SWEET 16 FOR NEW BOSS WALLACE
At first glance Kelly’s Westmeath side appear to be doing right things in narrow win over Laois
Offaly 3-16 Wexford 0-9
OFFALY made a convincing start to Stephen Wallace’s reign with an emphatic 16-point win over Wexford in the O’byrne Cup in Tullamore yesterday.
A first half purple patch for the home side put clear daylight between the sides and Offaly pulled away at their ease in the second half against fellow Division Three opposition.
A three-goal burst in a 10-minute spell set Offaly on their as Jordan Hayes (two) and Cian Johnson marked their debuts by raising green flags.
Hayes struck his first goal in the 13th minute while 18-year-old Johnson took a pass from Cian Donohue (left) to finish from a tight angle past Matt Doyle eight minutes later. Doyle was kept busy and pulled off a fine save to deny Bernard Allen in the 23rd minute but Hayes was on hand to finish the rebound to the net.
Offaly led 3-5 to 0-5 at the break and kept the scoreboard ticking over in the second half, their lead peaking at 16 points.