14 man Offaly run out of steam late on as Waterford forced to dig deep to secure promotion

HAVING performed heroics to win promotion with a round to go, Offaly had nothing to lose in Saturday's final National Hurling League Division 1B group game in Waterford but still went out to put their best foot forward and they certainly gave a performance in a battling defeat.

National Hurling League Division 1B Round 7

Waterford 0-22

Offaly 1-11

With Waterford having to win to get promotion, it was always a long shot that Offaly would collect two points but the hope was that they would compete well and give the home side a run for their money. Level at 1-11 to 0-14 with twenty minutes left, a victory looked possible as Offaly had the wind on their back but they ran out of steam as Waterford eventually got away for a convincing win.

A controversial straight red card for James Mahon in the 23^rd minute ultimately proved to be too big of a handicap. It would be stretching things to argue that Offaly would have won with their full quota of players for the seventy minutes plus but it was a big factor in the game. Waterford would probably still have been able to close it out but Offaly would have been competitive for longer and may have been alive heading into the last few minutes.

Instead Waterford's win looked inevitable from ten minutes out and Offaly didn't manage a point after Dan Bourke's 49^th minute strike. Waterford got eight points without reply after this with their bench particularly influential as three subs contributed a point each.

The sides will meet again in the league final in two weeks time and unless they can get it rescinded Offaly will be without James Mahon for it. There will also be concern about Ben Conneely who went off late on with what may be a recurrence of the injury that ruled him out for most of the league – that would be a shame as Conneely had been playing very well in a defence that worked really hard.

Waterford were given plenty of food for thought by Offaly and it was good to see the losers competing well against a top tier team who had a lot more to play for. Even taking the numerical advantage into account, Offaly will still be concerned at the way Waterford ran through them late on and the ease with which they were able to pick out their men. There are bigger fishes to fry during the year in the championship for Offaly but they will have learnt a lot from this game.

Playing against a strong wind in the first half, Offaly competed very well after a slow start with the defence doing some great tenacious play. Stephen Bennett and Tadgh de Burca got quick points as Waterford hit the ground running and they had another two wides before Offaly finally broke upfield.

The outstanding Killian Sampson settled them with an eight minute point and Offaly very much held their own from here to the break. Waterford did get 0-6 to 0-1 clear after 13 minutes but Offaly battled hard and had it back to two points, 0-6 to 0-4 when James Mahon received what looked a harsh red card for an incident that left Conor Sheahan on the ground – there was nothing malicious in Mahon's challenge as he went to shoulder his opponent, though contact may have been made with the head.

Waterford could have got a couple of goals in the first half. Shane Bennett booted over the bar with the goal at his mercy in the ninth minute while Mark Troy denied the same player with a great 22^nd minute save. After Mahon's loss, Waterford went 0-10 to 0-4 clear but Killian Sampson and Brian Duignan free reduced the gap to 0-10 to 0-6 at half time and with the wind to come, Offaly had a good chance.

It looked to be a five point wind but this was countered by Mahon's red and the odds favoured Waterford in the second half.

Offaly, however, made a flying start to the second half, scoring 1-3 without reply to take a shock 1-9 to 0-11 lead within three minutes, the goal scored by Brian Duignan after a Charlie Mitchell pass. Waterford settled down with three unanswered points while Mark Troy made a good save from Patrick Curran in the 41^st minute.

Offaly were handed a great bonus chance in the 47^th minute when Waterford keeper Billy Nolan safely gathered the ball but then tried to charge through Charlie Mitchell and a penalty was awarded, Nolan got a hurl to Brian Duignan's strike to deflect it over the bar, 1-10 to 0-13. Paddy Leavey and Bourke exchanged points but Waterford grabbed complete control in all sectors and never looked like losing after this. They could have got a goal as Ciaran Burke got back to brilliantly deny Sean Walsh in the 62^nd minute and it is a tribute to the Offaly defence that they didn't concede a three pointer.

