Offaly vs Down - Walsh Cup

[Offalys Future]

Ballymun is that the DCU facilities their?

[Lone Shark]

Not a clue - it says Ballymun Kickhams on the site, but having driven past their ground on the way to the airport several times (I've never actually crossed the threshold having said that) it doesn't look like a ground that would have the facility to host a night-time hurling match.

DCU does sound a lot more plausible.

[Offalys Future]

might be in the paper tm if not and you hear ya might let me know. thanks

[Bord na Mona man]

It would be Ballymun Kickhams all right.
They have a floodlit artificial pitch.

[Offalys Future]

meant be tough on the legs that surface.
If win play Wexford on Sunday in Tullamore. Great to win vs Down and get a big Offaly croud behind the lads for Sunday. Hopefully!!

[black and red exile]

Anyone going to the game tomorrow night? Or will I be standing there like like a spare prick at a wedding?

[Oceans 15]

The game has been changed again. It is on in Darver Co. Louth which is near Ardee

[DD]

The game has been changed again. It is on in Darver Co. Louth which is near Ardee

I believe that Darver GAA centre is very impressive and would put most counties to shame.. pity it's so far away!

[Offalys Future]

how far is that pitch from Dublin?
anyone going would have get to m50 before 4 yes?

[Bord na Mona man]

how far is that pitch from Dublin?
anyone going would have get to m50 before 4 yes?

It's supposed to be near Ardee.
I haven't looked it up on the map yet.
From Offaly you'd go on the N52 via Mullingar, Delvin, Kells. You'd be on some bad roads courtesy of our friends of Wastemeath county council, but traffic wouldn't come into the equation.

It would be just under 2 hours from Clara and I suppose 2.5 hours from Birr, the worst potential bottleneck being Tullamore ironically.
If you were going from Offaly via Dublin, it normally wouldn't be much worse time wise because of the motorway, but at rush hour you'd get held up at the M50 toll for a bit.

[Oceans 15]

Its halfway between Ardee and Dundalk. Its Louth GAA's Centre of Excellance.

[Offalys Future]

Offaly 4-13 Down 2-12.

Just got the result, if anyone has team, scorers etc post them up.

A win is a win, Good start to year and hopefully win on Sunday aswell.

[Bord na Mona man]

[Offalys Future]

Offaly 4-13 Down 2-12


Offaly's hurlers withstood a late comeback by Down in tonight's Walsh Cup quarter-final at Darver to ensure a place in the penultimate stage against Wexford.

Faithfuls boss Joe Dooley handed senior inter-county debuts to four players including Diarmuid Horan, son of former All-Ireland medallist Padraig.

The midlanders held a 2-12 to 1-4 half-time lead after being assisted by a strong wind in the first half.

It was first-half goals from Daniel Currams and former Galway minor Francis Kerrigan that did most of the damage as Offaly held the edge over the opening 35 minutes.

Down were far from pushovers and good work from Stephen Clarke and first half goal-scorer Brendan Ennis ensured that the Ulster side kept in touch.

However Jim McKernan's men really bounced back strongly in the second half thanks to some very effective play from substitute Kevin McGarry, Clarke and Paddy Coulter, as Offaly were left stunned.

Down managed to hold Offaly to just 2-1 in the second half, with that second goal being their only score of the final quarter.

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A resilient Down attack exerted huge pressure on the Offaly backs who struggled to cope with this renewed energy.

Down burst out of the blocks in the second half and were guilty of three wides inside the first four minutes, but suddenly settled thanks to a point from substitute Kevin McGarry.

Stephen Clarke tagged on a pointed free and although Kerrigan rattled the net for the second time for Offaly in the 47th-minute, a determined Down outfit kept plugging away.

Clarke and Paul Braniff picked off excellent points before Paddy Coulter cut the gap to seven points with a well-taken goal, after he flicked the ball to the net from a long puck-out from Graham Clarke.

Down did manage to whittle Offaly's lead down to five points with 12 minutes remaining, but Dooley's side succeeded in holding on for the victory, thanks to a late goal from substitute Joe Brady.

OFFALY: D Kilmartin; C Hernon, K Brady, D Franks; D Horan, J Bergin (0-1, 0-1f), D Kenny; C Mahon, B Teehan (0-2); S Dooley (0-4, 0-3f), G Oakley (0-2), J Gorman; D Currams (1-1), D Molloy (0-1), F Kerrigan (2-2).

Subs used: D Murray for D Molloy (42 mins), J Brady (1-0) for Gorman (54), J Rigney for Teehan (57).

DOWN: G Clarke; L Clarke, F Conway, P Hughes; S Wilson, C Courtney, G Clarke; A Savage, C Coulter (0-1, 0-1f), S Clarke (0-5, 0-3f), B McGourty, D Coffey; B Ennis (1-1), P Braniff (0-2), P Coulter (1-0).

Subs used: E Clarke for S Clare (26-28 mins, blood sub), K McGarry (0-2) for Coffey (26), R McGrattan for C Coulter (43), M Ennis for G Clarke (50), C Woods for McGarry (54), J Coyle (0-1) for B Ennis (61).

Referee: Frank Devereaux (Kildare)

[Bord na Mona man]

A good win for the Faithful.
A very strong wind meant it was the veritable a game of two halves. It was freezing also!
Offaly got 2-12 in the first half and 2-1 in the second (into the win in case you hadn't guessed)

It was 2-12 to 1-5 at half time.
Kerrigan from Tullamore got 2 goals.
Joe Brady got a late on to seal the win.
I can't remember who got the other - possibly Daniel Currams.

Joe Bergin stood out at centre back especially in the second half.
One of the other contributors will give a better run down tomorrow.