First things first and an honest acknowledgment that on the day Offaly were richly deserving winners. Yes we might have snatched the spoils at the death, and yes we can reflect on the sloppy defending that conceded two of those three Offaly goals. But on balance, overall, the 3-15 to 1- 19 scoreline in the midlanders favour was just about right leaving us without any serious cribs about the outcome.

On a day when Offaly posed so many searching questions we came up with too few convincing answers and paid the inevitable penalty. Question marks too alongside some of the positional changes, and further brickbats for the disregarding way team management placed the starting fifteen compared to what appeared in the two euro priced programme and in the media in the days preceding the game.

Why Justin and his selectorial colleagues are continuing to deliberately con the public in this blatantly incorrect way is beyond me, and why the County Board is prepared to tolerate it is even more perplexing. STEELY DETERMINED

The points on offer in this final group game may have been of no value to Offaly in the context of reaching the concluding knock out stage of the league, but they came into the lion’s den in a steely determined frame of mind and left with a morale boosting win their committed and skilful all round performance thoroughly deserved.

On a day when a win of any kind would have sufficed to give Waterford a direct entry into the league semi-final, it was Offaly who displayed the greater hunger and passion for the spoils. They led inside thirty seconds, were never headed in a first half at the end of which they had built up a five point lead, and though Waterford twice levelled scores in a frenetic closing quarter those Offaly heads never dropped and in the end they fashioned their deserved win.

Twelve months ago when the counties also met in the league on Offaly soil it was the midlanders big full forward Joe Bergin who did the damage with a 2-3 contribution. This time the 20 year old went one better with a personal tally of 2-5, including his match-winning goal strike five minutes from time.

No fluke about the win either on a day when the midlanders exposed weaknesses hitherto not evident in the Waterford make up. Food for thought aplenty as even bigger challenges loom for Justin’s charges.

EARLY LEAD

Offaly, backed by the strong breeze, led inside thirty seconds through Gary Hanniffy’s sweetly struck point, and with Barry Teehan and Brendan Murphy ruling the roost in the middle of the field, Cathal Horan dominant in the heart of their defence, and Bergin showing the way up front they held very definite sway for most of the half.

Teehan had a second Offaly point with just ninety seconds on the clock, and already these fiery Offalymen were spewing out a crystal clear message of their deadly intent. John Mullane and Eoin Kelly has us level however by the 5th minute with delight-fully taken scores from play, and for the remainder of the half they were the duo who presented our biggest threat to that defiant Offaly rearguard.

Despite some very good approach work we never seriously threatened to breach the midlanders defensive bulwark in that opening moiety. But crucially man of the match Joe Bergin did so at the other end when he rattled the net from a semi penalty on sixteen minutes after he himself had been hauled down bearing menacingly goal-wards in the 16th minute.

His brilliant catch of an outfield delivery left full back Tom Feeney with little option other than to foul him as he bore down menacingly on goal and he coolly stepped up to lash the resultant semi penalty past the three man defensive wall.

That gave Offaly 1-4 to 0-4 lead and within another two minutes Bergain was again central in a second goal for his side. His ability to outfield Feeney on the high deliveries proved crucial and his perfect lay off pass to Gary Hanniffy was taken in full stride by the corner forward who gave goalkeeper Clinton Hennessy no chance from close range.

In contrast, and despite some lovely points by Eoin Kelly including a real peach in the 32nd minute, Waterford never seriously threatened to breach the Offaly citadel and the winners 2-8 to 0-9 interval lead certainly didn’t flatter them.

Given the strength of the breeze however that had aided Offaly in that opening moiety their five point lead was still far from an unassailable advantage. And when the inspirational Ken McGrath gave Waterford the perfect start on the resumption with a prodigous point from a free deep inside his own half it was still all to play for.

John Mullane, magnificent throughout, scored a scorcher of a goal in the 39th minute when he gained possession from Clinton Hennessy’s lengthy puck out, and with the deficit now down to just two points it was the home county that looke3d to be in the driving seat. We might have now expected the floodgates to open, but not on this day of maximum Offaly defiance. With McGrath’s counterpart, Cathal Horan, continuing to play out of his skin in their defence Water-ford failed to translate plenty of outfield possession into scores. At the other end Eddie Bevans, Rory Hanniffy, and Bergin all picked off vital scores, and they were still a precious goal to the good with less than fifteen minutes remaining. The signs were looking more and more ominous from a blue and white perspective.

But with McGrath driving them on from centre back - -chipping in with a few scores of his own to boot - -and the introduction of Eoin McGrath also improving things at a hitherto troubled medfield, Waterford were close enough if good enough to garner the spoils in the frenetic closing stages. Never once however were they to enjoy the luxury of the lead and although they levelled scores twice in the closing stages that magnificent Offaly rearguard stood solid under all of the increasing pressure.

Fittingly then it was the irrepressible Bergin who scored the goal that finally clinched their victory. Just five minutes remained on the clock when he collected a pass from substitute Alan Egan who had only been seconds on the field, and from close range gave Hennessy no chance with a rasping drive that the ‘keeper scarcely saw.

Waterford pressed relentlessly in the remaining minutes but the scores they needed to save the game just didn’t come. Ken McGrath’s goal attempt from a 25 metre free was too high and flew over the bar, and that defiant Offaly defence held firm to give the side their surprise but richly deserved win.

On a chastening day for Waterford when the team collectively failed to answer so many of those Offaly questions and individually many more were found wanting, there’s only the consolation of knowing that despite the defeat they are still through to a league quarter final meeting with Munster neighbours Tipperary next Sunday.

Scorers for Offaly: J. Bergin(2-5, 1-0 penalty, 0-5 frees); G. Hanniffy (1-1); E. Bevans(0-3); R. Hanniffy(0-2); B. Teehan(0-2); B. Murphy, B. Carroll(0-1) each.

Waterford: E. Kelly(0-8, 0-5 frees); J. Mullane(1-3); K. McGrath(0-4, 0-2 frees, 0-1 “65’’); D. Shanahan, S. Prendergast, J. Kennedy, S. Molumphy(0- 1) each.

OFFALY: S. O’Connor; C. Hernon. P. Cleary. M. Verney; G. Oakley. C. Horan. K. Brady; B. Teehan. B. Murphy; E. Bevans. R. Hanniffy. D. Molloy; B. Carroll. J. Bergin. G. Hanniffy; Subs; D. Franks for Brady; A. Egan for Carroll.

WATERFORD: C. Hennessy; D. Prendergast. T. Feeney. E. Murphy; T. Browne. K. McGrath. J. Murray; J. Kennedy. D. Bennett; E. Kelly. M. Walsh. S.Prendergast; S. Molumphy. D. Shanahan. J. Mul-lane. Subs; E. McGrath for Bennett; S. O’Sullivan for Murray.

Referee: Seanie McMahon, Clare.

 

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