ALL-IRELAND SFC QUALIFIER ROUND THREE Down 1-12 Offaly 1-10:DOWN WERE given a massive fright by an unfancied Offaly team before advancing to the next round of the All-Ireland senior football championship qualifiers in Tullamore on Saturday evening.
Hot favourites coming into the game, Down had to pull out all the stops before carving out a very hard-earned two-point win.
The visitors got on top in the second half and did just enough to win but they were fortunate they weren’t put to the sword in the opening 20 minutes.
Playing their best football of the year by a distance, Offaly came tearing out of the blocks and dominated Down in the opening quarter.
A brilliantly taken Ken Casey goal gave Offaly a dream start in the second minute but the home side could have had another three goals early on. A tame Casey shot was saved by Brendan McVeigh, a John Reynolds shot from five yards was blocked and Graham Guilfoyle hit the post when it seemed easier to score.
It was a sensational start by Offaly and they were full value for their 1-4 to 0-2 lead after 13 minutes. Down came more into the game after this and with Martin Clarke finding the range from placed balls, they were 0-5 to 1-4 behind eight minutes from the break.
Down also had their chances of goals as a Benny Coulter shot was deflected out for a 45 and Alan Mulhall did superbly to smother Ambrose Rogers’s shot.
Offaly led by 1-6 to 0-6 at the break but Down came out with all guns firing at the start of the second half. Crucially, Ambrose Rogers and Kalum King took over at midfield and the visitors camped in the Offaly half for the opening 10 minutes.
A superb Aidan Carr goal gave them the boost they needed as Down quickly stormed into a 1-8 to 1-6 lead. Brian Connor found his feet at midfield as Offaly came back into it and points from John Reynolds and Ciarán McManus (free) levelled it up after 49 minutes.
Down, however, were now looking likely winners. They went back to two points ahead by the 54th minute and while Offaly were always snapping on their heels, Down were able to close out the deal.
One of the primary Down heroes was full back Dan Gordon, who ensured Offaly’s ace marksman, Niall McNamee – who was ploughing a lone furrow up front in the second half – couldn’t make any headway.
DOWN: B McVeigh; D Rooney, D Gordon, D Rafferty; D O'Hagan, J Colgan, C Garvey; A Rogers, K King; P McComiskey, M Pollard (0-3, two frees), A Carr (1-0); J Clarke (0-2), B Coulter (0-1), M Clarke (0-5, four frees, one 45). Subs: D Hughes (0-1)for Carr 46 mins), K McKernan (for Colgan 49 mins), R Sexton (for McComiskey 55), R Murtagh (for J Clarke 63), A Branigan (for Garvey 69).
OFFALY: A Mulhall; B Darby, S Brady, S Pender; N Darby, R Brady (0-2, two frees), P McConway; R Dalton, B Connor (0-2); G Guilfoyle, C McManus (0-2, one 45, one free), A Sullivan; K Casey (1-1), J Reynolds (0-1), N McNamee (0-2). Subs: S Ryan (for McConway 30 mins), J Coughlan (for Dalton 41 mins), A McNamee (for McManus 66), D Egan (for Casey 69).
Referee: M Duffy(Sligo).
