Game of thrills, spills and panache as Offaly reel back the years

Leinster SHC Offaly 3-16 Galway 2-19: IF WE had been asked to fill out visa forms stating the intention of our visit to Croke Park for this Leinster semi-final yesterday, we would have said that we were there to check on the wellbeing of Galway.

In a season with no discernible pattern to it yet, Galway have occasionally seduced us into believing that they could be the next ruling tribe.

And Offaly? Sure we love them like always and would wish them the best but, to be honest, the best we hoped for them yesterday was that it would be painless and would not discourage them.

Instead we got a cracker of a game, full of thrills and talking points and glimpses of the old Offaly panache. A game with twists and subplots and firecrackers. The match that the season needed.

The first half was a steady stream of little surprises. Offaly, who looked so limp in a challenge against Cork last Sunday, seemed even more flaccid as they fell behind to four Galway points on the trot.

There were little danger signs that caused us to nudge each other. Joe Canning caught a ball clean over David Kenny’s head, a foul being the only remedy to stop further damage. Canning bent over the free and eschewed the point, driving at the goal with all his might. It was deflected away but as a statement of intent it was chilling.

At midfield Ger Farragher was as immaculate as we have come to expect and on three minutes he raised a white flag with a sideline cut. The ball was by consensus about two yards wide. We nudged each other again. Galway looked hungry and Galway looked lucky.

Farragher’s “point” which both managers conceded was not a point raises a minor point about the wisdom of reopening incidents in a game on the basis of video evidence.

Human error in terms of playing and refereeing is part of the game. Galway got a draw yesterday and their total included a point which clearly wasn’t a point. Human error influenced the outcome in the referee’s case as well as the players. If it had been a winning point would Johnny Ryan have been sent back to his video machine?

Farragher’s point stood but then, like a boxer noting the beginnings of a cut above an opponent’s eye, Offaly found something to work on. Derek Molloy opened the scoring for them with a fine point on the run in a direct move which began with a James Dempsey puc -out.

Then they found paydirt in the 11th minute and once they found it they didn’t stop digging. Joe Brady had the first goal but it took a Brian Carroll point soon after just to get them onto level terms. Joe Bergin slotted another and then in the 18th minute Shane Dooley, the game’s most influential player, added another goal. He following up quickly with a point. Offaly were suddenly six points to the good.

Reasons. Midfield was going well, the Birr pairing of Rory Hanniffy and Dylan Hayden digging out ball which they processed quickly into the full forward line which contained the right mixture of speed, size and intelligence.

Galway got up from the canvas in the usual manner. Two quick points from Joe Canning. It looked like business as usual until Joe Bergin took a long ball from Paul Cleary and turned it to the net. Offaly took a five-point lead to the break with them. Galway took a headache.

They second half looked to be a systematic draining of romance. Show over. Move along. Galway’s scores came quickly now. Niall Healy on as a sub scored straight away. They gunned them over in a sequence which included a spurt of 2-1 in the space of two minutes. Joe Canning profiting from Cyril Donnellan’s hard work for the first goal. Farragher batting home for the second. By the 43rd minute Galway were five points clear.

And in the 46 minute the rebellion ended, it seemed, crushed not by Galway but by a harsh refereeing decision. Daniel Currams went in a little high on David Burke, a challenge not out of context in a game where a lot was being let go and the steps rule seemed at times to have been abandoned. Surprisingly the offence drew a straight red. The Offaly line was incandescent. So were the Offaly players. Ollie Canning moved into position to sweep at the back. In their fury, Offaly scarcely noticed. Three points followed almost straight away from Dooley, Hayden and Joe Bergin and the intensity of Offaly tackling was ratcheted up forcing Galway into turnovers.

They refused to lie down when Canning put over a beautiful and surely demoralising sideline cut or when Damien Hayes hit one of those long-range points which looked like a devastating concluding argument. The game flowed onto to full-time and injury -time. Dooley had a point to leave the sides separated by one. Then a free. Out on the right sideline 70 metres for goal. The stadium held it’s breath. Dooley rattled the ball over with typical aplomb.

Galway will be grateful. Their defence is advancing in years and yesterday it was taken three times for goals and five times more with decent goal chances. It is better to know these things in June.

The replay has been fixed for Portlaoise next Saturday (7pm).

GALWAY:C Callanan; D Joyce, S Kavanagh, O Canning; D Barry, T Og Regan (0-1), D Collins; G Farragher (1-5, three frees, one 65), D Burke (0-2); D Hayes (0-2), C Donnellan, A Callanan (0-1); A Harte, J Canning (1-6, one free, two sidelines), I Tannian (0-1). Subs:J Lee for Barry (30 mins), N Healy (0-1) for Harte (ht) K Hynes for Donnellan (51)J Gantley for Hynes (67).

OFFALY:J Dempsey; D Franks D Kenny, S Egan: J Rigney. P Cleary, D Morkan; R Hanniffy (0-1), D Hayden (0-2); B Carroll (0-2), J Brady (1-1), D Molloy (0-1); B Murphy, J Bergin (1-2), S Dooley (1-7, seven frees). Subs:D Currams for D Molloy (ht); K Brady for Murphy (44 mins); G Healion for J Brady (67 mins); O Kealey for Carroll (68).

Referee:J Ryan (Tipperary)