Joe McDonagh Cup: Offaly 1-26 Down 1-15
Down manager Ronan Sheehan admitted that while Carlow are next up for the Down hurlers in this year’s Joe McDonagh Cup, his side’s focus is firmly fixed on their final round clash with Kildare, which is now certain to be a relegation decider following the weekend’s results.
On that basis, he expressed his satisfaction at a much improved performance from the Ardsmen, who enjoyed some real purple patches in Tullamore on Saturday afternoon, even if it never looked like they would repeat their 2020 championship win over the midlanders.
“It is coming down to ourselves and Kildare and that’s the reality,” he said after his side’s 11-point defeat.
“We were very disappointed with how we played last week, in the first half we had 22 chances and ended up with seven points.
"We knew we probably weren’t as bad as we looked on the scoreboard and we asked for a response from the lads and we got that, so I am very pleased in that regard.”
While the home side started well, moving into an 0-7 to 0-2 lead, they weren’t at the same pitch as last week when they gave themselves a huge boost by beating Laois, and they soon allowed what was previously an out-of-form Down side to work their way into the game.
Jordan Doran’s goal put the Ulster county 1-5 to 0-7 in front after 24 minutes and while Offaly added seven more points before half-time, there was just two between the sides, at 0-16 to 1-11, 10 minutes into the second half.
Down’s use of sweepers was unsettling the Offaly inside forwards, with only Eoghan Cahill – top scorer in this competition, and in Division 2A of the league – really causing Down any problems.
It was a different story in the final 20 minutes, however, as Cahill and Cillian Kiely led the charge for a rampant Offaly side, who rounded off their run of seven consecutive weekends of action with their sixth win, to go along with a draw against Kildare.
The different expectations put on counties at this level was a topic that saw Sheehan get quite passionate when he was asked about the matter.
“I think it’s an absolute disgrace that Offaly were made to play seven weeks in a row. They wouldn’t do that to Cork and they wouldn’t do that to Kilkenny,” he replied.
“Fair play to Offaly, they’ve kept the show on the road, but they shouldn’t have to do that. There needs to be more respect shown, because you’re dealing with counties that have small squads.
"I have 300 adult hurlers in total in the county of Down, and I have nine or 10 lads away travelling or with different life things, so where am I going, looking for number 50 in Down?
“Offaly clearly have a few more hurlers than us, but they still don’t have anything like the numbers of Tipperary or Clare or Cork, and yet they wouldn’t be asked to play seven weeks in a row,” he continued.
“We’re in two very different positions, we’re striving to retain our place in the McDonagh because that’s just about our level, but Offaly have bigger ambitions, as do Laois.
"The GAA need to look at what are they going to do to help counties like Offaly and Laois and Antrim, and then when they’ve solved that problem, then look at the rest of us. But the GAA is busy trying to solve every problem, and they’re not solving anything.”
Offaly: S Corcoran; J Screeney, C Burke, B Conneely; D King (0-1), J Sampson, K Sampson; J Clancy (0-1), P Delaney; C Kiely (0-5), D Nally (0-1), A Cleary (0-1); P Clancy (0-2), B Duignan (0-1), E Cahill (1-12, 0-7f).
Subs: J Keenaghan (0-1) for Delaney (19), J Murphy (0-1) for Cleary (46), C Mitchell for P Clancy (51), D Maher for Screeney (61).
Yellow cards: J Clancy, Delaney, Kiely.
Down: S Keith; A Furlong, T Murray, N McFarland (0-1); B Trainor, C Teggart, L Savage; J Doran (1-2), R McCusker; M Fisher, P Óg McCrickard (0-9, 0-7 frees), P Sheehan; T Prenter, T McGrattan, D Sands.
Subs: C Egan for McGrattan (32), S Martin (0-1) for Prenter (HT), Finn Turpin (0-1) for Sheehan (HT), O McManus (0-1f) for McCusker (54), D Mallon for Murray (61).
Yellow cards: Furlong, Murray, Sands.
Referee: P Murphy (Carlow).
