Unlucky Offaly contribute to own downfall in hard to swallow defeat

OFFALY very much contributed to their own downfall in a one point National Football League defeat by Antrim that will leave a very bitter taste in their mouth for a few weeks.

Allianz National Football League Division 3 Round 2

Antrim 2-5

Offaly 1-7

A much better second half performance after a very poor first should have earned Offaly at least a share of the spoils in Belfast's Corrigan Park as a very relieved Antrim side just held out.

In a teak tough, low scoring game in unfavourable weather, Offaly did really well to get back into the hunt in the second half but couldn't manufacture a late equaliser.

After losing to Westmeath in their opening game, this result puts real pressure on, with Clare next up in two weeks time in O'Connor Park. The two defeats means that Offaly are in early relegation trouble, even though there is a lot of football to be played and no one will be pressing any panic buttons just yet,.

They deserved a share of the spoils here and showed great hunger in the second half but when they analyse their failure to get a result, they will require mirrors. Over the course of the seventy minutes plus, Offaly's error count was too high. They lost too much ball, with lighter players some times carrying it into traffic when moving out of defence and some of their passing throughout the field was too sloppy.

Offaly's energy levels were not right in the first half and this was when the seeds of defeat were sown. They were just not clinical enough on the ball, giving way too many careless passes. Playing against the wind in the first half, Offaly defended in numbers and tried to keep possession for as long as they could. It was frustrating to watch but would have been excusable if they had been more efficient on the ball. Instead, they were a fraction out with too many passes as it took a receiving player a second attempt to get ball into hand – it allowed Antrim to close Offaly down quickly and the visitors really strugg;led in the first half.

The 2-5 to 1-7 full time score may look bad but the conditions were a huge factor in this. A strong swirling wind blew all over the west Belfast ground and while it favoured the team playing into the bottom goal, it was as hard to play with as against in some respects.

Offaly were in deep trouble when they trailed by 1-3 to no score after fifteen minutes. Cian Farrell had a poor early wide from a free, into the wind, and other chances went abegging as a 15th minute goal from corner back Ronan Boyle put Antrim in control – the hard working Jack O'Brien looked to have him bottled up but Boyle managed to skip free to blast to the net.

It was 19 minutes before Cian Farrell got Offaly's first point and he converted a free six minutes later after the raiding John Furlong was fouled – Furlong had a goal disallowed in the 18th minute when he was penalised for fouling a player as he ran onto a Jordan Hayes break.

Disaster struck Offaly in the 29th minute when Anton Sullivan was over turned in the middle of the field. Sullivan may well have been fouled but had carried the ball into trouble and Antrim broke at pace with Ian Duffy fouling Dominic McEnhill who picked himself up to blast home the penalty.

It looked very bleak for Offaly at that stage with Antrim leading by 2-3 to 0-2 but they received the break they needed two minutes from the break – they brilliantly won possession back and Anton Sullivan goaled from close range after Keith O'Neill gave the ball across.

That left Offaly trailing by 2-3 to 1-2 at half time and in with a fighting chance. Every score was very hard earned in the second half and as in the first half, it took Offaly too long to score. Goalie Michael Byrne got a very good free into the wind for Antrim and the 2nd half was 11 minutes old before Ruari McNamee got Offaly's first point.

A further nine minutes elapsed before a magnificent point from sub Nigel Dunne cut the gap to four and Jordan Hayes made it a one score game with an equally good point seconds later. Antrim sub Conor Hand had been red carded for hitting Peter Cunningham just before those two points, and Offaly had all the momentum,.

It was very difficult to create chances, even with the wind but Offaly drove forward relentlessly and their energy levels were much better than the first. Unfortunately they shot themselves in the foot as the numbers were evened up with Jack Bryant picking up a black card in the 65th minute, just two minutes after he had come on, for a very careless block on Eunan Walsh – Bryant was devastated but it was a black card, though Antrim corner back Kavan Keenan should have picked up black moments later for chopping down Anton Sullivan as he tried to get free.

Excellent points from Nigel Dunne and Ruari McNamee brought it down to a point with two minutes left plus four of injury time. Offaly, unfortunately, couldn't create a decent chance and the best late opportunity fell to Antrim when Ian Duffy gave the ball away out the field – the Walsh Island man looked very sluggish as he attempted to get back into the goals, an empty net was inviting Patrick McBride to have a pop but he kept soloing and eventually kicked wide.

Offaly had half chances. Morgan Tynan gave a careless pass when trying to pick out David Dempsey, Nigel Dunne was wide with a shot that wasn't really on and Peter Cunningham then lost the ball as he tried to drive forward deep into injury time.

