National Football League Division Two A/Roscommon 4-11 Offaly 1-16:Roscommon were pushed all the way before securing a place in Division Two of next year's restructured league and in the semi-finals of this year's competition after they recorded a deserved four-point victory over Offaly in Tullamore yesterday.
An edge in fitness proved decisive in the all-important closing quarter as Roscommon just crept across the finish line and consigned Offaly to Division Four of next year's league - a fate which is a total disaster for the county after a terrible league campaign.
The game itself was very entertaining and was played with real intensity and great pace.
Ultimately, the difference was the finishing of both sides with Roscommon showing deadly instincts to find the net four times while Offaly were left to rue bad misses by Karol Slattery and Scott Brady. Slattery blazed the ball over the bar from point-blank range in the first half and Brady hit the crossbar in the second half.
Offaly took their time to settle when playing with the wind in the first half and found themselves trailing by 0-4 to 0-2 after 15 minutes.
They finally found their stride to lead by 0-7 to 0-5 but were stunned when Ger Heneghan scored Roscommon's first goal in the 25th minute.
Offaly played their best football afterwards and managed to get into a 0-11 to 1-5 lead by the half-time break with James Coughlan having a particularly profitable first half.
Roscommon made a vital breakthrough early in the second half when Heneghan beat Padraic Kelly from the penalty spot. Cathal Gregg and Neville Coughlan exchanged goals to leave Offaly clinging on to a 1-15 to 3-8 lead as the game entered the closing quarter.
The visitors had more in the tank and Enda Kenny's superbly taken goal gave them an initiative they didn't look like relinquishing.
ROSCOMMON: G Claffey; S McDermott, A McDermott, R Kelly; S Daly (0-1), D Donnelly, R Dooner; S O'Neill, M Finneran (0-1); D Hoey, G Cox (0-4, two frees), C Gregg (1-0); K Mannion, E Kenny (1-0), G Heneghan (2-5, 1-0 penalty, 0-1 free, 0-1 45). Subs: J Nolan for Donnelly (3 mins, inj), B Mullin for Nolan (22 mins, inj) C Devanney for Hoey (45 mins), D Keenan for C Gregg (70 mins).
OFFALY: P Kelly; G Rafferty, J Quinn, N Grennan; A Keenaghan, S Sullivan, K Slattery (0-1); A McNamee (0-1, free), S Brady (0-1); N Coughlan (1-2), P Kellaghan (0-1), C McManus; T Deehan (0-1), N McNamee (0-6, three frees), J Coughlan (0-3). Subs: P McConway for S Sullivan (50 mins), J Keane for N Grennan (51 mins), K Casey for J Coughlan, (57 mins).
Referee: M Collins (Cork).
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