Offaly expose Dublin's weakness

Leinster SHC Semi-final/Offaly 2-25 Dublin 1-13: Hard to know what either side did to deserve this. A slow and at times tormenting game of hurling, a second instalment of the Leinster semi-finals that should go straight to video. It served Offaly merely by printing their tickets for the final, and Dublin with another reminder notice of their vast inefficiencies.

It's only a mild exaggeration to say the result was decided moments after the throw-in. Offaly's superiority was inflicted with startling ease despite the fact they didn't start well. Dublin were that poor. After 30 minutes Offaly had pulled 1-14 to 0-3 clear and that - without any doubt - was game over.

And it could have got very ugly had Offaly not blatantly backed off in the second half. Of course they'll be guaranteed a wholly different game in the Leinster final against Wexford on July 4th but they seemed content to come out of this without breaking any undue sweat.

"I suppose Offaly would be a little bit gentle," explained their manager Mike McNamara, "in that I just don't think they like to put teams away. It just doesn't seem to be in an Offaly man. That's the style and their make-up and you just have to accept it."

For Dublin manager Humphrey Kelleher, the embedded enthusiasm was for once replaced by some stark reality.

"We found out again what real hurling is about," he said. "And to play in this type of championship match it's not about tapping hurling. It's pure, direct, fast hurling. Which we just didn't have."

Worse still for Dublin was the consolation prize of next Saturday's qualifier date with Kilkenny. After this show Kelleher can only pray Brian Cody has been punishing his team at training after last week's loss to Wexford and that the season can still have a soft landing. Right now though it's free-falling.

"I do feel for the lads, though, because they have put a lot of effort into this," added Kelleher. "We did have a lot of young players out there. And I'd say we finished with 10 under-21s in the end. So I still believe there is a future there. But Dublin have had 41 years of being downtrodden and this will probably be one more."

So against the atmosphere of a primary school game the inevitable unwound. Brendan Murphy went to full forward for Offaly and quickly established himself as the best forward on display. He collected 1-5 in the first half, his goal coming on 27 minutes after a breaking ball from Michael Cordial, and just before the end added Offaly's second goal - this time after a short solo run on 68 minutes.

Corner forwards Brian Carroll and Damien Murray didn't hang about either, with Murray particularly fleet-footed in front of the Dublin defence. He ended with 0-8, five from play, while Carroll got 0-4 all from play.

As usual Rory Hanniffy was the source of much of the ball unloading, while Cordial's ability to cover ground frequently displaced Dublin. He also collected 0-3 and helped Offaly build the 1-17 to 0-7 lead at half-time.

Dublin were relying almost single-handedly on David O'Callaghan's ability to generate scores from right-corner forward, and more often than not he delivered. The former dual player hit 0-5 in the first half, and yet the lack of a major play-maker out the field was all too evident, highlighting the impact of Conal Keaney's suspension.

With the game settling into casual mode, Offaly's foot gradually slipped off the pedal.

Brian Whelahan certainly never extended himself unnecessarily and Murphy didn't enjoy quite as much possession as in the first half.

Still Dublin never even threatened a genuine comeback. On 54 minutes Kevin Flynn flicked a short free to Michael Carton and he fired cleanly into the net, but failed to convert other goal chances and Offaly breezed towards the finish without surrendering any of their supremacy.

OFFALY: 1 B Mullins; 2 B Teehan, 3 G Oakley, 4 D Franks; 5 Brian Whelahan, 6 N Claffey, 7 C Cassidy (0-2, both frees); 8 M Cordial (0-3), 9 Barry Whelahan; 10 G Hanniffy, 11 R Hanniffy (0-3), 14 J Brady; 13 B Carroll (0-4), 12 B Murphy (2-5), 15 D Murray (0-8, three frees). Subs: 18 K Brady for Franks (47 mins), 17 N Coughlan for Cordial (57 mins), 19 S Whelahan for J Brady (66 mins).

DUBLIN: 1 G Maguire; 2 D Spain, 3 S Perkins, 4 S Daly; 5 A de Paor (0-2, one 65), 6 R Fallon, 7 K Ryan; 8 C Meehan, 19 J McGuirk; 9 D Sweeney (0-1), 11 L Ryan (0-2), 14 K Flynn (0-2, one free); 13 D O'Callaghan (0-5), 17 S Hiney, 18 P Fleury. Subs: 12 M Carton (1-0) for McGuirk, 24 D Kirwan (0-1) for Meehan, 23 P Brennan for Spain (all half-time), 22 D O'Reilly for Perkins (65 mins), 20 S O'Shea for Fallon (68 mins).

Referee: P Ahern (Carlow).