Big blow as Kildare U20s lose to Offaly

Kildare U20 footballers suffered a one point defeat at the hands of Offaly in Faithful Fields, Offaly COE in Tuesday evening.

The result means that Kildare will now have to go to Louth next week and defeat the unbeaten Wee County boys, but even at that, they must have a better scoring average than both Louth and Offaly, something that looks a big ask going on Tuesday's display.

Kildare may have scored the opening point from Fionn Cooke but they played second fiddle from there to the break when the home side led 0-6 to 0-2 with Marcus Dalton the main man for the Faithful side.

Kildare manager, Sean O'Dea, expressed his disappointment after the game, indeed you could even say his frustration, as this was an extremely disappointing display from his charges, who seem to lack intensity, lack attacking ideas and overall getting away with a one point defeat was somewhat flattering.

Kildare got the first point of the second half but continued to lack any sort of cohesive plan, time and time again, constantly playing the ball backwards and across the pitch.

It took a goal from Ross Harris to get The Lilies right back into the it after Offaly keeper Conor Melia short kick-out was caught by Harris who duly lobbed the custodian to leave a single point between the sides and while Kildare did level the game with a point from Colm Dalton, it was Offaly who got the vital, and fully deserved, winning point from man-of-the-match Dalton.

Kildare had two opportunities to level but both missed the target by a distance.

Final score: Offaly 0-8 Kildare 1-4.

Scorers: Offaly, Marcas Dalton 0-3; Conor Melia 0-1 (45), Diarmaid O'Neill 0-1, Christian McKeon 0-1, Ross Kellaghan 0-1 (free), Niall Furlong 0-1.

Kildare, Ross Harris 1-0, Fionn Cooke 0-2, Colm Dalton, Ryan Sinkey 0-1 (free) 0-1.

KILDARE: David McPartlin (Raheens); Rob Fitzgerald (Naas), Eoin Lawlor (Naas), Ethan Mountaine (Sarsfields); Killian Browne (Celbridge), James Harris (Castlemitchell), Colm Dalton (Sallins); Dara Crowley (Raheens), Fionn Cooke (Raheens); Oisin Grufferty (St Laurence's), Niall Dolan cpt (Raheens), Sean Mahon (Maynooth); Ryan Sinkey (Naas), Ross Harris (Castlemitchell), Mark Gibbons (Kilock). Subs: Sam Savage (Rathangan) for Killian Browne (40 minutes); Josh O'Donoghue (Johnstownbridge) for Fionn Cooke (44 minutes); TJ Nolan (St Laurence's) for Mark Gibbons (50 minutes).

OFFALY: Conor Melia (Bracknagh); Diarmaid O'Neill (Clonbullogue), Christian McKeon (Clara), Dylan Kilmurray (Rhode); Dylan Byrne (Edenderry), Geordi O'Meara (Ballinagar), Luke Bourke (Tullamore); Cillian Bourke (Tullamore), Marcas Dalton (Clara); Ross Kellaghan (Rhode), Niall Furlong (Tullamore), Steven Doran (Ballinamere); Sean Afolabi Joseph (Tullamore), Robbie Gallagher (Ballinagar), Luke Kelly (Doon). Subs: Ben Kennedy (St Brigid's) for Gallagher (48 minutes), Cillian Foran (Edenderry) for Kellaghan (52 minutes), Cameron Egan (St Brigid's) for Luke Bourke (57 minutes), Cillian Lowry (Edenderry) for Kelly (60 minutes),

REFEREE: Andrew Smith, Meath.