What looked like being one of those weary games of winter became an exhibition of sorts at Tullamore yesterday. Offaly galloped away with it, nostrils flaring and hooves pounding, and nobody left wondering what else they might have got for their £7. An afternoon of Vinny Claffey is good value at any price. The difference, said Offaly's smart young manager Padraig Nolan, was that the home side had four weeks of training under their belts while the All-Ireland champions had a couple of weeks holidaying and a few extra holes in their own belts.
Even so, for an Offaly side who aspire to be more than the suppliers of novelty surprises to the Leinster championship, this was a gratifying win. They hustled and harried Kerry throughout and earned the right to an endless supply of good ball to their full-forward line. There, the bustling Mel Keenaghan and Claffey made merry. Were it not for the excellence of Seamus Moynihan and Declan O'Keeffe, the margin of victory would have been sensational instead of just surprising.
Offaly led from the first minute, with the pattern of the game firmly established by the time they plundered the game's only goal after quarter of an hour. Keenaghan looked to have taken too much out of a good chance and suddenly found himself in Moynihan's tentacles. He scooped it inside to Donie Ryan, however, and the ball duly whistled past O'Keeffe. Offaly may have been leaner and hungrier, but they had an attractive inventiveness to their play as well. They have all sorts of options available to them when in possession. McManus is capable of making devastating runs from midfield, they shortpass the ball with precision and purpose, and always have the choice of pumping the ball towards the inside line, where Claffey, in particular, makes full use of the space.
Offaly had better goal chances in either half than the one which yielded Daly his goal. In the 21st minute, Ryan, Claffey and Keenaghan improvised perfectly only for O'Keeffe to intervene. After the break McManus had one astonishing run, mixing power with an unlikely jink. It ended in a shot on goal which again brought something extraordinary from O'Keeffe. The goalkeeper's work wasn't done yet. Claffey, Keenaghan and Roy Malone all set him tasks in the closing minutes.
Offaly look in healthy shape and, with players like Karl Slattery, Barry Mooney, Sean Grennan and John Kenny still to come back into the squad, the competition for places will make the spring skip by.
"We've four weeks training behind us and they have been on holidays," said Nolan afterwards. "That's the difference. I'm pleased with it, but we missed a lot as well. I thought the team played well, they've been working hard. I hope we can improve our skill level as well."
Claffey proved his worth said somebody. "Well, when was that ever in doubt," replied Nolan with a thin smile. "I'm thrilled for Vinny Claffey, but the fella minds himself. Athletes can keep going. He'd done his work by himself when he came back two and a half weeks ago. He's a model player." Even if yesterday's result points the way to the relegation trapdoor, Kerry won't be too hard on themselves. Their last All-Ireland brought relegation. Perspective is easier to lose in the summer. Paidi O Se knew coming up to Tullamore that coaxing the boys of summer out of their winter cocoons would be tricky. "Sometimes," he said, "the mind is willing, but the body is weak. We haven't the work done. There are no short cuts. We have to put the heads down." You could almost feel the shudder running through the dressing-room. Alarm clock ringing, time to be up.
OFFALY: P Kelly; C Daly, G Rafferty, G Comerford; D Quinn, F Cullen, P Kenny; C McManus (0-3, one free), A McNamee; C Quinn, (0-2, both frees), K Claffey, M Daly (0- 1); D Ryan (1-1), M Keeneghan (0-2), V Claffey (0-7, two frees). Subs: J Brady for P Kenny (inj, 38 mins), B O'Brien (0-1) for K Claffey (45 mins), R Malone (0-1) for D Ryan (65 mins), B Malone for M Daly (70 mins).
KERRY: D O'Keeffe; M McCarthy, S Moynihan, M Lyons; T O Se, E Fitzmaurice, K Scanlon; D O Se, D Daly; N Kennelly (0-3, one free), M Fitzgerald (0-2, one free), A MacGearailt (0-3, one free); MF Russell (0- 1), D O Cinneide (01, free), D O Dwyer. Subs: T O'Sullivan for M McCarthy (34 mins), L Hassett for Russell (42 mins), E Galvin for O Cinneide (55 mins), B Sheahan for Dwyer (58 mins).
Referee: J McKee (Armagh).
