Veterans lead Offaly surge

GAELIC GAMES/Offaly 1-9 Louth 0-11:OFFALY UPSET the odds and blew Division Three wide open with a deserved win over table-toppers Louth in Drogheda yesterday. Tom Cribben's men survived a late rally to end their hosts' 100 per cent record and create a three-way tie at the summit.

After an even first half that saw Louth lead 0-6 to 0-5, the visitors resumed with a match-winning purple patch, plundering 1-3 without reply. Old stagers Ciarán McManus and Niall McNamee edged Offaly in front at the start of the half and a penalty converted by the latter put some daylight between the sides for the first time – 1-7 to 0-6.

Seán Carroll dismayed the home support somewhat when he spotted an infringement by Aaron Hoey after goalkeeper Seán Connor had saved well from Niall Smith, but McNamee took advantage to slot home the spot-kick.

McManus pushed the visitors further ahead with a free before Louth finally broke their second-half duck with a Brian Donnelly free from 46 metres.

The former Aussie Rules trainee and full-forward Shane Lennon were instrumental as Louth slowly reduced the deficit to a single point as the game ticked into injury-time, but Peter Fitzpatrick’s men wasted a glorious chance to rescue a point when Adrian Reid shot wide.

OFFALY: A Mulhall; B Daly, S Brady, S Pender; S Sullivan, K Slattery, S Lonergan; R Dalton (0-1), Niall Smith; S Ryan, N McNamee (1-2, 1-0 pen), C McManus (0-3, frees); N Dunne, J Reynolds (0-3), K Casey. Subs: B Kelly for S Lonergan (58 mins), G Guilfoyle for N Dunne (64 mins), B Connor for S Ryan (66 mins).

LOUTH: S Connor; D Byrne, A Hoey, G Hoey; R Finnegan, D Finnegan, S Fitzpatrick; P Keenan (0-1), B Donnelly (0-5, 0-3 45s, 0-1 free); D Crilly, M Brennan, A McDonnell; D Maguire, S Lennon (0-4, 0-3 frees), JP Rooney (0-1). Subs: E McAuley for S Fitzpatrick (58 mins), A Reid for M Brennan (58 mins), C Judge for JP Rooney (62 mins), P Smith for R Finnegan (62 mins), R Greene for D Maguire (64 mins).

Referee: S Carroll (Westmeath).