Offaly Brush Aside Students to Reach Final
Thursday, 3 February 2011
Brian Carroll sends the ball goalwards in Offaly's Walsh Shield victory over UCD in Banagher. MT05514
Offaly 0-23. UCD 0-12.
Offaly booked a date with Carlow in the Walsh Shield Final next weekend after they dished out an 11 point drubbing to UCD in Banagher on Sunday morning.
With a severe chill in the air, the brave supporters that turned out were treated in large parts to some encouraging signs for the year ahead and also to a rare semi-final win.
Carlow now lie in wait as the Faithful County make the journey to Carlow on Saturday for the Shield final. It may only be a glorified challenge match but nonetheless it's a final and any final worth getting to is a final worth winning.
Offaly fielded an experimental side mainly due to the large number of players on the treatment table but those given their chance certainly impressed.
Seir Kieran duo Brian Mulrooney and Thomas Carroll both caught manager Joe Dooley's eye and have done themselves no harm for inclusion in Saturday's final. Offaly started with Shane Dooley in the full forward position and this was just one of a number of changes to the listed side.
Dooley missed a couple of early frees but once he got into his groove he notched up an impressive nine point haul. A three point first half lead could well have been six or seven but for some wayward shooting but that was well and truly rectified in the second half as Offaly turned on the style eventually racking up and impressive 23 points with 14 coming from play.
James Rigney had a blinder at full back with Cathal Parlon full of beans at midfield. Brian Carroll got into the game when moved out the field having started in the corner.
UCD didn't show their full hand. With Fitzgibbon Cup on the horizon a number of players were left behind including Tipperary ace Noel McGrath.
UCD were first off the mark with a long range free from Keith Hogan but Shane Dooley quickly cancelled that out in the fifth minute with a free of his own.
Both sides traded scores and after 17 minutes the scoreboard read 0-3 to 0-3 with Cathal Parlon popping up with the pick of the scores. From this point on Offaly started to exert their extra class and rolled into a two point lead through excellent scores from Shane Dooley and Joe Bergin.
UCD got back on level terms by the 24th minute but a powerful last 10 minutes in which we saw a hat-rick of dead balls from Shane Dooley and a super solo effort from Cathal Parlon saw Offaly into the dressing rooms 0-9 to 0-6 in front.
A total of six substitutions were made between both teams at half time with Offaly introducing Kevin Connolly and Michael Verney. Offaly continued where they left of in the first half and tagged on early points through Thomas Carroll and a long range Shane Dooley free.
Keith Hogan kept UCD in touch but the sliother kept rolling for Offaly and Brian Carroll got his first of the day from out near midfield on 42 minutes. Carroll had a fine game once moved out the field and looked a lot more at home in the open spaces.
Joe Bergin was a constant thorn in the UCD rearguard and his aerial presence was standing to him. He pointed in the 46th minute before Shane Dooley drove over another long range free to leave the scores 0-14 to 0-8 with 48 minutes on the clock.
Conor Allis briefly halted the Offaly momentum but a quick fire double from Thomas Carroll and Brian Carroll left the students as good as beaten, trailing by eight points with 12 minutes left.
Dooley rattled over another free before being called ashore and even though UCD used seven substitutes, Offaly drove it home with Brian Carroll taking over the free taking duties.
Offaly went over the 20 point mark in the 65th minute when Carroll popped over a free and all that was left was for Joe Bergin and Thomas Carroll to each get their third point of the day and send Offaly over the line as convincing winners.
Scorers: Offaly: Shane Dooley (0-9, 0-6 frees & 0-1 '65'), Brian Carroll (0-4, 0-2 frees), Thomas Carroll & Joe Bergin (0-3 each), Cathal Parlon (0-2), Daniel Currams & Dylan Hayden (0-1 each).
UCD: Keith Hogan (0-5, 0-3 frees), Conor Allis (0-4, 0-2 frees), Oisin Gough, Cian McBride & David O'Connor (0-1 each)
OFFALY: James Dempsey; Brian Mulrooney, James Rigney, Stephen Egan; Dylan Hayden, Peter Healion, Derek Morkan; Cathal Parlon, Conor Mahon; Daniel Currams, Joe Bergin, Thomas Carroll, Brian Carroll, Shane Dooley, James Mulrooney. Subs: Kevin Connolly (for James Mulrooney, half time), Michael Verney (for Stephen Egan, half time), Michael Cordial (for Daniel Currams, 51 mins), Paul Bermingham (for Shane Dooley, 59 mins), Kevin Brady (for Derek Morkan, 62 mins).
UCD: Jamie Ryan; John Doyle, Sean Cummins, Oisin Gough; Willie Devereux, John O'Loughlin, Shane Norton; Brian O'Shea, Domhnall Fox; Conor Allis, Keith Hogan, Cian McBride, David O'Connor, Walter Walsh, Eanna MacSuibhne
Subs: Ciaran Brennan (for John Doyle, half time), Kevin O'Loughlin (for Shane Norton, half time), Fergus Hannon (for Domhnall Fox, half time), James Foley (for Walter Walsh, half time), Brendan Phelan (for John O'Loughlin, 45 mins), Domhnall Fox (for Fergus Hannon, 47 mins), Michael O'Sullivan (for Jamie Ryan, 59 mins).
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