Late points from Chin and Casey spoil Offaly party
OFFALY came desperately close to a first senior hurling win in eight years over Wexford, but had to settle for a share of the spoils in O’Connor Park yesterday.
While their 1-15 to 0-18 draw will raise a few eyebrows, it will ultimately feel like a missed opportunity for Johnny Kelly’s charges as they led by two points against a home side reduced to 13 men two minutes into injury time of their Division 1A clash
But a Lee Chin converted free – the Wexford veteran finished with 0-9 – and a Seamus Casey point ensured that Keith Rossiter maintained his unbeaten start as manager with backto-back draws.
Offaly had all the momentum at the death when Brian Duignan fired an equalising goal in the 66th minute, which he followed up by converting a lead free which was added to by another from David King.
King was fortunate to see out the game as he grabbed the face-mask of Wexford sub Jack O’Connor in the 47th minute, but when the latter responded in kind referee Sean Stack sent him alone to the line.
Three minutes from the end, he was joined by wing-back Charlie McGuckian as he also red.
Offaly dominated the first-half and must have felt short-changed at the interval as they led by just two points. 0-11 to 0-9.
It was scant reward for a bright start as a run of unanswered points from Adam Screeney, Cillian Kiely and Charlie Mitchell saw then scorch into a 0-5 to 0-1 lead inside eight minutes,
And while the scores dried up, their superiority around the middle and Duignan’s long range striking ensured the Faithful County were still in control with 10 minutes to go to the break as they led by 0-9 to 0-4.
But despite struggling to find any rhythm, the home side stayed in the game – even while spurning a goal chance late in the half, when the otherwise impressive Cian Byrne dragged his ground effort wide from close range.
Meanwhile, Kerry’s difficult start to the new season as they crashed to a 213 to 1-19 defeat to Down in Ballycran yesterday.
Having lost to Carlow, it means that Stephen Molumphy’s side sit rooted at the bottom of Division 2A, pointless after two rounds.