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Loads Of Room For Improvement As Offaly Over Ran By Longford In Second Half

Thursday, 9 February 2012

Paul McConway had his moments in the Offaly defence. TT06271.

Longford 2-15. Offaly 0-8.

NEW Offaly football manager, Gerry Cooney knew that a long road lay ahead when he stepped into the hot seat late last year but evidence of just how precarious it may be was still quite shocking when it was presented in Pearse Park, Longford on Sunday last.
A new look Offaly team did their very best and that is all anyone can ask. Not every player reached full potential, and some were a long way below their optimum level, but no one could fault the level of commitment and desire they displayed.
However, there was still an air of inevitability about the ease with which Longford went on to collect the points when they hit top gear in the second half. Offaly were quite competitive and gave a decent performance in the first half but they just could not match Longford in the second half and ended up on the receiving end of a very disappointing 2-15 to 0-8 defeat.
Offaly could have no complaints at the outcome and the final scoreline was a fair reflection of the difference between the teams - For the visitors, the most galling aspect is that Longford were no great shakes and are quite a limited outfit but they were made look good in the second half.
In the first half, Offaly gave as good as they got for the most part and they looked capable of challenging the whole way. They led by 0-4 to 0-3 after twenty two minutes and 0-5 to 0-4 after twenty five minutes but the rug was pulled from under their feet before the interval.
The decisive score of the game arrived eight minutes from the break with Peter Foy making a fine charge out of defence before the ball was moved into the hands of Paul Barden who quickly transferred to Paul Kelly and the half forward finished clinically from ten yards.
That goal gave Longford the lead and they extended their advantage to 1-6 to 0-6 at half time. With no real significant wind and conditions dry but heavy under foot, that deficit should not have been fatal and Offaly were still in with every chance.
Bernard Allen quickly cut the deficit on the resumption but sadly, it all veered downhill for Offaly after that. By the time, Willie Mulhall kicked their next point thirteen minutes from time, Longford had moved out of sight as they stormed into a 1-12 to 0-7 lead.
It meant the rest of the game was only of academic interest but Longford continued to dominate, adding another three points while sub, Niall Mulligan put the icing on the cake with a well taken goal after a fine move two minutes from time.
It was a thought provoking result for Offaly who now face a crunch home game against Roscommon next Sunday - A game that will go along way towards determining whether they end up in the promotion shake up or relegation battle this year.
Even if Offaly do end up in the relegation dogfight, patience is needed from everyone and hopefully no early season lynch mobs will be formed - That will help no one and the squad and management need time to prepare as they try to improve.
They certainly have a lot of work to do and their second half performance did not make for pretty viewing - They also ran out of steam and a lot of physical training is clearly needed.
At least in the first half Offaly gave a good account of themselves and even in the second half when they very much played second fiddle, there were flashes of encouragement - Times when they moved the ball with quick hands and asked questions of Longford.
Defensively Offaly were solid in the first half with Sean Pender and Brian Darby the pick of the bunch and in the attack, Anton Sullivan, Bernard Allen and especially Nigel Dunne, who showed well and won a lot of ball, posed plenty of problems for Longford. Unfortunately Offaly never established a real grip in midfield with Niall Smith below par while Brian Hanamy had his moments but will take time to settle into a new team.
Longford's Bernard McElvaney and John Keegan won the midfield battle comprehensively while two of their forwards reached a considerably higher level than Offaly - Full forward Sean McCormack was deadly accurate all afternoon, registering ten points, nine from frees, while Paul Barden really came into his own in the second half when he ran the show and proved to be a game breaker.
It had all started off encouragingly for Offaly as they more than held their own. Nigel Dunne proved a handful throughout the first half and he got Offaly off the mark inside the first minute after Alan Mulhall broke an Anton Sullivan ball - It was a half chance of goal but Dunne was content to tap it over the bar.
Longford hit back with points from Paul Kelly and Sean McCormack (Free) before Bernard Allen equalised with a seventh minute free after Dunne was fouled. Bernard McElvaney put Longford back in front but the home side were very wasteful for the next few minutes - Sean McCormack (Twice), David Barden and John Keegan all missed decent chances.
At the other end, Bernard Allen was wide from a free before Alan Mulhall pointed a '45' after Longford keeper, Damien Sheridan was penalised for carrying the ball over his end line.
A 22nd minute free from Alan Mulhall after the lively Bernard Allen was fouled put Offaly back into the lead. A McCormack free leveled it before another Alan Mulhall free put Offaly back in front.
Paul Kelly's goal, quickly followed by a Robbie Smyth point, put Longford in the driving seat. A good Alan Mulhall point kept Offaly snapping on their heels while McCormack's free sent Longford into the interval with a 1-6 to 0-6 lead.
In the second half, Offaly started well with Allen's lovely point while Anton Sullivan had a wide - Sullivan's shot selection was suspect all afternoon - and it all went downhill after this as Longford pulled away for a facile win.

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