Leinster U21 HC: fantastic Faithfuls final-bound after crushing Carlow
June 23, 2016
Carlow's Paraic Coughlan with Darragh Wyer of Offaly
©INPHO
Offaly will meet Dublin in this year's Leinster U21 hurling final - they whipped Carlow by 5-16 to 1-13 at Dr Cullen Park tonight.
Seeking their first title at this level since 2000, the winners are through to the provincail decider for the first time since 2008 and - on the evidence of tonight's powerful display against decidedly dangerous opposition - will put it up to the Dubs in Tullamore on July 6th.
At the end of a helter-skelter opening period during which both teams attacked freely, the Faithful County - who accounted for Kildare four weeks ago - led by 2-8 to 0-10 thanks to goals from Cillian Kiely and Oisin Kelly in the 18th and 19th minutes respectively. Further majors followed from Emmet Nolan (2) and Kelly as the victors hit an additional 3-8 after the break.
It was nip and tuck early on. Dylan Murray's converted free inside 30 seconds had the visitors off to a flying start but the hosts were level instantly courtesy of a Kevin McDonald free. Kelly and Conor Foley traded points before the Barrowsiders took the lead for the first time as Dion Wall marked his return from injury with a superb score, intercepting the sliothar before pointing at the Dublin Road end of his county grounds.
Moments earlier, under siege home goalkeeper Jack Barron had denied Kelly an opening Offaly goal. Murray's second had the sides level for the third time but James Doyle fired over the next Carlow score on ten minutes and another McDonald free after the referee implemented the advantage rule made it 0-5 to 0-3.
Nolan smashed a shot off the Carlow crossbar but Kelly grabbed the rebounder and pointed to halve the deficit; Murray's free levelled the scores at the midway stage in the first half. Teenager McDonald thumped over a free but the Faithfuls reclaimed the lead with a stunning 18th-minute goal from wing back Kiely. They would lead from here to the final whistle...
On a night of high drama (in the first half at least) and extreme weather conditions, Foley's attempt for a goal struck the woodwork before Kelly pounced quickly at the other end when the ball hit an upright to deliver the visitors' second goal - 2-5 to 0-6.
Doyle and McDonald (free) pointed either side of an Oisin Kelly reply and Darragh Wyer's excellent finish from midfield had the winners five ahead again with five minutes left before the break. Carlow were left frustrated when they had a goal effort saved by Eoghan Cahill for the third time but St Mullins clubman Doyle steadied them with his third point from play.
At the other end, Kilcormac-Killoughey's Murray replied from a free and the honour of closing the first-half scoring went to Doyle (free).
Johnny O'Toole-Greene extended Offaly's advantage shortly after the restart and a Kiely effort left two goals between the sides. Nolan's first goal five minutes into the second half settled the match as a contest and another strike from O'Toole-Greene left ten points between them. Murray continued the winners' lighting start to the second period (a run of 1-4) but Doyle hit back with the home side's first score since the interval and James Kelly pulled back another.
As the heavens opened, Foley finally got the goal his perseverance deserved when he bulged the Offaly net with aplomb in the 40th minute, reducing the arrears to six, 3-12 to 1-12, and Wall made it 1-3 without reply for the gallant hosts as they edged ever closer with a quarter of the game left.
The Faithfuls refused to panic: wing forward Ronan Hughes boosted Offaly with an inspirational point to stem the tide and Nolan (free) stretched the gap to seven before Murray drilled over another free - his eighth point of the night making it 3-15 to 1-13. Nine minutes from time, the in-form Cahill saved a McDonald penalty to further dash Carlow's hopes and it was a four-point swing as Nolan pointed immediately at the other end.
Carlow's woes were compounded when Foley received a straight red card for an off-the-ball incident in the 55th minute and Nolan hammered another nail into the coffin with his second three-pointer three minutes from the end. Belmont clubman Kelly continued the avalanche of goals with the fifth major - and his second - on the stroke of full time as Offaly powered over the winning line with a devastating 2-4 salvo.
Offaly - E Cahill; D Healy, D O'Toole Greene, P Delaney; A Cleary, B Conneely, D Doughan; D Wyer, P Guinan (0-1); J O'Toole Greene (0-1), D Murray (0-8, 4f, 1'65), R Hughes (0-1); E Nolan (2-2, 0-1f), O Kelly (2-2), C Kiely (1-1). Subs: C Freeman for D Wyer, L Langton for C Kiely, E Parlon for P Guinan, JP Cleary for R Hughes, C Taylor for P Delaney.
Carlow - J Barron; P Coughlan, G Cody, M Malone; J Murphy, S Whelan, E Redmond; K McDonald (0-6f), D Wall (0-2); D O'Neill, J Doyle (0-3), C Foley (1-1); L Galway, T Joyce, J Kelly (0-1). Subs: D Grennan for L Galway, J Whelan for D O'Neill, A Casey for E Redmond, K Hosey for J Kelly, L Cummins for P Coughlan.
Referee - J Heffernan.
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