Offaly Favourites To Topple Carlow
Thursday, 3 February 2011
Last Sunday saw Offaly qualify for the final of the Walsh Shield at the expense of the students from UCD. With Shane Dooley hitting nine points and an all round spread of scores, Offaly manager Joe Dooley will have been satisfied with the victory and in particular with the second half.
Offaly held a three point half time lead that probably should have been more but seven first half wides but paid to that. Having been heavily defeated by Limerick the evening before in Birr, Offaly Banisteoir Joe Dooley was glad to get back to winning ways and into a final even if it is only a shield final.
Offaly's second half performance and the fact that they got stronger as the game went on is a good sign of character and indeed of their fitness. Carlow will provide the opposition in the final on Saturday at 2.30p.m. in Dr.Cullen Park.
They defeated Westmeath on Friday night in Mullingar on a scoreline of 2-13 to 0-16 to set up the clash and with the game being on home soil for them, they will fancy their chances of rattling a few feathers but the reality of the situation is Offaly will go in raging hot favourites and unless things go drastically wrong, they should walk away with the Walsh Shield.
Speaking after his side's victory on Sunday, Joe Dooley was content with the victory. 'We were three points up at half time but we should have been six, seven or eight points ahead. We missed a few frees and had a good chance of a goal but in fairness the lads dug in and ground out the win'.
He revealed that they have been doing a lot of training in the last few weeks but insisted it's part and parcel of the game. 'We have put in a few hard weeks doing four and five nights a week. It's just that time of the year when lads are a bit dead looking in themselves.
'The biggest concern at the moment is the injuries. We have Paul Cleary, Derek Molloy, David Kenny, Joe Brady and Ger Healion all out injured. Brendan Murphy is still not back and David Franks is still to come back. They are all key men but lads are getting their chance without them.'
The Walsh Shield is far from top priority but the former All-Star is looking forward to the final and the chance to keep up wining habits. 'We have a final in this now at the weekend. It's a competitive game. You can play challenge games all you like but they're not the same as competitive games'.
Offaly begin their National League campaign in Pairc Ui Chaoimh, Cork on Sunday 13th February and will be looking for strides to be made before Championship actions begins.
Subscribe to read full newspaper »
Send to a friend
Please complete the following form to inform a friend about this page.
