Offaly hurler, Charlie Mitchell.
Joe McDonagh Cup, Round 3
OFFALY 5-31 MEATH 3-16
By Paul Keane at St Loman's Park, Trim
If this was a peek into the future of Offaly hurling, Faithful County supporters will be happy.
Charlie Mitchell, Dan Bourke and Adam Screeney - all U-20 All-Ireland finalists just last year - fired 3-11 between them as Offaly registered back-to-back wins in the Joe McDonagh Cup.
Killian Sampson and Oisin Kelly struck goals too as Johnny Kelly's side maintained their bid for a top-two finish in the group, a final spot and, ultimately, promotion back to the Liam MacCarthy Cup for 2025.
A week after leaking 7-29 to Laois, also in Trim, hosts Meath suspected they'd be up against it and deployed James Kelly, wearing number 10, as an extra defender.
They did give Offaly a few nervous moments, particularly approaching half-time when Nicky Potterton, who top scored for Meath with 2-5, blasted a couple of stoppage time goals to leave just five points in it at the break.
That gave the Royals, under the interim management of Kilmesan's Steven Clynch, renewed hope having trailed by 12 at one stage during the opening half.
But a strong third quarter from Offaly put them back in pole position and they hit the afterburners again in the final 20 minutes or so with sub Screeney proving influential.
Meath, the Christy Ring Cup holders, are in a tricky spot now after three straight defeats and they will view their Round 4 clash with Westmeath as a massive encounter in the context of the relegation battle.
Offaly, beaten by Laois in Round 1, never looked like slipping to a loss here despite Meath setting up with James Kelly as a sweeper and opened up a 1-4 to 0-02 lead after just seven minutes, thanks in part to Kelly's goal which was set up by full-forward Mitchell.
Mitchell, Bourke and free-taker Brian Duignan, under the watchful eye of his father and Offaly chairman Michael, then added points before Offaly registered their second goal in the 26th minute through Sampson.
It was all Sampson's hard work this time as he surged clear, lost possession of the ball but used his craft to finish to the net with a one-handed swipe.
With 35 minutes on the clock, Offaly led 2-17 to 0-11 and already looked to be home and hosed but Meath suddenly kicked into top gear and cut the deficit right back with those two Potterton goals in the 36th and 37th minutes.
Potterton's first came from play after an interception at the back and his next was a cheeky strike from a free that struck the net, leaving Offaly just 2-17 to 2-12 clear at half-time.
Kilcormac-Killoughey talent Screeney was brought on at half-time and immediately impacted the game with his wizardry, pinching a point. Offaly scored the first six points of the second-half to reestablish their authority.
Mitchell added Offaly's third goal in the 46th minute and Screeney played in Dan Bourke for their fourth major before sniping one himself after a turnover on the Meath goalkeeper's puck-out in the 53rd minute.
In the closing minutes it was a case of, would Offaly reach the 50-point mark as Laois had done at the same venue a week earlier? They came close, amassing a 46-point haul in the end with Eimhin Kelly among the scorers and Donal Shirley becoming the 11th different scorer for Offaly in stoppage time.
Offaly scorers: Charlie Mitchell 1-7, Dan Bourke 1-3, Eoghan Cahill 0-6, 0-3f, Brian Duignan 0-6 (0-5f), Killian Sampson 1-2, Adam Screeney 1-1, Oisin Kelly 1-0, David King 0-2, Eimhin Kelly 0-2, Cillian Kiely 0-1, Donal Shirley 0-1.
Meath scorers: Nicky Potterton 2-5 (1-5f), Tom Shine 1-2, Eamon Og O Donnchadha 0-2, David Murtagh 0-2, Kris Gorman 0-2, Niall McLarnon 0-1, Mark Horan 0-1, James Kelly 0-1.
Offaly: Mark Troy; Ben Conneely, Ciaran Burke; Cillian Kiely; Donal Shirley, David King, Sam Bourke; Cathal King, Eimhin Kelly; Killian Sampson, Brian Duignan, Eoghan Cahill; Oisin Kelly, Charlie Mitchell, Dan Bourke.
Subs: Adam Screeney for O Kelly h/t, Luke Watkins for S Bourke h/t, Dara Maher for Sampson 44-47 blood, Maher for Duignan 53, Paul Cleary for D Bourke 60, Jack Clancy for C King 67.
Meath: Charlie Ennis; Jarlath Ennis, Shane Whitty, Daire Shine; James Kelly; Kris Gorman, Sean Geraghty, Simon Ennis; David Murtagh, Niall McLarnon; Sean Martin, Tom Shine, Mark Horan; Eamon Og O Donnchadha, Nicky Potterton.
Subs: Mickey Burke for J Ennis 30, Sean Quigley for Martin 33, Domhnall Rogers for S Ennis 55-56 blood, Rogers for O Donnchadha 57, Damien Healy for McLarnon 63, William Gleeson for Murtagh 68.
Referee: Conor Daly (Kildare).