Hannify goal separates Offaly and Tipperary

ALLIANZ NHL DIVISION 1B RESULT:

OFFALY 1-15 TIPPERARY 0-17

Last season’s beaten finalists Tipperary lost out 0-17 to 1-15 to hosts Offaly on a dry pitch in Birr, as a second-half goal from home town forward Gary Hanniffy put daylight between the sides in Division 1B.

The visitors raced into a 0-06 to 0-02 lead inside the first twenty minutes as half back Paul Kelly (0-02f), half forward Sean Maher and corner forward Eoin Kelly helped themselves to points, with Rory Hanniffy and Brendan Murphy replying for Offaly.

Two more points for Paul Kelly looked to have given Tipperary, who teamed former Kilkenny player Denis Byrne and Eddie Enright at centre field, the half-time lead but a late rally of scores from the Hanniffy brothers saw Offaly into a 0-09 to 0-08 lead.

Three frees off the hurl of Rory Hanniffy early into the second half maintained a one-point advantage for the home side at 0-13 to 0-12 on 47 minutes before Tipperary again replied through Maher and Eoin Kelly.

Birr forward Gary Hanniffy struck a fierce shot past Brendan Cummins soon after as Offaly, minus the Whelehan brothers, raced into a two-point lead with five minutes remaining with scores from substitute Dylan Hayden and Rory Haniffy.

Eddie Enright slotted over in the dying seconds to make it a one-point game but time ran out for Tipperary, who were foiled on a number of occasions in the second half by Brian Mullins’ superb Offaly defence.