Late scores get Offaly out of jail as they salvage a draw with Laois

OFFALY staged a dramatic late recovery to snatch a draw with Laois after an exciting finish to their Tailteann Cup round 2 encounter at O'Moore Park, Portlaoise on Saturday night.

Tailteann Cup Senior Football Group 1 Round 2

LAOIS 1-11

OFFALY 1-11

Six points down with three minutes left on the clock Offaly looked destined for defeat but a Joe Maher goal sparked a revival and after Dylan Hyland pointed a free, sub Nigel Bracken kicked two great long range points in injury time to draw Offaly level and ensure they will advance to the knock out stages of the Tailteann Cup ahead of their final group game against Cavan.

For most of this game Offaly didn't look like they would get anything out of this contest. Laois led from the off and except for one brief period early in the first half when Offaly levelled, the home side made the running on the scoreboard. They were four points up midway through the first half and although Offaly got it back to two at one point, Laois led by six at the break thanks to a goal two minutes before half time that came after a mistake by Offaly goalkeeper Ian Duffy.

Offaly started the second half better with two early points but then began to lose their way and they kicked some very poor wides in that second half, 10 in total, and looked like they were kicking their chances away.

It wasn't that Offaly weren't without their chances and Jamie Evans had a goalbound effort well saved by Killian Roche, while Cian Farrell had an even better chance but dragged his effort wide of the posts and it looked like it wasn't going to be Offaly's day. When sub Niall Corbet put Laois six ahead again four minutes from the end of normal time it looked like it wasn't going to be Offaly's day but then they staged that dramatic late recovery that earned them a draw.

The result means that Offaly have three points in the group one behind Cavan, who they meet in their final game and they will need to beat Cavan to go directly into the Tailteann Cup quarter finals, otherwise they will face a preliminary quarter final.

Laois deserved their first half lead. They were more direct when they had the ball and kicked some good points from out the field and had they been more accurate Offaly would have been in a lot more trouble as Laois hit seven first half wides compared to just one for Offaly.

Offaly probably had more possession than Laois in that first half but were unable to convert it into scores. True Laois flooded players back, at times having all 15 players inside their own 45m line, and Offaly had long spells with the ball but just managed to go over and back across the field without being able to create a scoring chance.

Overall Offaly will probably be disappointed with their performance. They were chasing the game most of the way but at times, even when they trailed late in the game, they seemed to lack a bit of urgency and played the ball around out the field rather than heading goalwards. In the end they can argue that those tactics worked and they got the draw that puts them through, but they will know that they will need to perform at a higher level if they aim to make further progress in the competition.

Laois went in front straight from the throw in when Eoin Lowry delivered a ball in and Paul Kingston claimed a mark before kicking the first point after just 32 seconds. Offaly slowly worked their way into the game and eventually levelled after six minutes with a well taken Dylan Hyland point.

Laois were back in front when Mark Barry pointed a free after eight minutes and further points followed from Paul Kingston and two from Damon Larkin to put them 0-5 to 0-1 ahead just past the midway point of the first half. Anton Sullivan pulled one back for Offaly and when Nigel Dunne landed a 23rd minute free the gap was down to two and Offaly were still very much in it.

Patrick O'Sullivan and Mark Timmons from 50m restored Laois' four point gap but Nigel Dunne replied for Offaly. Colm Murphy and Ciaran Donnelly exchanged points to still leave three in it before Laois struck for their goal after 33 minutes. Colm Murphy's ball was dropping well short and Ian Duffy advanced to try and catch it low on the full without letting it bounce, but he spilled the ball and Kieran Lillis pounced the steer the loose ball to the net to help Laois to a 1-8 to 0-5 interval lead.

Offaly started the second half well and Dylan Hyland kicked two good points inside the first three minutes. They weren't able to push on and four wides in quick succession followed while Mark Barry finished a good move at the other end with a Laois point.

Thirteen minutes into the half Jamie Evans was put through on the right but coming in from an angle his shot was blocked by Killian Roche. Four minutes later an even better chance presented itself when Offaly won the ball from a Laois kick out and Jack McEvoy picked out Cian Farrell on the 13m line in space but somehow he dragged his shot wide of the right hand post.

