Tailteann Cup semi-final: Wicklow through to the final after dramatic comeback

Tailteann Cup semi-final

Wicklow 2-26 Offaly 4-15

By Paul Keane at Croke Park

Underdogs Wicklow produced a stunning second half performance at Croke Park to power through to their first ever Tailteann Cup final.

Led by goalkeeper Mark Jackson, who converted three two-point frees, man of the match Christopher O'Brien, who also registered 0-6, and talisman captain Dean Healy, the Garden County came from eight points down at half time to win by five.

Having beaten Westmeath in last year's tier two championship, and pushed Dublin so close in Aughrim in this season's Leinster championship, it's the biggest result so far of the Oisín McConville era.

Wicklow will return to Croke Park on July 11 for a final clash with tournament favourites and 2024 champions Down.

The Division 4 outfit can fancy their chances of a famous national title success if they replicate their second half display having outscored Offaly by 1-17 to 1-4 in that period as they cut loose with dramatic consequences.

But it's a disappointing end to Offaly's season having fancied their chances of reaching the final for the first time, and particularly when they enjoyed such a big lead at the interval in front of 9,854.

Defeat to Laois at the earliest stage of the Leinster championship in April was a big blow to Offaly and forced them to go right back to the drawing board.

They recovered impressively with wins over Clare, Down and Wexford and hit the ground running in their first semi-final since 2022, netting three times in the first half.

Wicklow actually got on the goal trail first, Eoin Darcy bursting onto a Pádraig O'Toole pass and blasting to the net in the 16th minute.

But within seconds, Offaly had responded with their first goal, from Dylan Hyland.

He showed all his experience when rounding Wicklow 'keeper Jackson and delaying his kick just long enough to create the space to rifle beyond a couple of defenders to the net.

A minute later, Marcas Dalton powered straight through the centre of Wicklow's defence and released a sidewinder that flew beyond Jackson, 2-06 to 1-6.

Keith O'Neill and then Jack Bryant each added a brace of points for Offaly who then closed out the half with a Shane Tierney goal, the Daingean man palming in after O'Neill's ball across the goal mouth to put the Faithful 3-11 to 1-9 clear at the break.

Wicklow wing-forward O'Brien caused Offaly problems in the right side of their defence early on, slotting three points in the first 10 minutes, and he added a two-pointer from the same area after the restart. Then skipper Healy added a point and came surging into the game, leaving Wicklow just five behind.

Jackson's second two-pointer of the game, from a free, reduced it to three, 3-11 to 1-14.

Meanwhile, at the other end, the scores dried up on Offaly who twice struck the woodwork during the third quarter.

McGraynor was fouled about 50 metres out from the Offaly goal in the 50th minute and punched the air in delight, knowing Jackson would probably nail the kick, which he did.

Then things really started to go McGraynor's way. Firstly, he pointed from a free won by Healy and then, after he was fed by Healy, got lucky with a point attempt that dropped short and, somehow, went through the hands of Offaly goalkeeper Conor Melia.

Suddenly, Wicklow were three points ahead, 2-18 to 3-12.

It was thrill-a-minute stuff and while Offaly pinched a fourth goal through top scorer Jack McEvoy in the 57th minute, all the momentum was with Wicklow who kicked on for a landmark win.

Eoin Murtagh's two-pointer, Wicklow's fifth of the game, kept them on the front foot and they finished with the last three points of the game to win in some style.

Wicklow scorers: Mark Jackson 0-6 (3 tpf), Christopher O'Brien 0-6 (1 tp), Oisín McGraynor 1-3 (0-1f), Eoin Darcy 1-2 (0-1f), Eoin Murtagh 0-2 (tp), Kevin Quinn 0-2, Dean Healy 0-1, Pádraig O'Toole 0-1, Jonathan Carlin 0-1, Joe Prendergast 0-1, Darragh Fee 0-1.

Offaly scorers: Jack McEvoy 1-4, Dylan Hyland 1-0, Marcas Dalton 1-0, Shane Tierney 1-0, Keith O'Neill 0-4 (0-1f), Jordan Hayes 0-3, Jack Bryant 0-2, Harry Plunkett 0-1, Rory Egan 0-1.

Wicklow: Mark Jackson; Tom Moran, Gavin Fogarty, Malachy Stone; Eoin Murtagh; Darragh Fee, Matt Nolan, Jonathan Carlin; Dean Healy, Jack Kirwan; Pádraig O'Toole, Christopher O'Brien; Oisín McGraynor, Kevin Quinn, Eoin Darcy.

Subs: Cian Deering for Fogarty 44, Joe Prendergast for Kirwan 55, Mark Kenny for Darcy 68.

Offaly: Conor Melia; Shane O'Toole Greene, David Dempsey, Lee Pearson; Cormac Egan, Diarmuid Egan, Marcas Dalton; Jack McEvoy, Jordan Hayes; Kyle Higgins, Keith O'Neill, Aaron Leavy; Dylan Hyland, Shane Tierney, Jack Bryant.

Subs: Harry Plunkett for Tierney 41, Rory Egan for Higgins 44, Ciarán Murphy for McEvoy 49-51 blood, Nathan Poland for Bryant 61.

Referee: Seán Lonergan (Tipperary).