Saorah Doyle (Ballinamere/Durrow) for Meabh Rouse.
Monaghan: Orna Kelly; Aoife Bannigan, Eva Woods, Kerry Nolan; Amy Garland, Maeve Monaghan, Aine Loughman; Jennifer Duffy, Ella Carolan; Sarah Tierney, Eabha Sherry, Casey Treanor; Leanne Maguire, Chloe Mc Bride, Lauren Garland. Subs: Katie McCaffrey for Aoife Brannigan, Niamh Flanagan for Leanne Maguire, Sarah Capaldi for Chloe McBride.
REFEREE WATCH
Not for the first time in Ladies football it was the consistency of the officiating that really bugged both camps, with some questionable frees awarded and other clear cut ones not.
VENUE WATCH
Glenisk O’Connor Park was in excellent condition for this game played as a double bill with Laois v Kildare in the Tailteann Cup tie. There were plenty of stewards on duty, announcements of teams and subs along with anthem and scoreboard was all welcomed on the day.
MOMENT OF THE MATCH
With three minutes of injury time played and the teams all square, Offaly's Amy Gavin-Mangan was taken out of it as she attacked towards the Monaghan goal, rather than award the free the game continued for a further ten or so seconds before the full time whistle was blown much to the frustration of the Offaly contingent - a free inside the scoring zone here could have saved Greg Farrelly side's season.
WHAT'S NEXT
Offaly now face Wicklow in two week's time in a relegation semi final.
THE SCORERS
Offaly: Emma Hand (1f) 0-4, Elle McEvoy and Fiona Dempsey 0-2 each, and Claire O’Brien and Marie Byrne 0-1 each.
Monaghan: Leanne Maguire (3f) 0-4, Chloe Mc Bride 0-3 (frees), Tara Renaghan (f), Sarah Tierney and Lauren Garland 0-1 each.