MATCH ANALYSIS

MAN OF THE MATCH

Tadgh de Burca (Waterford): Tadgh de Burca was a hugely influential spare man after Mahon's dismissal, mopping up a huge amount of ball but he had been a dominant figure before that. The quality of his distribution was superb and he had a big bearing on the result.

Stephen Bennett and Mark Fitzgerald were also outstanding for Waterford. Offaly can be happy with the way they played. Killian Sampson was their best player, getting four points from midfield and working so hard. Ross Ravenhill was so solid for the most part in defence where Ciaran Burke put in another great shift. Brian Duignan got Offaly going up front after their slow start but the forwards did struggle to make much headway and 1-11 won't win many hurling games.

THE SCORERS

Waterford: Stephen Bennett 0-12 (8f), Paddy Leavey, Gavin Fives, Tadgh de Burca, Jamie Barron, Jack Prendergast, Dylan Hutchinson, Shane Bennett, Tom Barron, Charlie Treen, Padraig Fitzgerald 0-1 each.

Offaly: Brian Duignan 1-4 (1p and 2f), Killian Sampson 0-4, Dan Bourke, Charlie Mitchell and Ter Guinan 0-1 each.

THE TEAMS

OFFALY: Mark Troy (Durrow); Ben Conneely (St Rynagh's), Ciaran Burke (Durrow), James McMahon (Kilcormac-Killoughey); Ross Ravenhill (Durrow), Donal Shirley (Tubber), Jason Sampson (Shinrone); Colin Spain (Kilcormac-Killoughey), Killian Sampson (Shinrone); Oisin Kelly (Belmont), Dan Bourke (Durrow), David Nally (Belmont); Ter Guinan (Kilcormac-Killoughey), Charlie Mitchell (Kilcormac-Killoughey), Brian Duignan (Durrow). Subs – DJ McLoughlin (Shinrone) forNally (HT), Luke Watkins (Shinrone) for Mitchell (47m), David King (Coolderry) for Kelly (50m), Eoghan Cahill (Birr) for Guinan (61m), Patrick Taaffe (Belmont) for Conneely (66m), Eoin Burke (Coolderry) for Spain (71m).

WATERFORD: Billy Nolan; Conor Ryan, Mark Fitzgerald, Gavin Fives; Paddy Leavey, Tadgh de Burca, Kieran Bennett; Conor Sheahan, Darragh Lyons; Stephen Bennett, Jamie Barron, Jack Predndergast; Patrick Curran, Dessie Hutchinson, Shane Bennett. Subs – Peter Hogan for Sheahan (39m), Tom Barron for Lyons (50m), Sean Walsh for Curran (56m), Charlie Treen for Shane Bennett (61m), Padraig Fitzgerald for Kieran Bennett (64m),

Referee – Johnny Murphy.

REFEREE WATCH

James Mahon's sending off was a huge call and it looked harsh. Apart from that Johnny Murphy had a solid game and was fair.

MOMENT OF THE MATCH

James Mahon's dismissal in the 23^rd minute and a bigger and bigger bearing as it wore on.

VENUE WATCH

The switch of this match from Dungarvan to Walsh Park in Waterford, resulting in a change of throw in time from 5pm to 4.00pm, during the week disrupted the plans of some people: supporters who had booked into Dungarvan for overnight stays on the Friday and Sunday while it made things tight for the few who wanted to take in Offaly's minor hurling win over Meath in Birr, which had a 12 noon start.

Walsh Park, however, was an excellent venue with the pitch in good condition and stewards very welcoming and helpful to visitors.

WHAT'S NEXT

Offaly play Waterford in the league final in two weeks time.

STATISTICS

Wides: Offaly – 8 (6 in first half); Waterford – 12 (5 in first half).

Yellow cards: Offaly – 1 (Colin Spain); Waterford – 2 (Stephen Bennett and Billy Nolan).

Red cards: Offaly – 1 (James Mahon); Waterford 0.