GALWAY’S LANDSLIDE WIN over Kilkenny this afternoon left no doubt as to who the favourites are for this year’s Leinster championship, and if you had told jubilant followers of the Tribesmen at 6.15pm as they left Pearse Stadium that Dublin would only draw with Offaly in Tullamore, they would have said that the path was growing even clearer for them to retake the Bob O’Keeffe Cup.
That was the result in Tullamore, but it didn’t finish level because Dublin didn’t play well, it was a level game because a young Offaly team, with nine starters from the 2024 All-Ireland U-20 champions and two who won Leinster medals at that grade the previous year, came of age with a superb display.
Donal Burke whipped over a reflex point at the end of three minutes of stoppage time to ensure a share of the spoils, and while that may have robbed the Faithful County of what would have been a memorable victory, over the next day or two it will be seen in the midlands for what it was – a significant step forward for a group that continues to be on an upward trajectory.
Dublin did a lot right too. Niall Ó Ceallacháin will want to address the issues that saw them concede four goals to a side that raised just one green flag in seven league starts, with Seán Brennan also making two incredible saves, including a match-saving effort in stoppage time to deny Shane Rigney.
Their use of the short puckout and their ability to work the ball through the lines and easily break Offaly tackles was exemplary, and scoring 1-18 in the first half while missing just five shots was a reflection of the quality of chances that they created.
Offaly arguably made more mistakes, but they had more moments of magic too, in a game that was filled with them – or at least, from the tenth minute onwards, it was.
At that early stage of the game it was 0-4 to 0-2 in favour of Dublin with five of the six points coming from frees, but after Conor Doyle sent over a fine point on the run, two goals in a minute completely changed the atmosphere and raised the contest to a tempo that it never really lost.
John Hetherton used his towering frame to field a high ball and turn towards goal and with a penalty advantage coming, Brian Hayes let fly on a loose ball to flash the sliotar past Liam Hoare.
On the next attack, Adam Screeney beat his man and put the ball on a plate for Brian Duignan, and the rollercoaster was up and running.
Ter Guinan, Charlie Mitchell and Danial Bourke struck some outstanding scores for Offaly but Dublin’s hurling was this bit more clinical and precise throughout, with superb thought and method in their play. Seán Brennan varied his puckouts and put his side on the front foot time and again, Fergal Whitely, Conor Burke and Conor Donohoe were outstanding in the trenches and even after conceding another goal, this time after a scything run and finish from Shane Rigney, Hayes and Burke pointed to nudge Dublin into the lead by half-time.
This time last year, Dublin found a way against an Offaly side that was game, but didn’t have the same edge up front. Here, the Faithful were keen to go for broke and die trying, typified by Adam Screeney turning down an easy point and instead beating Brennan from a tight angle to level the game early in the second half.
Mirroring Offaly did in the first half, Dublin replied with a goal of their own on the next possession. Darragh Power held possession after losing his footing and brilliantly flicked the ball away to Conor Donohoe, who hit the top corner. Conor Burke added the next point to make it four, but Offaly didn’t go away, and they were back on level terms ten minutes into the second half through a stunning first time shot from Charlie Mitchell.
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Brian Duignan looks to gather under pressure from Dublin's Eoghan O'Donnell. Tommy Grealy / INPHO
Tommy Grealy / INPHO / INPHO
The scoring wasn’t quite as brisk for the closing 25 minutes with the two sides adding seven points each, but there were countless moments to keep the crowd enthralled all the same. Mitchell made some crucial plays to get a point of his own and set up another for Daniel Bourke, Donal and Conor Burke struck clutch points for Dublin, and a sublime save from Brennan denied Rigney what surely would have been a match-winning goal at the start of stoppage time.
Instead play came back for Screeney to score a free, and Offaly were one up. Chris Crummey struck for the posts, Patrick Taaffe dived full-length to make a block, and Donal Burke, off balance, gave this contest one last flash of brilliance to ensure a deadlocked scoreboard at the final whistle.
Scorers for Offaly: Adam Screeney 1-9 (0-8f), Charlie Mitchell 1-3, Brian Duignan 1-2, Shane Rigney 1-0, Daniel Bourke 0-3, Conor Doyle 0-1, Ter Guinan 0-1, Dan Ravenhill 0-1, Liam Hoare 0-1f, Colin Spain 0-1.