It was a disappointing defeat by Offaly and there is now real pressure on them but at least their second half display will give them something to build on – some of their football in the first half was in the kamikaze variety but they were better in the second half.

MATCH ANALYSIS

MAN OF THE MATCH

David Dempsey (Offaly): David Dempsey had a very good game in the Offaly defence. He never put a foot wrong defensively, he had the physicality to carry the ball into players and keep going and he got up the field whenever he could. He showed leadership qualities on a day when that was needed.

There were other encouraging displays. Cormac Egan did a lot of very good things and turned over some great ball in the second half in particular. He showed that he will find a home at this level while Morgan Tynan, a late call up for the injured Eoin Carroll, also showed promise – Tynan will be disappointed at not finding Dempsey in that late attack but in general, he moved the ball well.

Ruari McNamee was probably Offaly's second best player, another who stood up to be counted as Offaly chased the game while Nigel Dunne showed the benefit of having him on the panel when introduced in the second half. Dunne doesn't have the legs for a full seventy minutes at this stage of his career but is content to play whatever role Declan Kelly asks, whether starting and coming off, or coming on. He got two super points and increased Offaly's scoring threat by 20% when on. Lee Pearson also did well in an honest Offaly defence who gave their share of careless passes but did their job by only conceding 2-5.

The Offaly attack tried hard but 1-7 will not win games at any level and they have to start trusting themselves more, running at teams with pace – on the few occasions they did this, they had Antrim in bother.

THE SCORERS

Antrim: Ronan Boyle and Dominic McEnhill (penalty) 1-0 each, Niall Burns 0-2 (1f), Michael Byrne (f), Marc Jordan and Eoin Hynds 0-1 each.

Offaly: Anton Sullivan 1-0, Cian Farrell (f), Ruari McNamee and Nigel Dunne 0-2 each, Jordan Hayes 0-1.

THE TEAMS

OFFALY: Ian Duffy (Walsh Island); Aiden Bracken (Ballycommon), David Dempsey (Ballycommon), Lee Pearson (Edenderry); Rory Egan (Edenderry), John Furlong (Tullamore), Jack O'Brien (Durrow); Morgan Tynan (Ballinagar), Peter Cunningham (Bracknagh); Jordan Hayes (Edenderry), Ruari McNamee (Rhode), Cormac Egan (Tullamore); Cian Farrell (Edenderry), Anton Sullivan (Rhode), Keith O'Neill (Clonbullogue). Subs – Nigel Dunne (Shamrocks) for Farrell (45m), Kevin McDermott (Durrow) for Egan (53m), Jack Bryant (Shamrocks) for O'Neill (63m).

ANTRIM: Michael Byrne; Ronan Boyle, Eunan Walsh, Kavan Keenan; Marc Jordan, Joseph Finnegan, Dermot McAleese; Colm McLarnon, Patrick McAleer; Eoin Hynds, Niall Burns, Ruari McCann; Patrick McBride, Cormac McGettigan, Dominic McEnhill. Subs – Conor Hand for McGettigan (48m), Daniel McNicholl for McAleese (73m), Oisin Doherty for Burns (73m).

Referee – Paul Faloon (Down).

REFEREE WATCH

A mixed bag by Paul Faloon. He had a solid game overall and was consistent. Jack Bryant had no real complaints at his black card but Kavan Keenan should have got one moments later – he deliberately fouled Anton Sullivan, and Offaly had numbers forward at that stage. It was the type of tackle that the black card is designed for – John Furlong was also a bit unlucky to have his first half goal disallowed as he was entitled to go for that ball.

MOMENT OF THE MATCH

Antrim's second goal from Dominic McEnhill's penalty was a disaster for Offaly. It was self inflicted, typical of some of what happened in the first half, and ultimately, it gave Antrim the win.

VENUE WATCH

With Casement Park this closed, Corrigan Park once again proved a perfect venue for this game. The pitch was in remarkably good condition and as usual, Antrim were very welcoming hosts.

WHAT'S NEXT

Offaly now have a week off before they welcome Clare to Tullamore while Antrim are at home to Down.

STATISTICS

Wides: Offaly – 8 (2 in first half); Antrim – 5 (1 in first half).

Yellow cards: Offaly – 0; Antrim – 2 (Kavan Keenan and Cormac McGettigan); Offaly -0.

Black cards: Offaly – 1 (Jack Bryant); Antrim – 0.

Red cards: 0