Kevin Egan reports from Grant Heating St Brendan’s Park
A FIXTURE THAT looked like a banana skin for Galway proved to be something of a procession for Micheál Donoghue and the Tribesmen this afternoon, as they easily brushed aside the challenge of Offaly to secure their first league points of this year’s campaign, effectively condemning the Faithful county to relegation in the process.
On paper, this was perhaps Offaly’s best opportunity to pick up a win in this league campaign, and with formidable fixtures against Limerick and Cork still to come, it felt like last-chance saloon for the substantial crowd that braved the rain at St Brendan’s Park.
A strong wind also blew right down the ground and after 35 minutes of hurling into that wind, Galway were 0-9 to 0-6 ahead and completely dominant in every phase of play. Cillian Trayers and Daithí Burke were imperious at the centre of the defence, they picked off some excellent points from Aaron Niland, Jason Rabbitte and Colm Molloy despite the greatly restricted scoring zone, and even the midfield battle that was even for the first quarter tilted Galway’s direction following the introduction of Cianán Fahy.
Offaly had none of the same cohesion and collective purpose in their play, often going long into outnumbered inside forwards for no obvious reason other than the wind allowed them to do so, and that the same chance wouldn’t be there in the second half.
They did carve out a few goal chances but failed to convert any, the best of them denied by a truly magnificent diving hook from Pádraic Mannion that prevented Ter Guinan from getting his shot away with just Stephen O’Halloran to beat.
When Cathal Mannion landed one free and then rifled the ball into the top corner of the net in the opening minutes of the second half, the floodgates were open, and the prospect of a real beatdown was live.
It never happened, through a combination of Offaly’s grit and stubbornness and Galway’s lack of intensity. Galway fell into the same trap of going long into contests rather than working the ball through the lines to restrict the number of good scoring chances that came their way, while Offaly saw Brian Duignan come into the contest, hitting three of his four points in that second half.
Offaly’s Ben Conneely and Conor Whelan of Galway. Ryan Byrne / INPHO
Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO
Duignan also had another goal chance that he flashed into the side netting, and had he found the target, there might have been some drama in the closing stages, with Offaly briefly cutting the lead to six points on a couple of occasions.
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That was to be as close as they got, and when Conor Whelan had a chance to find the net at the other end to add gloss to the scoreboard, the Kinvara man was ruthless in his finish at the end of his first appearance of the season, another good news story for Micheál Donoghue and the Galway support.
The imminent arrival of a humming Limerick team to Tullamore next Sunday will make it a lot harder for Offaly fans to feel good this week.
Scorers for Offaly: Adam Screeney 0-7 (0-5f), Brian Duignan 0-4, Jack Clancy 0-2, Ter Guinan 0-1, Donal Shirley 0-1, Oisín Kelly 0-1, Luke Watkins 0-1, Colin Spain 0-1.
Scorers for Galway: Cathal Mannion 1-8 (0-5f), Conor Whelan 1-1, Aaron Niland 0-3, Jason Rabbitte 0-3, Colm Molloy 0-3, Thomas Monaghan 0-2, Cianán Fahy 0-1, Stephen O’Halloran 0-1, Cillian Trayers 0-1.
Offaly
1. Liam Hoare (Carrig & Riverstown)
4. Brecon Kavanagh (Kilcormac-Killoughey)
3. Ben Conneely (St. Rynagh’s)
19. Patrick Taaffe (Belmont)
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Galway brush aside Offaly to secure first league points
Allianz Hurling League Division 1A
Offaly 0-18
Galway 2-23
Kevin Egan reports from Grant Heating St Brendan’s Park
A FIXTURE THAT looked like a banana skin for Galway proved to be something of a procession for Micheál Donoghue and the Tribesmen this afternoon, as they easily brushed aside the challenge of Offaly to secure their first league points of this year’s campaign, effectively condemning the Faithful county to relegation in the process.
On paper, this was perhaps Offaly’s best opportunity to pick up a win in this league campaign, and with formidable fixtures against Limerick and Cork still to come, it felt like last-chance saloon for the substantial crowd that braved the rain at St Brendan’s Park.
