Offaly defeat difficult to take

OH, to follow the misfortunes of Offaly footballers.

There has been no heavier cross to bear over the past few summers. Not in Leinster, anyway. The wistful smiles of Offaly supporters at the final whistle in Croke Park yesterday indicates they are gone from visitors to residents of Heartbreak Hotel.

Perhaps the gods are poking fun at Offaly supporters in some sort of bizarre karmic pay-back for Seamus Darby's moment in the sun all those years ago. But you have to feel for them.

Mick O'Dwyer felt his side just about deserved victory on the strength of their second half performance. As spirited as their come-back was, and they did play some fine football in the final 15 minutes, most of the 35,482 within Croke Park would take issue with that assessment.

Offaly led from the 10th minute, they dominated possession, had a healthy half-time lead despite their inaccuracy, and yet they fell. Fell because of a second of inspiration from Munnelly and fell because of their inability to take a score.

The gladdening sight of Beano McDonald returning to championship football so soon after his horrific leg break roused the largest Laois cheer of the day in the 68th minute. He definitely made an impact. He played a part in the goal. However, O'Dwyer is long enough in the tooth to realise the turning point came moments after Beano's introduction.

With Offaly still a point ahead, 1-8 to 0-10, James McNamee was given the relatively simple task of tapping over a close-range free. No tasks are simple on a summer Sunday, as McNamee found out.

Colm Quinn, whom Offaly normally rely on in these situations, was substituted moments beforehand and McNamee's effort flew across the face of the goals and drifted wide.

It was the story of Offaly's day. They hit 19 wides, nine in a first half they controlled, and their attack simply didn't match the conviction of their defence and midfield. Had they, Kevin Kilmurray would be preparing his team for Kildare now, rather than wondering how his team are going to rise for the qualifiers.

This Leinster championship is the most competitive event in modern gaelic games. Most of the teams left will fancy their chances of taking the title Kildare stripped of Westmeath yesterday. Still, it's hard to envisage Jack O'Connor or Joe

Kernan losing sleep after watching a video of yesterday's double-bill, exciting as it was.

Laois can only improve. Offaly forwards could learn a thing or two from Munnelly and John Doyle's display for Kildare. Doyle buried the myth that Kildare had no forwards yesterday as he played a major part in de-throning Westmeath.

Even after last summer, it can't be much fun being a Westmeath supporter either. It has been a short reign in Leinster their main flaw is an over-dependency on their most talented footballer.

Even someone as gifted as Dessie Dolan needs a supporting cast. Yesterday, he had none.

Young Kildare players, under-21s mostly, grew into men like Mick Foley who nailed an inspirational point in the 60th minute. With a couple of minutes left, Mick Wright fell to the ground with cramp. Westmeath players complained of gamesmanship, but you could forgive the Lilywhites a bit of cramp in the dying moments such was their effort.

As they left Croker, one Kildare man declared that sort of performance should bring the support out against Laois. It's perhaps a bit early to talk about the Lily-white bandwagon rolling again, but the Leinster title is there for anyone who wants it.

As yesterday proved.