DCU march on to face Kildare

DCU began the defence of their O’Byrne Cup crown in impressive fashion last night, thanks to a clinical second-half display at Rhode.

The visitors held Offaly to two second-half points as they booked a quarter-final against Kildare next Sunday.

Ken Casey was eager to get Offaly’s 2011 campaign off to a positive start, as he landed two points inside the opening three minutes.

However, DCU’s Roscommon contingent quickly stood up to the plate with David O’Gara linking with Donal Shine for his sides opening score two minutes later. But Offaly looked dangerous and with the likes of Sean Ryan showing attacking prowess they quickly tagged on two points to take a 0-4 to 0-1 lead by the seventh minute.

Wexford’s Shane Roche, Martin McElhinney of Donegal and Shine all took points to tie the game for the first time at 0-4 each in the 24th minute.

However, Offaly pegged a point back through Dublin-based John Coughlan, but DCU took the lead for the first time approaching the interval.

Roscommon star David Keenan edged the visitors ahead in the 33rd minute, with a third Roche score ensuring a 0-8 to 0-6 half-time lead.

DCU failed to let up on the restart and were buoyed by the introduction of Donegal’s Michael Murphy.

They tagged on seven points without reply with Murphy, Roche, Shine and Cork’s Fionn O’Shea adding to the students tally. Offaly’s first point of the second half arrived in the 55th minute from Casey, but the hosts were held tight by a strong DCU defence.

Noel Andrew Graham cut the deficit to seven points with nine minutes remaining, but this was as close as his side got in the final quarter.

DCU (Roscommon unless stated): R Hennelly (Mayo); N Collins, K Gavin (WH), S Ormsby; J McCarthy (Dublin), N McAdam (Monaghan), C McGuinness (Monaghan) (0-1); F O’Shea (Cork) (0-2), M McElhinney (Donegal) (0-1); D Keenan (0-1), D O’Gara, C Rafferty (Louth); S Roche (Wexford) (0-5, 2f), D Shine (0-4, 2f), D Kelly (Sligo).

Subs: M Murphy (Donegal) (0-2) for Rafferty (HT); B Cullen (0-1) (Dublin) for Keenan (HT); L O’Donovan (Dublin) for Collins (49); B Watters (Cavan) for Kelly (50).

OFFALY: A Mulhall; S Pender, S Brady, J Keane; S Ryan, R Brady, S Lonergan; N Smith, R Dalton; NA Graham (0-1, 1f), K Slattery, C McManus (0-1, 1 45); K Casey (0-4, 2f), J Coughlan (0-1), J Reynolds (0-1).

Subs: N Dunne for Slattery (45); W Crampton for Smith (49).

Referee: David Gough (Meath).