Shambolic second half display brings curtain down on season for Offaly
All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Tailteann Cup semi-final
OFFALY'S season came to a devastating end when a shambolic second half display saw them exit the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Tailteann Cup with a bitterly disappointing semi-final defeat by Wicklow in Croke Park.
All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Tailteann Cup semi-final
Wicklow 2-26
Offaly 4-15
It is hard to explain what went wrong in the second half of a game where Offaly had played very well in the first half. Playing fluid, controlled and composed football, they led by 3-11 to 1-9 at half time and were in complete control.
At that stage, we imagined that Offaly would coast to the final with a fair degree of comfort but it all went horribly wrong after the break as they were outscored by a whopping 1-17 to 1-4. Playing Division 4 opposition, Offaly really should have been able to win from that position but their confidence went after they missed a few easy chances early in the second half to turn the screw on their opponents.
Their error count crept dangerously high as the half wore on, ball that had been sticking in the first half was now being fumbled and Offaly coughed up hard won possession way too easily. It was a hard watch and at times, it seemed that everything that could go wrong was going wrong – Dylan Hyland was unlucky to his the wood work twice in the third quarter while Wicklow got an important point when it deflected in off the post.
Having ignited to life spectacularly in the Tailteann Cup, this was a very hard defeat for Offaly and it remains to be seen what the repercussions are. The first impact of the defeat is that the future of team managers Mickey Harte and Declan Kelly is not written in stone as it would have been if they had made the final.
That will be a call for County Board officers and others and their thinking will become clear in the coming weeks as everyone takes time out to reflect on a very mixed year – where Offaly lost eight consecutive games in the league and championship before embarking on a really good run in the Tailteann Cup.
Unfortunately that ground to a halt on Saturday and the Offaly players and management certainly won't like watching the second half again.
Offaly performed very well in the first half, attacking Wicklow at pace and opening them up. Midfielders Jack McEvoy and Jordan Hayes were on fire, scoring six points, three each while Keith O'Neill was flying at centre half forward, Jack Bryant was on his game and defenders were causing mayhem by running from deep.
There was one big problem in the first half as Offaly gave Wicklow wing forward Christopher O'Brien way too much space. He was left on his own out on the left wing too often with no one picking him up and he took advantage with three points and a couple of assists, including their goal. Sometimes Kyle Higgins was left exposed on that wing trying to pick up two players and it was criminal what went on there at times.
Apart from that, the first half was mainly positive for Offaly as they scored three quality goals. They were 0-5 to 0-4 ahead when Eoin Darcy broke in for a Wicklow goal in the 15th minute but the home side responded superbly; They played some excellent football with Dylan Hyland showing his class to make the space for a great 16th minute goal.
Marcas Dalton raced forward for a sensational 17th minute goal as Offaly got 2-7 to 1-6 ahead after 20 minutes. They were 2-11 to 1-9 ahead when Shane Tierney got their third goal in the 34th minute, doing very well to fist a Keith O'Neill ball to the net. That gave them that 3-11 to 1-9 half time lead and a final berth against Down was in touching distance.
The second half unravelling started at a slow pace. Goalkeeper Mark Jackson got the first of his three second half two point frees in the 39th minute. Midfielder Dean Healy pointed and Jackson got another two point free to make it 3-11 to 1-14 after 44 minutes.
The gap was now three but a sense of panic hadn't fully set in among supporters. With hindsight, however, the game was lost in those 11 second half minutes that Offaly went without scoring. They had ample opportunities to keep the scoreboard ticking over and keep Wicklow at arm's length. Dylan Hyland was wide with a free, Keith O'Neill had a wide and Dylan Hyland hit the crossbar with a dipping floater that could have fell into the net very easy. He also hit the post with a point shot before the outstanding Jack McEvoy finally got their 12th point in the 46th minute.
The rot, however, had crept in as Offaly began to do silly things and it gradually became irreversible. Lee Pearson was fortunate to get yellow and not black for a foul on Kevin Quinn and Eoin Darcy pointed the free. Ciaran Murphy, on briefly as a blood sub, conceded another free in the 49th minute and Jackson fired over a breathtaking two pointer from way out right.
Oisin McGraynor's free levelled it up at 1-18 to 3-12 in the 51st minute and it all went badly wrong for Offaly in the next few minutes. Jack Bryant was way off target with a two point shot and Offaly conceded a calamitous 53rd minute goal when Graynor's shot for a point fell short but Conor Melia saw it slip through his fingers into the net.
