Senior Footballers Stage Second Half Comeback To Beat Offaly in O’Byrne Cup Quarter Final

Sat, 6th January 2024

DUBLIN 0-11

OFFALY 0-10

A strong final-quarter showing proved telling as Dublin narrowly got the better of Offaly by the slimmest of margins in their Dioralyte O’Byrne Cup quarter-final in Gracefield, Portarlington on Saturday afternoon.

The visitors looked in trouble at the break as they trailed by 0-6 to 0-2 and Offaly maintained that four-point buffer by the end of the third quarter as they led by 0-8 to 0-4.

However, Dublin finished on the front foot with Brian O’Leary and Killian McGinnis landing crucial scores to get over the line and set up a semi-final meeting against Wexford this coming Saturday.

It was the hosts that controlled matters in terms of possession in the opening-half, despite Dublin opening the scoring through Cian Dunne in the 4th minute.

That score proved an isolated moment of positivity for the experimental Dublin selection as they struggled securing supply with the hosts levelling matters through a Nigel Dunne free in the 7^th minute.

Offaly spurned four presentable chances before eventually taking a deserved lead through Dylan Hyland in the 14^th minute and they doubled their lead three minutes later through a fine effort by Ruairí McNamee.

Brian O’Leary stalled their momentum briefly when adding Dublin’s second score in the 20^th minute but Offaly soon regained their control as they enhanced their lead through points in quick succession from Hyland and Kevin McDermott.

Matters deteriorated further for Dublin approaching the interval as Peter Duffy was black carded and with Hyland converting the resultant free, Offaly entered the turnaround with a merited four-point advantage.

A fisted effort by Cian Farrell within two minutes of the restart pushed their buffer to five points as Dublin coped relatively well with their numerical disadvantage.

The introduction of Evan Comerford at half-time brought a degree of security to their back-line as another substitute, Ben Millist, trimmed their deficit with a smart score in the 42^nd minute.

The half continued with Farrell and Dunne exchanging frees before Dublin enjoyed a period of dominance at the start of the final quarter, kick-started by O’Leary’s second point from play in the 56^th minute.

The Na Fianna player added a free two minutes later and the scores were level by the 63^rd minute as McGinnis repeated O’Leary’s trick by adding two quickfire points, one from a placed ball.

Another free from Farrell at the opposite end edged Offaly briefly back in front but an excellent point from McGinnis’ Skerries Harps clubmate Ethan Dunne saw the teams deadlocked once again by the 67^th minute.

The influential Brian O’Leary popped over to hand his team the initiative entering injury time and that lead was doubled as Shane O’Leary fired over with the goal at his mercy to double Dublin’s advantage.

Farrell’s third free of the half brought the hosts back into contention in added time but despite some late pressure, they were unable to force extra-time as the youthful Dubs advanced to the last four.

Scorers – Dublin: B O’Leary 0-4 (2f), C Dunne (1f), K McGinnis (1f) 0-2 each, B Millist, E Dunne, S O’Leary 0-1 apiece. Offaly: C Farrell 0-4 (3f), D Hyland 0-3 (1f), N Dunne (f), R McNamee, K McDermott 0-1 apiece.

Dublin: D O’Hanlon; L Smith, L Howley, E O’Dea; R Shaw, A Gavin, R Dwyer; E Dunne, P Duffy; D Dolan, B O’Leary, K Lahiff; C Dunne, L Swan, S Lowry. Subs: E Comerford for O’Hanlon (half-time), S Forker for Swan (half-time), K McGinnis for Dolan (half-time), B Millist for Dwyer (half-time), E Wilde for C Dunne (48), E O’Connor Flanagan for Shaw (49), K Murphy for Howley (68), S O’Leary for Lowry (68).

Offaly: I Duffy; A Bolger, D Hogan, L Pearson; R Egan, D Dempsey, J Furlong; J McEvoy, C Donoghue; D Hyland, C Egan, K McDermott; R McNamee, C Farrell, N Dunne. Subs: J Quinn for McEvoy (half-time), N Poland for Hyland (half-time), C Flynn for Dunne (half-time), A Sullivan for Egan (43), E Carroll for Donoghue (50), D McDaid for Pearson (55), D Finneran for Hogan (57), J Bryant for McDermott (63).

Referee: Enda Kelly (Westmeath).