Offaly come good but not good enough

National Football League Div 1A/Mayo 2-12 Offaly 2-11: On the equinox of the Allianz football league yesterday's result in Tullamore had appropriate repercussions. Three wins from four and Mayo walk off into the brightness. Three losses from four and Offaly start to see the darkness.

Mayo have effectively secured their Division One status and can concentrate on reaching the play-offs. Offaly, in total contrast, must fight for their survival.

As a game it was played on the suitable knife-edge, but when it came to the thick of it Mayo's little extra swagger was just enough to prevail. The sides were locked together 15 minutes from home before an ingenious pass from James Gill helped set up John Prenty for Mayo's second goal, and with that Offaly were finally beaten.

Colm Quinn collected a second Offaly goal well after the allotted injury-time, and by then they were no longer at their most competitive.

Despite a typically slow start they got level with Mayo at two key stages, first, before half-time, and again on 53 minutes. That they couldn't get their noses in front to any great extent was ultimately fatal.

With games against Cork, Donegal and Dublin to come, Offaly's real battle is only beginning, and yet spirits remain admirably high. Manager Kevin Kilmurray, for one, isn't losing any heart.

"I can't say anything against that performance," he said. "They worked hard, and played some great football. We gave away two goals just at the wrong time. Simple as that. I suppose we are trying to get back up there with the big boys, and that creates a little bit of nerves. But I've said all along that every game in this division was going to be hard. So it's going to be interesting from here on, yes, but I'm proud of the way this team is playing."

For Mayo, the flashbacks to their All-Ireland final are becoming increasingly less frequent. If they keep playing like this they might soon forget again what it's like to lose. Considering they were unlucky to be beaten first time out against Dublin, manager John Maughan has very quickly put together an impressive run.

"Well, we've reached our short-term goal," he admitted, "to get six points from four games. We're still having some difficulty putting teams away, but yeah, the play-offs are coming into focus now as well. It might well come down to something like scoring difference. That's why I'm a little upset at that late goal."

What's also promising for Maughan is how some of the players deputising for missing regulars have risen to their challenge. Billy Joe Padden put in a fine performance at midfield, helped later on by James Gill, and John Prenty showed up for plenty of ball at corner forward.

Aidan Kilcoyne played well in the second half, but it was Alan Dillon who probably shone above all the forwards. Ciarán McDonald is only worth mentioning because he didn't play particularly well, but that's not to say he wasn't good.

McDonald was behind Mayo's first goal early in the second half, starting a pinball of passes that was finished by Kilcoyne. He also collected two 45s. But that Mayo can pull out a win like this without McDonald playing a staring role won't be lost on Maughan.

Some fine goalkeeping from David Clarke and typically stout defending by Gill and Peadar Gardiner helped round off what was essentially a hard-earned Mayo victory. They got the better of most of the early exchanges, but once Offaly got moving Mayo had to fight for everything.

Down 0-5 to 0-1 after 20 minutes, Offaly could only improve, and two fine scores from James Coughlan set their spirits alight. On 26 minutes Mark Daly's quick free was neatly passed to John Reynolds and his thundering finish put the home team in front 1-3 to 0-5.

That score had been coming, and as Ciarán McManus and Scott Brady finally came into the game Mayo were sent into chasing mode. They were quick to catch up though, and Kilcoyne's goal on 44 minutes restored their narrow advantage.

The quality of the game soared over the next 20 minutes. Another class score from Dillon helped push them four points clear, and yet Offaly refused to surrender. On 53 minutes Colm Quinn set up Neville Coughlan for the equaliser, and the whole thing was thrown for grabs.

Without breaking much sweat, though, Mayo stole another lead, first with Kilcoyne's point and then Prenty's goal, where Gill's initial pass to Dillon was left hopelessly uncovered by Offaly.

As the turning point in the game, let alone their league, that Offaly error could prove unforgettably costly.

MAYO: D Clarke; L O'Malley, D Heaney, K Higgins; G Mullins, J Nallen, P Gardiner; M Moyles, BJ Padden; J Gill, C McDonald (0-2, both 45s), A Kilcoyne (1-1); C Mortimer (0-4, all frees), A Dillon (0-4, one free), J Prenty (1-0). Subs: A Moran for Moyles (31 mins, inj), P Kelly (0-1) for Heaney (47 mins, inj).

OFFALY: P Kelly; S Sullivan, C Evans, N Grennan; B Mooney, S Brady, K Slattery; A McNamee, J Grennan; M Daly, C McManus (0-1), N Coughlan (0-2); C Quinn (1-2, one free), J Reynolds (1-1), J Coughlan (0-4, one free). Subs: C Daly for N Grennan (59 mins).

YELLOW CARDS: Offaly - J Grennan (17 mins, replaced by J Quinn), M Daly (34 mins, replaced by R Malone 0-1).

Referee: J McKee (Armagh).