SF qualifier: Allen points the way for Offaly

June 08, 2019

Offaly's Ruairi McNamee celebrates his second-half goal against London

Offaly’s name will be in the bowl for Monday morning’s All-Ireland SF Qualifiers second round draw after they finished with 10 points to spare over London at O’Connor Park today.

John Maughan’s men ran Meath close in Leinster and they followed that up with an impressive 1-21 to 1-11 success over the Exiles.

Bernard Allen was the Faithful County’s main scorer-in-chief and finished with 0-11 to his name.

Backed by the wind, the home side were quick out of the blocks with three unanswered points but were knocked back on their heels in the 7th minute when Killian Butler goaled for Ciaran Deely’s charges against the run of play.

Offaly recovered from that set-back to take a 0-10 to 1-3 lead into the break with Allen very much to the fore.

The second-half followed a similar pattern and Ruairi McNamee’s 51st minute goal gave them an eight-point cushion (1-15 to 1-7) which allowed them absorb a spirited second-half showing by the visitors.

Offaly - P Dunican; D Dempsey, D Hogan, E Rigney; C Donohoe, J Moloney, N Darby (0-1); P Cunningham, E Carroll; S Horan, A Sullivan (0-3), C Mangan (0-1); B Allen (0-11, 5f), N McNamee (0-3, 1f), R McNamee (1-1). Subs: J O’Connor for C Donohoe, P McConway for S Horan, M Abbott for C Mangan, S Tierney (0-1) for R McNamee, S Nally for N McNamee, C Carroll for E Carroll.

London - G McEvoy; P Butler, M Moynihan, C O’Neill; D Carrabine, M Clarke, E Flanagan; A McDermott, L Feerick; M Gottsche, L Gavaghan (0-1), F McMahon (0-2); K Butler (1-1), C Doran (0-6, 3f), B Tully. Subs: N Maher for G McEvoy, L Mulvey (0-1) for B Tully, L Gallagher for A McDermott, A McGarvey for D Carrabine, D Dunne for F McMahon.

Referee - N Mooney.


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