Wicklow led by 2-19 to 3-13 after 54 minutes and Offaly got a lifeline two minutes later when Jack McEvoy did very well to find the net at the second attempt after his first shot was saved, They were level, 4-13 to 2-19, but Offaly never got a bounce from this break and Wicklow were easily the best side from here to the final whistle.
With their supporters getting behind Wicklow, Offaly just couldn't get motoring and Wicklow got four points, one of them a Eoin Murtagh two pointer, to lead by four, 2-23 to 4-13 with 60 minutes gone. With Cormac Egan charging up field from defence, Offaly dug deep and fought hard. Rory Egan and Keith O'Neill pointed to bring it down to two points and with nine minutes left, it was still there to be won.
However, Offaly failed to score again and they were running on fumes at this stage. They couldn't open up Wicklow, did some very poor things on the ball and the winners got the closing three points for a fully deserved win.
MATCH ANALYSIS
MAN OF THE MATCH
Christopher O'Brien (Wicklow): Wing forward Christopher O'Brien made a huge contribution for Wicklow. He was helped by Offaly deciding not to mark him for long periods but he scored six points and set up other scores in a top class display.
Jack McEvoy had a fantastic game for Offaly and would have been an automatic man of the match choice if they scraped through. It was his best game for Offaly as he scored 1-4 and ran himself into the ground. Jordan Hayes was outstanding beside him in the first half but his influence dwindled after the break. It was the same with Keith O'Neill and it all ended up very disappointingly for Offaly.
THE SCORERS
Wicklow: Mark Jackson (3 x 2pf) and Christopher O'Brien (1 x 2p) 0-6 each, Oisin McGraynor 1-3 (1f), Eoin Darcy 1-2 (1f), Eoin Murtagh (2p) and Kevin Quinn 0-2 each, Darragh Fee, Dean Healy, Jonathan Carlin, Padraig O'Toole and Joe Prendergast 0-1 each.
Offaly: Jack McEvoy 1-4, Keith O'Neill 0-4 (1f), Marcas Dalton, Dylan Hyland and Shane Tierney 1-0 each, Jordan Hayes 0-3, Jack Bryant 0-2, Rory Egan and Harry Plunkett 0-1 each.
THE TEAMS
OFFALY: Conor Melia (Bracknagh); Shane O'Toole-Greene (Shamrocks), David Dempsey (Ballycommon), Lee Pearson (Edenderry); Cormac Egan (Tullamore), Diarmuid Egan (Tullamore), Marcas Dalton (Clara); Jack McEvoy (Clonbullogue), Jordan Hayes (Edenderry); Kyle Higgins (Ferbane), Keith O'Neill (Clonbullogue), Aaron Leavy (Tullamore); Dylan Hyland (Raheen), Shane Tierney (Daingean), Jack Bryant (Shamrocks). Subs – Harry Plunkett (Tullamore) for Tierney (40m), Rory Egan (Edenderry) for Higgins (44m), Nathan Poland (Erin Rovers) for Bryant (60m),
WICKLOW: Mark Jackson; Tom Moran, Matt Nolan, Malachy Stone; Darragh Fee, Eoin Murtagh, Gavin Fogarty; Dean Healy, Jack Kirwan; Jonathan Carlin, Padraig O'Toole, Christopher O'Brien; Oisin McGraynor, Kevin Quinn, Eoin Darcy. Subs – Cian Deering for Fogarty (43m), Joe Prendergast for Kirwan (54m), Mark Kenny for Darcy (67m).
Referee – Sean Lonergan, Tipperary.
REFEREE WATCH
Sean Lonergan had a good game. He let it run and was fair, allowing advantage consistently.
MOMENT OF THE MATCH
Wicklow's soft second goal from Oisin McGraynor was a disaster for Offaly and changed the game. It only levelled it up but it had a huge dual impact, giving confidence to Wicklow and deflating Offaly.
VENUE WATCH
The pitch in Croke Park was every bit as good as we expect, showing no ill effects from the Leinster rugby game on Friday evening. There was a strange feeling in a near empty stadium – there were two separate crowds more or less for the two semi-finals, though Offaly and Wicklow fans really got into it in the second half.
WHAT'S NEXT
Wicklow go into the final against Down.
STATISTICS
Wides: Offaly – 11 (5 in first half); Wicklow - 5 (4 in first half).
Yellow cards: Offaly – 1 (Lee Pearson); Wicklow – 1 (Padraig O'Toole).
Black cards: 0
Red cards: 0