Offaly not deceived but still flattered

LEINSTER HURLING: Offaly 1-16 Kilkenny 1-13: IT MAY have been a win tinged with surrealism, but Offaly still received a big early-season boost when they edged out Kilkenny in an engrossing tie in Tullamore yesterday.

A powerful closing quarter when every player put his shoulder to the wheel was enough to get Offaly across the finish-line.

Brian Cody, however, will not be losing sleep over this defeat and his team bore little comparison to that which will get down to the serious business later on.

Offaly turned impending defeat into a sweet victory in the closing quarter. Trailing by 1-13 to 1-11 with 17 minutes left, Offaly tore into their opponents with rare abandon and scored the last five points without reply.

With the home crowd getting behind them, Offaly played their best hurling in that closing spell and points from Joe Bergin (three), Kevin Brady and Cathal Parlon put Kilkenny on the ropes.

Kilkenny had dictated play in the first half, with Richie Hogan pulling the strings up front and Michael Grace and John Mulhall lending able assistance, and led by 0-10 to 0-5 after 32 minutes.

The Cats had the wind on their backs but the complexion of the game changed when Daniel Currams pointed a free and Ger Healion scrambled home a goal to leave the home side trailing 0-10 to 1-6 at the break.

It looked like normal service would resume when Martin Boran nipped in for a very good goal early in the second half but Offaly became increasingly dominant and were back on level terms, 1-11 each by the 11th minute.

Despite conceding the next two points, Offaly were able to summon up a fitting finale.

OFFALY: J Dempsey; S Egan, E Murphy, S Wynne; J Rigney, J Bergin (0-3, two frees), D Morkan; G Oakley (0-1), J Keane ; R Hanniffy (0-2), J Brady, S Kelly (0-2); C Parlon (0-3), G Healion (1-0), D Currams (0-4, four frees). Subs: K Brady (0-1)for Keane (54 mins); F Daly for Kelly (61); P Cleary for J Brady (64).

KILKENNY: D Herrity; K Joyce, C Hickey, D Fogarty; J Dalton, PJ Delaney (0-1, free), D Prendergast; J Tennyson, L Ryan; M Grace (0-2), E McGrath (0-1), J Mulhall (0-3); M Boran (1-1), R Hogan (0-4, 2f), M Bergin (0-1). Subs: M Ruth for Bergin (half-time); N Walsh for Tennyson, (43 mins); M Walsh for Dalton (56); A Fogarty for Grace (68).

Referee: J McGrath(Westmeath).

Next Up . . .

In next Sunday's semi-finals, Wexford meet Dublin, while Galway play Offaly. In the shield quarter-finals, it is: Antrim v NUIG, UCD v Carlow, GMIT v Kilkenny and Laois v DIT.