Scorers for Dublin: Donal Burke 0-11 (0-9f), Conor Donohoe 1-2, Brian Hayes 1-1, Conor Burke 0-4, Cian O’Sullivan 0-2, Darragh Power 0-2, Chris Crummey 0-1, Paddy Doyle 0-1, Fergal Whitely 0-2, Ronan Hayes 0-1, Dara Purcell 0-1.
Offaly
Liam Hoare (Carrig & Riverstown)
Patrick Taaffe (Belmont)
Ben Conneely (St. Rynagh’s)
Brecon Kavanagh (Kilcormac-Killoughey)
Ross Ravenhill (Durrow)
Killian Sampson (Shinrone)
Ter Guinan (Kilcormac-Killoughey)
Dan Ravenhill (Durrow)
Cathal King (Carrig & Riverstown)
Shane Rigney (St. Rynagh’s)
Conor Doyle (Clara)
Daniel Bourke (Durrow)
Charlie Mitchell (Kilcormac-Killoughey)
Brian Duignan (Durrow)
Adam Screeney (Kilcormac-Killoughey)
Subs:
Colin Spain (Kilcormac-Killoughey) for King (half-time)
Ciarán Burke (Durrow) for Kavanagh (half-time)
Oisín Kelly (Belmont) for Mitchell (52-54, temp)
Jack Clancy (Belmont) for Guinan (65)
Oisín Kelly for D Ravenhill (69).
Dublin
Seán Brennan (Cuala)
Eoghan O’Donnell (Whitehall Colmcille)
Paddy Smyth (Clontarf)
Conor McHugh (Na Fianna)
John Bellew (Lucan Sarsfields)
Chris Crummey (Lucan Sarsfields)
Conor Burke (St. Vincent’s)
Paddy Doyle (Naomh Barróg)
Conor Donohoe (Erin’s Isle)
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Burke point rescues draw for Dublin against Offaly in Leinster hurling thriller
Offaly 4-22
Dublin 2-28
Kevin Egan reports from Tullamore
GALWAY’S LANDSLIDE WIN over Kilkenny this afternoon left no doubt as to who the favourites are for this year’s Leinster championship, and if you had told jubilant followers of the Tribesmen at 6.15pm as they left Pearse Stadium that Dublin would only draw with Offaly in Tullamore, they would have said that the path was growing even clearer for them to retake the Bob O’Keeffe Cup.
That was the result in Tullamore, but it didn’t finish level because Dublin didn’t play well, it was a level game because a young Offaly team, with nine starters from the 2024 All-Ireland U-20 champions and two who won Leinster medals at that grade the previous year, came of age with a superb display.
Donal Burke whipped over a reflex point at the end of three minutes of stoppage time to ensure a share of the spoils, and while that may have robbed the Faithful County of what would have been a memorable victory, over the next day or two it will be seen in the midlands for what it was – a significant step forward for a group that continues to be on an upward trajectory.
Dublin did a lot right too. Niall Ó Ceallacháin will want to address the issues that saw them concede four goals to a side that raised just one green flag in seven league starts, with Seán Brennan also making two incredible saves, including a match-saving effort in stoppage time to deny Shane Rigney.
Their use of the short puckout and their ability to work the ball through the lines and easily break Offaly tackles was exemplary, and scoring 1-18 in the first half while missing just five shots was a reflection of the quality of chances that they created.
Offaly arguably made more mistakes, but they had more moments of magic too, in a game that was filled with them – or at least, from the tenth minute onwards, it was.
At that early stage of the game it was 0-4 to 0-2 in favour of Dublin with five of the six points coming from frees, but after Conor Doyle sent over a fine point on the run, two goals in a minute completely changed the atmosphere and raised the contest to a tempo that it never really lost.
John Hetherton used his towering frame to field a high ball and turn towards goal and with a penalty advantage coming, Brian Hayes let fly on a loose ball to flash the sliotar past Liam Hoare.
On the next attack, Adam Screeney beat his man and put the ball on a plate for Brian Duignan, and the rollercoaster was up and running.
