Offaly boss Emmet McDonnell quits after defeat to Wicklow

Wicklow 3-12 Offaly 0-17

Offaly manager Emmet McDonnell has stepped down from his post following his side’s qualifier defeat to Wicklow at Aughrim.

A statement from the Offaly County Board confirmed that McDonnell was leaving the job after two years in charge.

Inside forwards Seanie Furlong and Leighton Glynn conjured up the goals that saw Wicklow fend off the challenge of a Niall McNamee-inspired Offaly as the visitors chased a lead held by the home side from pillar to post.

McNamee gave an exhibition of point-scoring from frees and play from all angles but every time that he hauled Offaly close, Wicklow hit them on the break for killer goals.

Wicklow led 0-4 to 0-3 near the end of the first quarter when Furlong fired home the rebound after Glynn had blasted his shot off the crossbar.

Points from Joe Maher and McNamee helped Offaly stay in touch at 1-8 to 0-9 at the interval. Four minutes into the second half Glynn floated a high ball in from the right and Furlong punched to the net to make it 2-10 to 0-10.

Three more points from McNamee, Johnny Moloney and Peter Cunningham cut the margin to three points, 0-15 to 2-12, late on before Darren Hayden’s late goal sealed Wicklow’s win.

WICKLOW: R Lambert, C Hyland, P McLoughlin, A Murphy (0-2), K Murphy, A Byrne, D Healy (0-1), J Stafford (0-1), A McLoughlin (0-1), D Hayden (1-0), P Earls, R Finn, L Glynn (0-4), S Furlong (2-2), P McWalter. Subs: C Murphy for D Healy (black card, 29m), P Cunningham for P McWalter (46), J McGrath (0-1) for P Earls (48), N Gaffney for J Stafford (61), D O'Sullivan for R Finn (66). OFFALY: A Mulhall, J O'Connor, D Brady, N Darby, B Darby, R. Allen, M Brazil, J Moloney, (0-1) N. Smith (0-1), E Carroll, G Guilfoyle, P Cunningham (0-1), J Maher (0-3, 2f), N McNamee (0-10), A Sullivan (0-1). Subs: D Corbett for D Brady (injured, 25m), P McPadden for G Guilfoyle (34), P McConway for R Allen (41m), S Sullivan for J O'Connor (black card, 59), P Sullivan for J Maher (60), C Kiely for P McPadden (67). Referee: Conor Lane (Cork).