National Football League Division One A/Offaly 2-11 Westmeath 0-14: Considering Offaly only get two points for this victory it's probably best to avoid any hyperbole. And yet - what a great, great start to their league. The sort of game where the true reward is not the points, but the strengthening of morale and inner belief that can ultimately define the season.
Of course Offaly were quite desperate to win. When it came down to it, and Westmeath closed up an eight-point deficit to draw level, Offaly had to win. So by digging deep and out-scoring their old rivals four points to one in the last 10 minutes they deservedly got the victory they craved.
It all made for a superbly entertaining afternoon for the crowd of about 8,000 at O'Connor Park. This morning the bulldozers and wrecking ball will arrive to demolish the old stand, but they'd be hard pressed to match the healthy appetite for destruction displayed here yesterday.
"Yeah, we set out early on to win this game, and the players responded terrifically," admitted Offaly manager Kevin Kilmurray. "But I've just said to the players they'll have to go out every Sunday and play like that if they want to stay in Division One.
From the gun this was a high-tempo game - both teams taking off on the B of the bang, and not easing up. Six players had to stop prematurely as a result of yellow cards, but the game was cleanly competitive throughout.
It was Offaly though who soon found the better form. James Coughlan and Niall McNamee combined sweetly to provide the early scores, with Colm Quinn coming out the field to turn provider. Karol Slattery moved on to Dessie Dolan and kept him all wrapped up, and when Dolan was the first player to be yellow-carded on 29 minutes it was partly out of frustration.
By half-time Offaly were 1-7 to 0-5 in front. McNamee got the first of his two goals on 27 minutes when he took a fine pass from John Kenny and calmly rounded Gary Connaughton in goal. Westmeath were suffering from some over-elaborate play and without Denis Glennon they would have struggled to find any scores up that point.
There was a complete reversal of fortune in the second half - but not before Offaly opened some further daylight. Three minutes in McNamee again out-smarted Connaughton in front of the Westmeath goal and the home side were 2-7 to 0-5 clear. Then they went 23 minutes without scoring.
Without much warning the Leinster champions hit them with greater spirit. Colin Galligan came into the game with real vengeance, as did Alan Mangan and David Mitchell. Defensively they closed Offaly down, led most tellingly by Derek Heavin.
And so eight points without reply - including three frees and a point from Mangan - brought Westmeath level. During that period Offaly lost Coughlan and Conor Evans to yellow cards, but that doesn't explain their unsteadiness. The fact was Westmeath played some brilliant football.
"Well I knew they would have a kick left," said Kilmurray afterwards. "Any team that Páidí Ó Sé trains will have that. But we've tried to instil some character into this team for when it comes to the last 10 or 15 minutes, and I think they definitely showed that."
Yet the last 10 minutes weren't all about Offaly. Alan McNamee edged then back in front with a relatively soft point, while Mangan missed a relatively easy free for Westmeath. Rory O'Connoll and Colin Galligan were also lost to yellow cards in the final 10 minutes and that took some of the sting out of their counter-attack.
But with the likes of Ciarán McManus and John Reynolds now reinvigorated Offaly were able to steady their boat. Roy Malone supplied the clinching point reminiscent of his 1998 form when Offaly won this league, and judging by their reaction at the final whistle the players enjoyed the thrill of this opening journey.
Westmeath weren't exactly shattered: "I know from my days with Kerry that Tullamore is a hard, hard place to win matches," said Ó Sé. "But I still think we redeemed ourselves there in the second half. And we did believe in ourselves. We knew we could pick up the pace.
"The goal just after half-time was a real killer though, so I'm proud of the way the players battled back after that."
But like any team that loses the first day out in the league, Westmeath's battle has only begun.
OFFALY: C McNamara; N Grennan, C Evans, S Brady; B Mooney (0-1), J Keane, K Slattery; C McManus, A McNamee (0-2); N Coughlan, J Kenny, J Reynolds (0-1); C Quinn (0-2, frees), N McNamee (2-0), J Coughlan (0-4, one free). Subs: J Quinn for Mooney (half time, injured), M Gorman for Evans (44 mins), R Malone (0-1) for Coughlan (59 mins, yellow card), C Kiely for Grennan (62 mins).
WESTMEATH: G Connaughton; J Davitt, D O'Donoghue, J Keane; M Ennis, D Kilmartin, D Heavin; R O'Connell, J Brennan; J Fallon (0-1, a free), D Mitchell, C Galligan (0-1); A Mangan (0-5, three frees), D Glennan (0-5), D Dolan. Subs: A Lambden (0-1) for Dolan (30 mins, yellow card), S Colleary for Fallon (38 mins), D Glennon (0-1) for O'Connoll (66 mins), P Tormey for Galligan (72 mins), D McDermott for Heavin (72 mins).
YELLOW CARDS: Offaly: C Evans (44 mins) replaced by M Gorman; J Coughlan (59 mins) replaced by R Malone. Westmeath: D Dolan (30 mins) replaced by A Lambden; J Fallon (38 mins) replaced by S Colleary, R O'Connell (66 mins) replaced by D Glennon; C Galligan (72 mins) replaced by P Tormey.
Referee: M Ó Riain (Limerick).
