NHL Division One quarter final/ Tipperary 2-21 Offaly 3-14: Nice to see a semblance of the old Offaly back again. John McIntyre's young team may have faded in the home stretch yesterday but the positive signs, already apparent from victories over Wexford and Waterford, prove they have turned a corner from the annus horribilis that was 2005.
Granted, this was just a league quarter-final but the players' attitude and the feel of the 16,057 Thurles crowd both reflected a championship occasion. Much has already been said about Offaly's fresh talent on either square, teenagers Paul Cleary and Joe Bergin, but it is other personnel who allow these two to shine.
In David Franks and Brian O'Meara they have a pair of gutsy corner backs who, by and large, kept tabs on Tipperary captain Ger O'Grady and a recuperating Eoin Kelly. Although Kelly did gather a high ball to fire home the game's opening goal on 21 minutes.
The Hanniffy brothers, Rory at centre back and Gary in midfield, also had mighty afternoons. John Carroll left the field on 68 minutes without a score after tussling with Rory all afternoon. Brian Carroll was another to stand out with a personal tally of 2-5, including two of the best goals likely to be seen in Semple Stadium all season.
A famous victory was denied Offaly, however, by a Tipperary team who look capable of developing into genuine challengers, in the Munster championship at least.
Eight different players registered as Tipperary scores. Shane McGrath and Ken Dunne are unfamiliar names to fair-weather hurling enthusiasts but both showed championship pedigree here. They combined for eight mostly long range points, including Dunne's killer fifth point entering injury-time.
New blood becomes even more crucial as last year's captain Benny Dunne looks set for an extended period on the sidelines after damaging knee ligaments last week. Micheál Webster also picked up where he left off after his championship debut season with some giraffe like movements around the Offaly square. Nineteen year-old Paul Cleary had an educational afternoon tracking Webster but that battle, like so many others, ended honours even.
"We have to learn and sometimes you have to learn the hard way," said boss McIntyre. "We knew Tipperary, in front of their own supporters, on their own ground, would really be revved up for it and it wouldn't have looked great for them if a young Offaly team came down and beat them.
"But that was our target. It is a learning process and we learned a lot of harsh lessons today. We were vulnerable under their puck out and conceded a couple of soft scores from our own difficulties and problems. Now those lads, what they have learned form the league campaign is they are not as far off the top teams as some people would like to think they are."
Paul Kelly's magnificent skills got Tipperary on their way but time and again they were sucked back into a dogfight until Kelly's goal provided some breathing space.
You feared Offaly would fold but instead Carroll gathered Gary Hanniffy's direct pass, turned three defenders and raced down on Brendan Cummins. The great goalkeeper failed to stop the sliotar finding the top corner.
Paul Kelly and John Carroll then combined to give Webster a clear sight of goal. He took advantage of it. Cleary could have blocked the shot but he ran smack into the upright. But the young full back was soon back on his feet. Tough guys don't whinge.
On it went. Tipperary would pull clear with contributions from the Kellys, McGrath and Dunne only for the likes of Carroll and Michael Cordial to keep the visitors in reach. The scores were raining down. Carroll's second goal came from a ridiculously tight angle, when it seemed Brendan Murphy should have taken a point. The unselfish team captain knew best.
Remarkably, Offaly pulled level when a Cordial sideline cut was allowed skip across the Tipperary square. Cummins only half-cleared and Alan Egan's shot rustled the net.
Then the Offaly scores dried up. Tipp's didn't. Some 13 minutes passed before Carroll registered another point. It came too late. Still, there were more positives than negatives. Potentially even a new dawn. More will be revealed on May 7th when they play Laois in the Leinster championship.
Tipp manager Babs Keating was unavailable for comment yesterday. For the first time this season his players did the talking for him anyway.
TIPPERARY: B Cummins; P Curran, P Maher, M Ryan; E Corcoran, D Fanning, H Moloney (0-1); P Kelly (0-4, three frees); S McGrath (0-3), C Morrissey (0-2), J Carroll, K Dunne (0-5); E Kelly (1-3, one free), M Webster (1-2), G O'Grady (capt). Subs: D Egan for G O'Grady (47 mins), J O'Brien (0-1) for C Morrissey (60 mins), D Fitzgerald for J Carroll (68 mins).
OFFALY: S O'Connor; B O'Meara, P Cleary, D Franks; K Brady, R Hanniffy (0-1), D Tanner; G Hanniffy, A Hanrahan; D Hayden (0-1), M O'Hara, B Murphy (0-2, capt); B Carroll (2-5, four frees), J Bergin (0-2), A Egan (1-1). Subs: M Cordial (0-2, 1 sideline) for A Hanrahan (30 mins), D Murray for M O'Hara (51 mins), C Parlon for D Hayden (66 mins).
Referee: M Haverty (Galway).
