Dooley hits hat-trick to help Faithful repel Westmeath’s charge
OFFALY escaped a huge scare to book a place in the last four of the Leinster hurling championship by producing a much-improved second half performance to deny Westmeath at TEG Cusack Park.
Shane Dooley was the hero for the visitors, accumulating 3-8, including the match-winning goal in almost the final act of a dramatic fourminute injury-time period.
Westmeath were by far the better outfit in the first period and were probably value for more than their 0-12 to 1-7 interval lead.
Offaly rallied in the second half and when Dooley appeared to get the last touch as the sliotar was nudged over the Westmeath goalline in the 67th minute, it was 3-14 to 0-18, and the game looked in the bag.
It looked like Westmeath should have had a penalty when Jack Galvin was heavily challenged but they got a free from the next phase of play, converted by Alan Devine. He quickly followed with a 65m free to bring his tally to 10 and reduce the margin to a goal.
And that came two minutes into injury-time, when Killian Doyle somehow beat Offaly goalie James Dempsey from almost the endline, after Joey Boyle had made a stupendous catch.
Before the cheers had faded though, Dooley was striking again at the other end of the field, his block on Westmeath netminder Paddy Maloney’s attempted clearance sending the sliotar to the net.
Just 34 seconds separated the scores but Westmeath almost levelled again, but Dempsey dived full length to flick away Brendan Murtagh’s touch. Dooley hit a point at the other end while falling to confirm the result.
The game got off to a lively start, with both teams clearly pumped up and conceding some early frees.
Devine converted his first two opportunities for Westmeath, either side of Dooley hitting the mark for Offaly. In the sixth minute, Maloney inexplicably took out Dooley under a high ball however and the Tullamore veteran gleefully accepted the opportunity by powering his shot to the corner.
Westmeath required two last-ditch interventions from Tommy Gallagher to prevent the concession of another goal but the Castlepollard defender had to go off moments after his second block with what looked a nasty knee injury.
His replacement Darragh Egerton was among the scorers though, along with Boyle, Aonghus Clarke and Robbie Greville as the Lakesiders took complete control in the second quarter.
While Offaly failed to win any primary possession in attack, Westmeath’s forwards had no such difficulties and had they been a little more judicious with their shooting, would have had more than five points in hand at the interval.
Kevin Ryan had seen enough and made two switches, introducing Joe Bergin and Paddy Murphy. Both had a big impact, as did Liam Langton and now that they have progressed, it will be a concern for the Offaly boss that he changed four starting forwards by the 51st minute.
Dooley took his scoring opportunities from placed balls, while Bergin and Langton hit the target too as Offaly drew level.
A brace of Devine frees edged Westmeath ahead again but Emmet Nolan’s 64th-minute goal, and Dooley’s three minutes later gave the Faithful County the advantage.