A strong wind also blew right down the ground and after 35 minutes of hurling into that wind, Galway were 0-9 to 0-6 ahead and completely dominant in every phase of play. Cillian Trayers and Daithí Burke were imperious at the centre of the defence, they picked off some excellent points from Aaron Niland, Jason Rabbitte and Colm Molloy despite the greatly restricted scoring zone, and even the midfield battle that was even for the first quarter tilted Galway’s direction following the introduction of Cianán Fahy.
Offaly had none of the same cohesion and collective purpose in their play, often going long into outnumbered inside forwards for no obvious reason other than the wind allowed them to do so, and that the same chance wouldn’t be there in the second half.
They did carve out a few goal chances but failed to convert any, the best of them denied by a truly magnificent diving hook from Pádraic Mannion that prevented Ter Guinan from getting his shot away with just Stephen O’Halloran to beat.
When Cathal Mannion landed one free and then rifled the ball into the top corner of the net in the opening minutes of the second half, the floodgates were open, and the prospect of a real beatdown was live.
It never happened, through a combination of Offaly’s grit and stubbornness and Galway’s lack of intensity. Galway fell into the same trap of going long into contests rather than working the ball through the lines to restrict the number of good scoring chances that came their way, while Offaly saw Brian Duignan come into the contest, hitting three of his four points in that second half.
Duignan also had another goal chance that he flashed into the side netting, and had he found the target, there might have been some drama in the closing stages, with Offaly briefly cutting the lead to six points on a couple of occasions.
That was to be as close as they got, and when Conor Whelan had a chance to find the net at the other end to add gloss to the scoreboard, the Kinvara man was ruthless in his finish at the end of his first appearance of the season, another good news story for Micheál Donoghue and the Galway support.
The imminent arrival of a humming Limerick team to Tullamore next Sunday will make it a lot harder for Offaly fans to feel good this week.
Scorers for Offaly: Adam Screeney 0-7 (0-5f), Brian Duignan 0-4, Jack Clancy 0-2, Ter Guinan 0-1, Donal Shirley 0-1, Oisín Kelly 0-1, Luke Watkins 0-1, Colin Spain 0-1.
Scorers for Galway: Cathal Mannion 1-8 (0-5f), Conor Whelan 1-1, Aaron Niland 0-3, Jason Rabbitte 0-3, Colm Molloy 0-3, Thomas Monaghan 0-2, Cianán Fahy 0-1, Stephen O’Halloran 0-1, Cillian Trayers 0-1.
Offaly
1. Liam Hoare (Carrig & Riverstown)
4. Brecon Kavanagh (Kilcormac-Killoughey)
3. Ben Conneely (St. Rynagh’s)
19. Patrick Taaffe (Belmont)
7. Jack Clancy (Belmont)
6. Killian Sampson (Shinrone)
5. Donal Shirley (Brosna Gaels)
8. Cathal King (Carrig & Riverstown)
9. Ter Guinan (Kilcormac-Killoughey)
10. Oisín Kelly (Belmont)
11. Conor Doyle (Clara)
12. Daniel Bourke (Ballinamere)
13. Eoghan Cahill (Birr)
14. Brian Duignan (Ballinamere)
15. Adam Screeney (Kilcormac-Killoughey)
Subs
Galway
1. Stephen O’Halloran (Craughwell)
2. Joshua Ryan (Clarinbridge)
3. Cillian Trayers (Turloughmore)
4. Ronan Glennon (Mullagh)
5. Pádraic Mannion (Ahascragh-Fohenagh)
3. Daithí Burke (Turloughmore)
19. TJ Brennan (Clarinbridge)
8. Gavin Lee (Clarinbridge)
9. Cian Daniels (Tommy Larkins)
12. Tiernan Killeen (Loughrea)
11. Cathal Mannion (Ahascragh-Fohenagh)
15. Aaron Niland (Clarinbridge)
25. Colm Molloy (Kilnadeema-Leitrim)
14. Jason Rabbitte (Athenry)
21. Tom Monaghan (Craughwell)
Subs
Referee: Johnny Murphy (Limerick).
******
Results – Allianz Hurling League
Division 1B
Division 2
******
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Division 1A Division 1A Hurling League GAA Hurling Match Report