Offaly profit from solid defensive display against Waterford

Offaly 0-13 Waterford 1-4

A very solid defensive display laid a powerful foundation as Offaly recorded a second league win yesterday.

Having conceded just 1-2 in London the previous week, Offaly kept Waterford to 1-4 in Tullamore and an improved attacking display saw them pull away for a comprehensive victory.

The introduction of Niall McNamee early in the second half provided the spark for Offaly to push on.

Offaly were level, 0-6 to 1-3, when McNamee came in and the Rhode man kicked two superb points as the home side put the boot down.

Waterford played most of the game with fourteen men after midfielder Shane Aherne was sent off for a second yellow card after nineteen minutes. They competed well in very foggy conditions in the first half and Michael Curry's punched goal gave them a 1-2 to 0-4 lead in the 27th minute.

Waterford were a point up, 1-3 to 0-5 at half time, but Offaly were a vastly superior outfit in the second half, restricting them to just one point and adding eight themselves. OFFALY: A Mulhall; D Brady, P McConway, J O'Connor (0-1); C Donohue, J Maloney, D Hogan (0-2); G Guilfoyle (0-1), R Allen (0-1); K Mullally, P Sullivan, N Bracken; B Allen (0-1), N Dunne (0-3, one free), W Mulhall (0-2, one free). Subs: E Rigney for O'Connor (bc, 36 mins), N McNamee (0-2) for Mulhall (bc, 41 mins), A Sullivan for Bracken (44 mins), N Geraghty for Mullally (59 mins), C McNamee for A Sullivan (bc, 59 mins), J Ledwith for Brady (65 mins). WATERFORD: S Enright; D Crowley, R O'Ceallaigh, T O'Gorman; T O'hUllachain, M O'Gorman, C Phelan; S Aherne (0-1, f), T Prendergast; M Curry (1-0), M O'Halloran (0-1), P Hurney (0-1); M Fercombe, J Veale, G Nugent. Subs: P Whyte (0-1, free) for Veale (22 mins), O Keevers for Curry (46 mins), N Walsh for Whyte (64 mins), JJ Hutchinson for Ferncombe (62 mins), J Curry for Nugent (66 mins). Referee: S Joy (Kerry).