Offaly hammer Kerry to take control of Division 2A

Offaly outscored Kerry 2-10 to 0-2 between the first-half water break and half-time

Liam Langton scored 1-6 for Offaly. File picture: INPHO/Brian Reilly-Troy

Offaly 2-28 Kerry 0-13 

Offaly proved too strong for a depleted Kerry side in this crucial Allianz Hurling League Division 2A clash at Bord Na Mona O'Connor Park.

While Offaly fully deserved their win, Kerry were without ten players from last year’s Joe McDonagh squad and had to play with their third-choice full-back as Bryan Murphy (broken wrist) and Tomás OConnor (ankle) will miss most of the League.

Kerry boss Fintan O'Connor is not a man to use injuries as an excuse, however, and Offaly were fired up for this contest from the outset as they dominated for long periods.

It was a tense opening with the sides swapping scores as Offaly led 0-6 to 0-5 at the first-half water break. Colin Walsh gave Kerry the first score in the opening minute but that was their only lead as Offaly leveled shortly afterwards with an Eoghan Cahill free. The sides were level three times before Shane Kinsella gave Offaly a 0-6 to 0-5 at the water break.

On the resumption Offaly assumed complete control and with Ben Conneely a colossus at centre-back they took over, outscoring Kerry 2-10 to 0-2. 

Kerry were unable to get the ball into the inside line and once Liam Langton shot low to the Kerry net in the 20th minute, the writing was on the wall for the Kingdom. 

Points flowed from the impressive Brian Duignan (2), Cahill (3), Oisin Kelly, Leon Fox, and Langton before substitute Jason Sampson, just on the pitch, crashed the ball to the Kerry net. Kerry’s paltry return was points from Shane Nolan and Michael Leane. 

Offaly led 2-16 to 0-7 and it was purely academic in the second half.

Offaly continued to dominate in the second half as they scored points at will with Duignan, Langton, plus a number of subs adding to the total as a demoralised Kerry appeared to throw in the towel. 

Evan Murphy, Paudie O'Connor, Nolan, and Podge Boyle kept trying but it was a day where Offaly held all the aces.

Scorers for Offaly: L Langton (1-6); E Cahill (0-8, 4 frees, 1 65); B Duignan (0-5); J Sampson (1-0); J Murphy (0-2); O Kelly, P Guinan, J Murphy, K Sampson, L Fox, D Nally and S Kinsella (0-1). 

Scorers for Kerry: S Nolan (3 frees, 1 65), P Boyle (0-4 each); J Diggins, M Boyle, F Sullivan, C Walsh and M Leane (0-1 each). 

OFFALY: C Clancy; J Quinn, C Burke, D King; B Watkins, B Conneely, K Sampson; L Fox, R Ravenhill; S Kinsella, O Kelly, L Langton; E Cahill, A Hynes, B Duignan.

Subs: J Sampson for A Hynes (34), P Guinan for B Watkins (40), D Kelly for L Fox (44), J Murphy for S Kinsella (44), S Dooley for E Cahill (56), A Treacy for B Conneely (56), E Kelly for O Kelly (67).

KERRY: JB O’Halloran; J Buckley, E Murphy, N O’Mahony; J Diggins, B O’Mahony, F Mackessy; P O’Connor, D Collins; P Boyle, M Boyle, M Leane; C Walsh, S Nolan, M O’Connor.

Subs: E Leen for J Buckley (38), F O’Sullivan for M Leane (44), D Hunt for C Walsh (44), D Casey for M OConnor (50), B Lyons for J Diggins (55), C Savage for N O Mahony (67). 

Referee: N Wall (Cork).