Allianz Football League Div 3: Offaly 1-17, Sligo 0-13
Mickey Harte’s first competitive game on the sideline for Offaly yielded a stirring success for the Faithful County this afternoon, as the side he now jointly manages with Declan Kelly kept a profligate Sligo side scoreless for 23 minutes of the second half in Glenisk O’Connor Park.
Offaly had the better of the opening quarter too, with Keith O’Neill firing over some excellent points against the breeze. However Sligo’s superior power in the middle became a factor, and they found the target through Patrick O’Connor, Alan McLoughlin and Alan Reilly to lead by 0-9 to 0-7 at the interval.
The Yeats County had 15 wides altogether, nine in the first half and another handful in the third quarter when Offaly effectively clinched the game, scoring 1-6 in succession. Teenager Cillian Bourke came off the bench to offer a physical presence around midfield and the variation in the attack helped open up lanes for Cathal Flynn and Cormac Egan to make excellent runs from deep.
Ruairí McNamee was the goalscorer for Offaly, after yet another timely surge upfield by goalkeeper Paddy Dunican. The net-minder also contributed two points himself. From then, the home side were always destined to pick up the two points, with Rory Egan, Dylan Hyland and substitutes Nigel Dunne and Shane Tierney also adding to their tally.
The Faithful County will now travel to Portlaoise next Sunday in high spirits.
Offaly: Keith O’Neill 0-6 (1f), Dylan Hyland 0-4 (2f), Ruari McNamee 1-1, Paddy Dunican 0-2, Rory Egan, Cathal Flynn, Nigel Dunne and Shane Tierney 0-1 each.
Sligo: Patrick O’Connor 0-5 (2f), Niall Murphy 0-3 (1tp), Alan McLoughlin (1f) and Alan Reilly 0-2 each, Cian Lally 0-1.
THE TEAMS
OFFALY: Paddy Dunican (Shamrocks); Lee Pearson (Edenderry), David Dempsey (Ballycommon), Rory Egan (Edenderry); Diarmuid Egan (Tullamore), Marcas Dalton (Clara), Cormac Egan (Tullamore); Jack McEvoy (Clonbullogue), Jordan Hayes (Edenderry); Ruari McNamee (Rhode), Cathal Flynn (Ferbane), Keith O’Neill (Clonbullogue); Dylan Hyland (Raheen), Jack Bryant (Shamrocks), Eoin Sawyer (Castleknock, Dublin). Subs – Cillian Bourke (Tullamore) for Dalton (HT), Nigel Dunne (Shamrocks) for Sawyer (62m), Kyle Higgins (Ferbane) for Diarmuid Egan (68m), Cathal Donoghue (Oughterard, Galway) for McNamee (70m),
SLIGO: Aidan Devaney; Paul McNamara, Eddie McGuinness, Evan Lyons; Brian Cox, Jack Lavin Luke Casserly; Canice Mulligan, Paul Kilcoyne; Cian Lally, Alan McLoughlin, Eoghan Smith; Alan Reilly, Patrick O’Connor, Pat Spillane. Subs – Lee Deignan for Smith (HT), Rossa Sloyan for Casserly (50m), Niall Murphy for Spillane (50m), Luke Towey for Lavin (64m), Oisin Flynn for Lally (65m),
Referee – Chris Maguire (Clare).
By Offaly PRO Sun 26th Jan