Thirteen minutes had passed without a score before Patrick O'Sullivan extended the Laois lead. Nigel Dunne quickly replied from a '45' after 23 minutes but the Offaly wides count mounted. Niall Corbet then put Laois six up again with just four minutes left.

A minute later Aaron Leavy lofted a ball into the goalmouth, it broke and was fed back to Joe Maher on the edge of the square and he blasted to the net and Offaly were back in it. Dylan Hyland pointed a free with the game heading into injury time and then Nigel Bracken stepped up and took responsibility with two efforts from out the field which had the Offaly supporters on their feet. Laois had one last chance but Mark Barry sent his shot wide and Offaly held on for the draw.

MATCH ANALYSIS

THE TEAMS

LAOIS: Killian Roche; Sean Greene, Trevor Collins, Robert Pigott; Padraig Kirwan, Mark Timmons, Patrick O'Sullivan; Kieran Lillis, James Finn; Mark Barry, Eoin Lowry, Damon Larkin; Paul Kingston, Evan O'Carroll, Colm Murphy. Subs. Niall Corbet (for Colm Murphy, 53 mins), Kevin Swayne (for James Finn, 58 mins), Brian Daly (for Evan O'Carroll, 62 mins), Sean O'Flynn (for Padraig Kirwan, 64 mins).

OFFALY: Ian Duffy; Lee Pearson, Declan Hogan, David Dempsey; Jack O'Brien, Conor McNamee, Ciaran Donnelly; Peter Cunningham, Jack McEvoy; Joe Maher, Ruairi McNamee, Anton Sullivan; Cian Farrell, Nigel Dunne, Dylan Hyland. Subs. Cian Donohoe (for Jack O'Brien, half time), Jamie Evans (for Anton Sullivan, half time), Aaron Leavy (for Jack McEvoy, 56 mins), Nigel Bracken (for Cian Farrell, 56 mins), Morgan Tynan (for Lee Pearson, 67 mins), Ed Cullen (for Dylan Hyland, 72 mins).

REFEREE: Liam Devenney (Mayo)

MAN OF THE MATCH

It was difficult to pick one stand out player but Peter Cunningham never stopped working and his running and work rate throughout were admirable. Declan Hogan, Ciaran Donnelly, Nigel Dunne and Dylan Hyland were others who deserve a mention.

MOMENT OF THE MATCH

Joe Maher's goal with three minutes left was the moment which sparked the Offaly revival and the two points from Nigel Bracken which followed were well worthy of mention. One was from just inside the 45m line and the leveller was from just outside it, which he arrowed straight between the posts.

REFEREE WATCH

Liam Devenney did a good job. He was very strict on dissent and regularly moved frees forward, sometimes by rather generous amounts. He did dish out six yellow cards, five of them to Offaly players, and a couple did seem a little on the harsh side. But overall he was fair and efficient and always consistent in his rulings.

TALKING POINT

How did Offaly get out of this one without a defeat? For the majority of the game they didn't look like they would get anything out of it. They had loads of posssession but with plenty of Laois bodies back, they were forced over and back across the field. Laois then hit them on quick counter attacks and picked off some good scores in the process. In the wind up it took two long range efforts from Nigel Bracken to overcome the packed Laois defence and get the draw for the Faithful County.

WHAT’S NEXT

Offaly meet Cavan in their final group game in two weeks time while Laois face London.

VENUE WATCH

O'Moore Park looked very well on a nice evening and a decent sized crowd turned out for this local derby with Offaly supporters possibly in the majority on this occasion.

STATISTICS

Wides; Laois 14 (7 in first half) Offaly 11 (1 in first half)

Yellow Cards: Laois 1 (Evan O'Carroll) Offaly 5 (Nigel Dunne, Anton Sullivan, Cian Donohoe, Peter Cunningham, Ian Duffy)

Black Cards: None

Red Cards: None

THE SCORERS

Laois; Kieran Lillis (1-0), Paul Kingston (0-2, 0-1 mark), Mark Barry (0-2, 0-1 free), Damon Larkin and Patrick O'Sullivan (0-2 each), Mark Timmons, Colm Murphy, Niall Corbet (0-1 each).

Offaly; Dylan Hyland (0-4, 0-1 free), Joe Maher (1-0), Nigel Dunne (0-3, 0-1 free, 0-1 '45'), Nigel Bracken (0-2), Anton Sullivan, Ciaran Donnelly (0-1 each).