All Ireland SFC Round One Qualifier

OFFALY 2-20 ANTRIM 1-15

By Kevin Egan at Bord Na Mona O’Connor Park

New Offaly manager Paul Rouse got his tenure off to a perfect start tonight in Bord na Móna O’Connor Park as his Faithful County charges produced a dominant attacking display to easily account for Antrim and secure their place in Monday morning’s qualifier draw.

A series of wides in the first quarter, a nailed on goal opportunity denied in the second and a straight red card for star forward Nigel Dunne in the third – Offaly had to overcome some setbacks in a game where they were by far the dominant side from general play, but they kept on pushing forward and playing an open, attacking game, and they got their rewards in the closing stages as they powered on to wrap up an eight-point win.

Dunne, who endured a torrid afternoon against Wicklow in the Leinster Championship, looked to be in sensational form early on as he led the way for Offaly with a couple of excellent points from play, but his accuracy wasn’t matched by his colleagues, who converted just three of seven chances in the first 20 minutes.

Antrim, by contrast, had to live off scant rations up front but they made what they received count, taking an 0-5 to 0-3 lead through scores from Paddy McBride, Ryan Murray and Kristian Healy.

Their lead could have been even more substantial as their first wide was a glaring miss from full back Patrick Gallagher, blasting the ball high and left from 15 metres out with Ruairí McCann making great ground on his left shoulder.

Slowly Offaly settled into the contest, and one Antrim suffered another key injury loss – midfielder Conor Murray was forced off after 23 minutes – the Faithful men started to gather momentum. John Moloney moved to full forward and the big Tullamore man ran riot, scoring three points, setting up another and almost adding a goal, only to be denied by a remarkable last-ditch tackle from Peter Healy with the goalkeeper beaten.

0-11 to 0-8 at the interval became 0-13 to 0-9 by the 41st as Brian Darby, the other starting player who wasn’t in the squad at the time of the team’s Leinster Championship defeat, burst forward to score one point and set up another for Shane Nally.

The tide looked to shift Antrim’s way when Nigel Dunne got a straight red card and points followed from Patrick McAleer and Patrick McBride to halve the gap, suggesting a turnabout in fortunes. Instead, Offaly rallied in style, once their nerves were settled with a long range Alan Mulhall free.

Cian Donohue ended a slow, patient build up with a punched point before Bernard Allen and Brian Darby combined for a crucial goal to make it 1-15 to 0-11.

That margin was maintained until injury time, when Jamie Evans and James Smith traded goals in the space of 30 seconds, long after the result was known and the home contingent in the 2,046 supporters could go home happy, having witnessed what they hope will be a crucial turning point in Offaly’s footballing fortunes.

Scorers for Offaly: Bernard Allen 1-3 (1f), John Moloney 0-4 (0-1 free), Nigel Dunne 0-3, Jamie Evans 1-0, Alan Mulhall 0-2 (2fs), Shane Tierney 0-2 (1f), Conor McNamee 0-1, Brian Darby 0-1, Niall Darby 0-1, Shane Nally 0-1, Michael Brazil 0-1, Cian Donohue 0-1.

Scorers for Antrim: Patrick McBride 0-6 (3fs), James Smith 1-0, Ryan Murray 0-2 (1f), Stephen Beatty 0-2, Collum Duffin 0-2, Kristian Healy 0-1, Patrick McAleer, Michael McCarry 0-1.

OFFALY: Alan Mulhall; Brian Darby, James Lalor, Seán Pender, Declan Hogan, Paul McConway, Niall Darby; Michael Brazil, John Moloney; Cian Donohue, Shane Nally, Conor McNamee, Nigel Dunne, Anton Sullivan, Bernard Allen.

Subs: Ruairí McNamee for Nally (44), Jamie Evans for Donohue (58), Shane Tierney for Allen (64), David Dempsey for Hogan (66), Jordan Hayes for Sullivan (68), Eoin Carroll for John Moloney (70+2) ** **

ANTRIM: Andrew Hasson; Kevin O’Boyle, Patrick Gallagher, Niall Delargy; Peter Healy, Mark Sweeney, James Laverty; Patrick McAleer, Conor Murray; Patrick McBride, Matthew Fitzpatrick, Ruairí McCann; Kristian Healy, Ryan Murray, Colum Duffin 

Subs: Stephen Beatty for C Murray (23), Niall McKeever for O’Boyle (28), Michael McCarry for McKeever (53), James Smith for McCann (54), Odhran Eastwood for K Healy (58), Pat Branagan for Laverty (61).

**REFEREE: **Martin McNally (Monaghan).