Offaly answer knockers in style

A MUCH-maligned Offaly side produced one of the shocks of the All-Ireland SFC qualifier weekend with a deserved victory over Division One opponents Monaghan in Tullamore.

In front of a crowd of 3,300, at least two thirds of which were supporting the visitors, Offaly put their Leinster Championship defeat to Wexford behind them to shock their Ulster visitors. The home side had been written off going into the game and they had come in for some stinging criticism, most notably from RTÉ hurling analyst and former county start, Michael Duignan who publicly questioned their discipline, commitment and pride in the Offaly jersey. The players answered their knockers with a stunning display which came as no surprise to manager Tom Cribbin.

He said: “That’s the best football they’ve played under me. I knew it was in them and I could see that and it was just about getting it out of them. We got the breeze in the first-half and that was important as we need to stay in the game early and then stay ahead. We have a young team and that gives them the confidence to perform at a different level.”