Fennelly hails Offaly attitude in impressive opening show
OFFALY 2-28 KILDARE 0-18
OFFALY became the first side to record a victory in the 2020 season when they posted a 16-point win on Saturday in Birr, much to the satisfaction of manager Michael Fennelly, who said that it was the first real chance to make a meaningful assessment of his players.
“We’ve had five outdoor sessions with the players so it’s still very new,” Fennelly said after the game and before lining out for his club Ballyhale in yesterday’s Leinster final triumph.
“Games like this are good for me in particular because I’m not accustomed to the players. I know it’s early, it’s only the 30th November, but it’s great for me to see more about the lads.”
In the first half in particular, Offaly played a very effective brand of hurling, using short-range stick-passing well and shooting from good positions.
All six forwards scored in the first half, posting 0-16 between them, with no shots taken from long distance. Thomas Geraghty and Brian Duignan both got on the scoresheet early and went on to score four points over the course of the hour, while the experiment of moving Eoghan Cahill outfield was a resounding success.
The Birr man, who played in goal for Offaly in recent seasons, lined out at corner-forward and shot 1-10, 1-5 from play. “The performance was key, the attitude was key as well and we’ll drive on from here now,” added Fennelly.
Any doubts about the result were put to bed when Cahill fired in his goal early in the second half to move the lead out to 11, but Kildare responded well and outscored Offaly by 0-6 to 0-3 over the next 20 minutes.
The home side kicked on again in the closing stages, with Oisín Kelly adding their second goal while Cahill, Aidan Treacy and substitute Conor Langton all tacked on at least two points each.
“We’re a Christy Ring team, there’s no arguing about that,” said their Ballyhale supremo. “There’s no conversation to have, that’s where we’re going to be playing this year. But no, look, there’s a lot of talent in Offaly, there’s always good hurling in Offaly, but it’s just pulling them together hopefully and improving them.”
SCORERS – Offaly: E Cahill 1-10 (4f, 1 ’65); O Kelly 1-2 (1 sl); T Geraghty, B Duignan 0-4 each; L Langton, A Treacy, C Langton 0-2 each; S Cleary, D Nally 0-1 each. Kildare: M Delaney (4f, 1 ’65), J Sheridan (4f, 1 ’65) 0-6 each; S Ryan 0-3; C Melville, Conor Dowling, S Leacy 0-1 each.
OFFALY – S Corcoran; C Burke, D Egan, M Cleary; D Doughan, B Conneely, D King; A Treacy, J Sampson; T Geraghty, O Kelly, S Cleary; E Cahill, B Duignan, L Langton. Subs: D Nally for Sampson (46), P Geraghty for T Geraghty (46), C Langton for L Langton (51), E Parlon for S Cleary (53), O Murphy for M Cleary (54), P Rigney for Egan (65).
KILDARE – M Doyle; N Ó Muineacháin, J Doran, C Derivan; S Leacy, R Boran, D Costello; A Kelly, R Dunne; J Sheridan, J Burke, C Smith; S Whelan, C Melville, M Delaney. Subs: Cathal Dowling for Kelly (12), A Kelly for Melville (20), Conor Dowling for Dunne (25), S Ryan for Melville (30), C Gordon for Boran (43), Whelan for Burke (45), R Boran for Costello (52), R Dunne for A Kelly (59), J Connolly for Delaney (68).
REF – D Hughes (Carlow)