By: Kevin Corrigan
Offaly took another huge step forward in the right direction when they snatched a controversial but richly deserved draw with their long time nemesis Kilkenny in a thrilling Leinster Senior Hurling Championship shootout in Tullamore on Sunday afternoon.
Leinster Senior Hurling Championship Round 3
Offaly 0-24
Kilkenny 1-21
It was Offaly’s first time to avoid defeat to Kilkenny since their win in the 1998 All-Ireland senior hurling final and will give the squad and management terrific heart as they face into the closing two rounds against Wexford and Kildare.
Missing star forward Adam Screeney, Offaly were full of heart and fighting spirit as they found themselves within touching distance of a famous win. There was a golden chance to do it as Kilkenny were remarkably brittle and vulnerable but in the wind up, Offaly were fortunate to get the draw and will be delighted with a second point to accompany the one they got in the first round against Dublin.
They looked set for an agonising defeat when they trailed by a point with the three minutes of injury time up but there had been delays in that and referee Johnny Murphy allowed play to continue. Offaly rescued a point with a controversially awarded ’65’. They had almost got a match winning goal when sub Oisin Kelly got his hurl to a Dan Bourke sideline in the 74th minute. A wide was waved by the umpires and this looked the correct call in real time but Offaly players immediately contested the decision and after consulting his umpires, Murphy signalled the ’65’.
It was straight in front of the goals and the type of one Eoghan Cahill would normally point with his eyes closed. This, however, was an entirely different challenge with such pressure on but the Birr marksman showed nerves of steel as he floated the ball over the bar.
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That was that and it was a fantastic result by Offaly, who have turned a major corner with two huge results in this championship. It still hasn’t resulted in a win but it is still a great place for Offaly to be. They have been scalded by Kilkenny on so many occasions in the past two decades plus and while they ran them close in the league this year, few truly expected a home win.
Kilkenny may be declining and are a long way removed from the force they were but the manner in which Offaly took them on, the character they showed and the way they abandoned their fear factor was heart warming.
Struggling to reach 20 points all season, Offaly hit 24 here and it was enough for a point on a day when they never really looked like scoring or creating a goal chance against a very diligent Kilkenny full back line.
In a way, it was a point dropped as it would have taken very little more to have won but in reality, it was a point gained as Kilkenny had sixteen wides, encountered fierce free taking difficulties and could have got three or four goals.
Yet Offaly were the match of them in so many aspects and it was a very admirable display by the home side.
They laid a powerful foundation against the wind in the first half and were in a very decent position when they trailed by 1-9 to 0-11 at the break. 0-5 to 0-2 behind after six minutes, Offaly had actually started okay before Kilkenny found their range. Offaly responded very well with Charlie Mitchell levelling it up at 0-5 each after 11 minutes and Eoghan Cahill edging them in front with a free two minutes later.
They were 0-7 to 0-6 ahead after 19 minutes but were living dangerously enough. The outstanding Cian Kenny blazed wide with a great goal chance and they could have had two goals at this stage. When they eventually did find the net, it was a very fortunate one in the 25th minute as full back Mikey Carey strode up the field. He didn’t find the sweet spot with his strike but it deflected off the hurl of Ciaran Burke and under Liam Hoare for a very soft goal and a 1-7 to 0-7 lead.
Kilkenny were 1-9 to 0-9 ahead when Hoare rescued Offaly with a fantastic 33rd minute save from an out of sorts TJ Reid who missed two frees and a ’65’ in the first half – he also missed a free in the second half and was taken off free taking duties before being replaced.
Conor Doyle and Cahill (free) got late points to leave Offaly 0-11 to 1-9 behind at the break and very much in the hunt.
They continued with the same intensity in the second half. Tom Phelan got the opening point for Kilkenny but Offaly played some of their best hurling after this. Eoghan Cahill had a super second half and got two points from play and one from a free as Offaly rallied powerfully. Shane Rigney also got a point and suddenly Offaly were 0-15 to 1-10 ahead after 42 minutes.
It was end to end stuff from here to the finish. Kilkenny were level at 1-12 to 0-15 when Cahill got three frees to put Offaly three in front, 50 minutes gone. A famous victory now loomed large but as you would expect, Kilkenny fought with everything they had. Stephen Donnelly, Liam Moore and Cian Kenny (free) levelled it up with 55 minutes gone – Ben Conneely denied them with a goal with a fantastic interception to deny Donnelly.
Offaly were 0-21 to 1-16 ahead with nine minutes left, Kilkenny were back on terms two minutes later.
Offaly led twice more but in injury time points from Killian Doyle and Kenny (free) edged Kilkenny in front. Offaly got the break they deserved with that 74th minute ’65’ and while the boos from the Kilkenny fans could be heard loud and clear on the final whistle, they will be the first to congratulate Offaly on their performance and draw.
THE SCORERS
Offaly: Eoghan Cahill 0-15 (12f and 1 ’65’), Dan Bourke 0-3, Brian Duignan 0-2, Ter Guinan, Conor Doyle, Shane Rigney, Charlie Mitchell 0-1 each.
Kilkenny: Cian Kenny 0-7 (2f), Mikey Carey 1-0, Martin Keoghan 0-3, Killian Doyle, Tom Phelan, TJ Reid (1f) 0-2 each, Darragh Corcoran, Liam Moore, Eoin Cody, Fionan Mackessy and Stephen Donnelly 0-1 each.
THE TEAMS
OFFALY: Liam Hoare (Carrig-Riverstown); Ciaran Burke (Durrow), Ben Conneely (St Rynagh’s), Patrick Taaffe (Belmont); Ross Ravenhill (Durrow), Killian Sampson (Shinrone), Ter Guinan (Kilcormac-Killoughey); Colin Spain (Kilcormac-Killoughey), Luke Watkins (Shinrone); Dan Bourke (Durrow), Conor Doyle (Clara), Shane Rigney (St Rynagh’s); Eoghan Cahill (Birr), Charlie Mitchell (Kilcormac-Killoughey), Brian Duignan (Durrow). Subs –Cathal King (Carrig-Riverstown) for Watkins (52m), Dan Ravenhill (Durrow) for Spain (52m), Oisin Kelly (Belmont) for Doyle (65m),
KILKENNY: Eoin Murphy; Mikey Butler, Mikey Carey, Ivan Bolger; David Blanchfield, Darragh Corcoran, Paddy Deegan; Killian Doyle, Jordan Molloy; Liam Moore, Cian Kenny, Tom Phelan; Martin Keoghan, TJ Reid, Eoin Cody. Subs – Stephen Donnelly for Reid (48m), Fionan Mackessy for Moore (52m), Timmy Clifford for Phelan (58m), Richie Reid for Molloy (67m),
Referee – Johnny Murphy, Limerick.
WHAT’S NEXT
Offaly host Wexford in Tullamore next Sunday.
STATISTICS
Wides: Offaly – 6 (4 in first half); Kilkenny – 16 (12 in first half).
Yellow cards: Offaly – 2 (Charlie Mitchell, Cathal King); Kilkenny – 4 (Paddy Deegan, TJ Reid, Mikey Butler, Darragh Corcoran)
Black cards: 0
Red cards: 0
By Offaly PRO
Sun 10th May