Ter Guinan, Charlie Mitchell and Danial Bourke struck some outstanding scores for Offaly but Dublin’s hurling was this bit more clinical and precise throughout, with superb thought and method in their play. Seán Brennan varied his puckouts and put his side on the front foot time and again, Fergal Whitely, Conor Burke and Conor Donohoe were outstanding in the trenches and even after conceding another goal, this time after a scything run and finish from Shane Rigney, Hayes and Burke pointed to nudge Dublin into the lead by half-time.
This time last year, Dublin found a way against an Offaly side that was game, but didn’t have the same edge up front. Here, the Faithful were keen to go for broke and die trying, typified by Adam Screeney turning down an easy point and instead beating Brennan from a tight angle to level the game early in the second half.
Mirroring Offaly did in the first half, Dublin replied with a goal of their own on the next possession. Darragh Power held possession after losing his footing and brilliantly flicked the ball away to Conor Donohoe, who hit the top corner. Conor Burke added the next point to make it four, but Offaly didn’t go away, and they were back on level terms ten minutes into the second half through a stunning first time shot from Charlie Mitchell.
The scoring wasn’t quite as brisk for the closing 25 minutes with the two sides adding seven points each, but there were countless moments to keep the crowd enthralled all the same. Mitchell made some crucial plays to get a point of his own and set up another for Daniel Bourke, Donal and Conor Burke struck clutch points for Dublin, and a sublime save from Brennan denied Rigney what surely would have been a match-winning goal at the start of stoppage time.
Instead play came back for Screeney to score a free, and Offaly were one up. Chris Crummey struck for the posts, Patrick Taaffe dived full-length to make a block, and Donal Burke, off balance, gave this contest one last flash of brilliance to ensure a deadlocked scoreboard at the final whistle.
Scorers for Offaly: Adam Screeney 1-9 (0-8f), Charlie Mitchell 1-3, Brian Duignan 1-2, Shane Rigney 1-0, Daniel Bourke 0-3, Conor Doyle 0-1, Ter Guinan 0-1, Dan Ravenhill 0-1, Liam Hoare 0-1f, Colin Spain 0-1.
Scorers for Dublin: Donal Burke 0-11 (0-9f), Conor Donohoe 1-2, Brian Hayes 1-1, Conor Burke 0-4, Cian O’Sullivan 0-2, Darragh Power 0-2, Chris Crummey 0-1, Paddy Doyle 0-1, Fergal Whitely 0-2, Ronan Hayes 0-1, Dara Purcell 0-1.
Offaly
Liam Hoare (Carrig & Riverstown)
Patrick Taaffe (Belmont)
Ben Conneely (St. Rynagh’s)
Brecon Kavanagh (Kilcormac-Killoughey)
Ross Ravenhill (Durrow)
Killian Sampson (Shinrone)
Ter Guinan (Kilcormac-Killoughey)
Dan Ravenhill (Durrow)
Cathal King (Carrig & Riverstown)
Shane Rigney (St. Rynagh’s)
Conor Doyle (Clara)
Daniel Bourke (Durrow)
Charlie Mitchell (Kilcormac-Killoughey)
Brian Duignan (Durrow)
Adam Screeney (Kilcormac-Killoughey)
Subs:
Colin Spain (Kilcormac-Killoughey) for King (half-time)
Ciarán Burke (Durrow) for Kavanagh (half-time)
Oisín Kelly (Belmont) for Mitchell (52-54, temp)
Jack Clancy (Belmont) for Guinan (65)
Oisín Kelly for D Ravenhill (69).
Dublin
Seán Brennan (Cuala)
Eoghan O’Donnell (Whitehall Colmcille)
Paddy Smyth (Clontarf)
Conor McHugh (Na Fianna)
John Bellew (Lucan Sarsfields)
Chris Crummey (Lucan Sarsfields)
Conor Burke (St. Vincent’s)
Paddy Doyle (Naomh Barróg)
Conor Donohoe (Erin’s Isle)
Fergal Whitely (Kilmacud Crokes)
Brian Hayes (Kilmacud Crokes)
Darragh Power (Fingallians)
Donal Burke (Na Fianna)
John Hetherton (St. Vincent’s)
Cian O’Sullivan (St. Brigid’s)
Subs:
Ronan Hayes (Kilmacud Crokes) for Doyle (47)
Andy Dunphy (St. Brigid’s) for McHugh (55)
Dara Purcell (Kilmacud Crokes) for Donohoe (65)
Referee: James Owens (Wexford).
*****
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