Leinster SHC, round one: Offaly 4-22 Dublin 2-28
Offaly and Dublin shared the spoils in a gripping Leinster championship opener that could have swung either way in Tullamore.
Both sides will argue they should have won, and Dublin fans may feel it was a point drop, but in truth there was nothing to separate the teams the whole way home and neither deserved to lose.
The opening exchanges had been like shadow boxing but the game changed with two goals in the 11th minute. Brian Hayes scored for Dublin with Brian Duignan quickly replying for Offaly to leave the visitors ahead by 1-4 to 1-3.
Dublin’s forwards were razor sharp in the first half and looked like scoring every time they attacked. Dublin held a four-point lead twice coming up towards half-time and they were the better side at that stage – both sides having five wides in the opening half, although Dublin seemed to be converting a greater percentage of their possession into scores.
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Offaly, however, gave as good as they got and they were on level terms by the 32nd minute. Dan Bourke got a point just before Shane Rigney raced in for a goal on his championship debut.
But Dublin answered Offaly questions. Brian Hayes and Donal Burke slotted late points for their two-point half time lead but the favourites now knew that they had one serious battle on their hands.
Ahead 1-18 to 2-13 after a super first half, Dublin stared defeat in the face after the break and it took a 72nd-minute equaliser to earn the draw.
A goal from Adam Screeney levelled it up at 3-13 to 1-19 in the 36th minute only for Conor Donohoe to hit back with green flag for Dublin before Conor Burke’s point put them into a four-point lead after 37 minutes, 2-20 to 3-13.
But Offaly sensed an opportunity and went at Dublin. Charlie Mitchell, making a sensational return after missing the league following of a heart scare, brought the home crowd to their feet with a 43rd-minute equalising goal and Screeney’s point made it 4-16 to 2-21 three minutes later.
Dublin got back ahead with points from Fergal Whitely and sub Ronan Hayes, but three in a row for Offaly had them two ahead with 56 minutes gone.
Dublin got three of the next four point to leave it tied with three minutes of normal time left and they were level 2-27 to 4-21 heading into injury time when Dublin goalkeeper Sean Brennan denied Shane Rigney a match-winning goal.
Top-scorer Screeney slotted the free for an earlier foul, leaving Donal Burke to salvage a point for Dublin.
OFFALY: L Hoare (0-1f); P Taaffe, B Conneely, B Kavanagh; R Ravenhill, K Sampson, T Guinan (0-1); D Ravenhill (0-1), C King; S Rigney (1-0), D Bourke (0-3), C Doyle (0-1); C Mitchell (1-3), B Duignan (1-2), A Screeney (1-9, 8f). Subs: C Spain (0-1) for King, C Burke for Kavanagh (both h-t), J Clancy for Guinan (65 mins), O Kelly for Dan Ravenhill (68).
DUBLIN: S Brennan; J Bellew, P Smyth, C McHugh; E O’Donnell, C Crummey (0-1), C Burke (0-4); P Doyle (0-1), C Donohoe (1-2); F Whitely (0-2), B Hayes (1-1), D Power (0-2); J Hetherton, D Burke (0-11, 9f), C O’Sullivan (0-2). Subs: R Hayes (0-1) for Doyle (47 mins), A Dunphy for McHugh (54), D Purcell (0-1) for Donoghue (65).
Referee: J Owens (Wexford).
