Dublin 6-13
Offaly 0-6

Dublin thrashed a shell-shocked Offaly by 25 points at O'Connor Park this evening to set up a Leinster MFC final showdown with Kildare on Sunday week.

Cyril Kevlihan's charges produced an awesome display, scoring 6-9 from play, with dual star Con O'Callaghan and fellow inside forward Chris Sallier notching 4-8 between them. It was a result that very few saw coming, least not Offaly supporters who had pinned their hopes on this team going far in the championship after a forgettable year for GAA in the county.

But many of those same supporters were seen streaming out of the ground as early as half-time after two quick-fire Dublin goals just before the break left the score 3-7 to 0-3 at the short whistle.

Dylan Hyland opened the scoring for the hosts from a 40-metre free in the second minute before Chris Sallier levelled for the Dubs. Centre back Adam Mahon took a return pass from Cathal Mangan to restore Offaly's lead with a lovely point, but it lasted less than 60 seconds as Con O'Callaghan showed a clean pair of heels to Offaly full back James Lalor and beat 'keeper Cain Brereton with a powerful shot at his near post after Shane Clayton had supplied the pass.

Dublin's greater physicality and ball-winning ability around the middle was already manifesting itself as O'Callaghan tapped over a 20-metre free to give them a three-point cushion, 1-2 to 0-2, after 11 minutes.

O'Callaghan converted an even easier free and Colm Basquel extended the visitors' lead before Offaly made two substitutions in quick succession which saw Cillian Kiely and Shane Tierney replace Jack Egan and injured captain Ruairi McNamee respectively.

Dublin were utterly dominant at this juncture, but had to wait until the 24th minute for their next score from a Warren Egan '45'. O'Callaghan quickly followed up with another point before a rare Offaly attack yielded a free which Hyland slotted over from straight in front of the posts.

But the game was effectively ended in a devastating 30-second spell coming up to half-time which produced two Dublin goals. Sallier got the first after Egan found him unmarked on the edge of the small square and straight from the kick-out, Dublin won possession again and the ball was worked to O'Callaghan who teed up Aaron Byrne for a clinical finish to the bottom corner of Cain Brereton's net.

There was no respite for Offaly as O'Callaghan brought his tally to 1-4 with another classy point to leave 13 points in it at the break.

It got a whole lot worse for the home side when Dublin swooped for two more goals within two minutes of the restart. O'Callaghan raised his second green flag after Eoghan McHugh powered through the middle and, not to be outdone, Saddlier bundled home his second from Aaron Byrne's centre.

Adam Mangan and McHugh traded points before O'Callaghan left a massive 20 points, 5-9 to 0-4, between the sides after 40 minutes.

By now, Offaly had used all six of their substitutes, but it mattered little as O'Callaghan knocked over his sixth point. Much to the Faithful County's relief, Dublin decided to replace their brilliant full forward with 14 minutes remaining and Hyland got a point back from his third free.

Offaly's nightmare continued when O'Callaghan's replacement, Rian McBride, fisted home a sixth Dublin goal in the 50th minute after goalkeeper Brereton had failed to deal with a high ball.

The target practice went on as Sallier brought his tally to 2-2 before the Dubs were denied a seventh goal when Aaron Byrne hit the upright.

Midfielder McHugh - a brother of U21 star Conor - sailed through for his second point. Adam Mangan pointed for Offaly, only for Basquel to cancel it out with the final score of a woefully one-sided affair.

Scorers - Dublin: Con O'Callaghan 2-6 (3f), Chris Sallier 2-2, Aaron Byrne and Rian McBride 1-0, Colm Basquel 0-2, Eoghan McHugh 0-2, Warren Egan 0-1 ('45). Offaly: Dylan Hyland 0-3 (3f), Adam Mangan 0-2 and Adam Mahon 0-1.

Dublin: Eiven Whelan; Cian Murphy, Jack Mullins, Eoin Murchan; Aodhan Fee, Shane Clayton, Glenn O'Reilly; Andrew Foley, Eoghan McHugh; Warren Egan, Colm Basquel, Jack Burke; Aaron Byrne, Con O'Callaghan, Chris Sallier. Subs: Donal McIlgorm for Foley (33 min), Conor Kavanagh for O'Reilly (42 min), Rian McBride for O'Callaghan (46 min), Aaron Elliott for Burke (50 min), Brian Howard for Sallier (53 min) and Declan Monahan for Murphy (54 min).

Offaly: Cain Brereton; Aaron Whelan, James Lalor, Clint Horan; Jack Egan, Adam Mahon, Colm Doyle; Cathal Mangan, David Maloney; Ryan Heavin, Paddy Dunican, Jack Walshe; Dylan Hyland, Ruairi McNamee, Adam Mangan. Subs: Cillian Kiely for Egan (16 min), Shane Tierney for McNamee (17 min, injured), Paul O'Toole for Horan, Jamie Evans for Heavin (both half-time), Christian Brazil for Maloney (35 min) and Ciaran Farrell for Dunican (41 min).

Referee: Brendan Cawley (Kildare). Tweet

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