U20s fend off a near fatal Faithful flurry

OFFALY have pipped Louth at the finish often enough at this grade in recent years for Fergal Reel’s team to get comfortable in Tuesday night’s victory in Darver.

There were two turning points in a game that was ultimately won by the hosts due to their superior artillery up front. Backed by a gale-force gust for the opening half, Offaly moved into a 1-2 to 0-0 lead after 14 minutes, during which time they also noted six wides.

Louth, unable to amass territory or penetrate when they did, got a lucky break subsequently as Kieran McArdle – the best player on display alongside Tadhg McDonnell and Offaly goalkeeper Conor Melia – intercepted Diarmaid O’Neill’s lateral kickpass and with

Melia the intended recipient, McArdle collected, raced 40m and shot to the empty net.

That was the beginning of a 1-7 salvo which went unanswered either side of halftime, at which stage the counties were tied at 1-2 apiece.

Darragh Dorian, McArdle, Aaron McGlew, James Maguire and Seán Reynolds stretched Louth’s lead to five and then the second moment of significance. Another Offaly giveaway, another burst by McArdle, another goal chance but this time Maguire’s powerful effort was repelled by Melia’s feet.

Sixty seconds later, at the other end, a dropping free was fumbled on the line by Cameron Maher and Cillian Bourke was on hand to strike past Cian O’Donoghue.

Louth won’t be happy with either of their major concessions. The first stemmed from a hopeful punt by Christian McKeon which neither O’Donoghue nor Shane Halpenny dealt with as Seán Afolabi-Joseph helped the ball on its way to the net.

And though McArdle and McDonnell whipped over beauties to strengthen the gap, Melia’s forays forward and distribution were becoming increasingly effective and O’Neill made up for his earlier error with a pair of sumptuous, outside of the left boot conversions from acute angles.

Only up by the minimum, Louth needed a response and they got it via McArdle and substitute Pearse Grimes-Murphy while ending the affair with 14 players following Reynolds’ black card.

LOUTH: Cian O’Donoghue; Ronan Deery, Cameron Maher, Shane Halpenny; James Maguire 0-2 (1f), Fionn Tipping, Tadhg McDonnell 0-2; Seán Callaghan, Dara McDonnell; Liam Flynn, Seán Reynolds 0-1, James Rogers; Darragh Dorian 0-1 (1m), Kieran McArdle 1-3 (0-1f), Aaron McGlew 0-1. Subs: Cormac McKeown for Halpenny (41), Pearse Grimes-Murphy 0-1 for Deery (52), Adam Gillespie for Dorian (56).

OFFALY: Conor Melia 0-2 (2f); Diarmaid O’Neill 0-2, Christian McKeon, Dylan Kilmurray; Luke Bourke, Geordi O’Meara, Dylan Byrne; Cillian Bourke 1-0, Marcas Dalton; Ross Kellaghan 0-1, Niall Furlong, Steven Doran; Seán Afolabi-Joseph 1-0, Robbie Gallagher 0-1 (1f), Luke Kelly. Subs: Cillian Foran for Kellaghan (48), Cameron Egan for L Bourke (52), Ben Kennedy for Gallagher (52), Eoin Smith for C Bourke (58).

REFEREE: Patrick Coyle (Meath).