NFL Division 2: Offaly 0-19 Louth 1-21
A fantastic game saw Louth get away in the second half for a big win in a gripping Division 2 opener in Tullamore’s O’Connor Park on Sunday.
Missing a handful of their normal starters, in addition to coming to terms with the loss of midfield prospect Cillian Bourke to the AFL, Offaly put their best foot forward and forced the Leinster champions to dig really deep for the win.
In an entertaining first half, Offaly had first use of a strong wind and gave themselves a fighting chance by building a three-point lead by half-time, 0-14 to 0-11.
Dan Molloy, Aaron Leavy, Ciaran Murphy and Keith O’Neill all kicked great two-pointers in an end-to-end first half in which Louth also gave value for money, attacking with real menace at every opportunity.
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Amazingly, there were 14 points on the board before Louth’s Conall McKeever had the first wide of the afternoon in the 13th minute. The outstanding Craig Lennon got forward for three quality first-half points and Louth were in a strong position when level at 0-11 each after 29 minutes.
Points from O’Neill (free), Jordan Hayes and Eoin Sawyer gave Offaly a three-point half-time lead and O’Neill’s free extended it to four in the 38th minute.
Louth showed their quality as they got on top. After a series of failed attempts, they finally found the two-point range with Conor Early and Craig Lennon putting them 0-16 to 0-15 up after 43 minutes.
Cormac Egan equalised for Offaly but a Dara McDonnell point was followed immediately by a crucial Sam Mulroy goal in the 46th minute to give the winners a 1-17 to 0-16 lead.
Offaly’s attack found the going increasingly tough in the second half and a five-point return in that period was well below what was needed.
Louth closed out the deal impressively with points from Tadhg McDonnell, Donal McKenny and Paul Matthews opening a winning gap that Offaly never threatened to narrow. Another O’Neill free was the game’s closing score but the Louth defence was excellent, never giving Offaly a sniff of the goal they had to get.
OFFALY: S O’Toole; S O’Toole-Greene, D Dempsey, L Pearson; C Egan (0-0-1), J Hayes (0-0-2), D Egan (0-0-1); J McEvoy, A Leavy (0-1-0); C Murphy (0-1-2), K O’Neill (0-1-3, 3f), R Egan; D Molloy (0-1-1), J Bryant, E Sawyer (0-0-1).
Subs: D Flynn for Bryant (54 mins); S Conway for Molloy (59).
LOUTH: N McDonnell; E Carolan, D Campbell, D McKenny (0-0-1); C McKeever, P Lynch (0-0-2), C Lennon (0-1-3); D McDonnell (0-0-2), C Early (0-1-0); P Mathews (0-0-2), C Keenan, C Downey (0-0-2); C Grimes (0-0-2), S Mulroy (1-0-1, f), R Burns (0-0-1).
Subs: E Callaghan for McKeever (25 mins); T McDonnell (0-0-1) for Downey (53), K McArdle for Grimes (62).
Referee: B Judge (Sligo).
