Adam Screeney goal sets up Offaly U20s for easy win over Kildare

A player picks up a sliotar with his hurley during the game. Pic: Brendan Moran / SPORTSFILE

OFFALY 2-20 KILDARE 1-10

Offaly’s clinical finishing and sharper hurling in the first-half of their Leinster U20 hurling championship preliminary quarter-final put them in a commanding position by half-time, and it meant that Leo O’Connor’s side could afford some dreadful profligacy when wind-assisted after the break and still come through as comfortable winners against Kildare.

A fiercely strong breeze blew at Kildare’s backs in the first-half and the visitors started well through good scores from Conn Kehoe and Killian Harrington, with Daniel O’Meara and Daire Guerin hurling a lot of ball in deeper positions for the Lilywhites.

However, a defensive error allowed Adam Screeney to play in Shane Rigney for Offaly’s opening goal after six minutes, and the Faithful County managed the game much better up to half-time. Screeney, the 2022 minor hurler of the year, struck five excellent frees into the wind. He also whipped in their second goal after good approach play from Rigney, and 2-8 to 0-6 was an excellent position for the home side, who shot just two wides in that opening period.

Offaly never looked to be in trouble, but their shooting in the second-half was appalling, as they racked up eleven wides and could easily have added two or three more goals at least. Liam O’Reilly did well to block one Joe Hoctor effort while Ben Loughlin produced superb saves to deny Conor Doyle and Rigney, while six missed frees will also be a source of concern. However, Kildare never looked like posing any real threat up front, with Fionn Maher’s goal arriving far too late to make any meaningful difference.

Barring a big win for Dublin over Kilkenny in tomorrow’s game at UPMC Nowlan Park, Offaly will now play Galway in the quarter-finals, due to be played next weekend.

Scorers for Offaly: A Screeney 1-8 (0-7f), C Doyle 0-5 (0-1f), S Rigney 1-2, A Kavanagh 0-2, D Bourke 0-1, S Bourke 0-1, C Spain 0-1.

Scorers for Kildare: C Kehoe 0-3, C Sheridan 0-3 (0-2f), F Maher 1-0, K Harrington 0-1, C Kirwan 0-1, D Guerin 0-1, C Treacy 0-1.

Offaly: M Troy; P Taaffe, B Miller, J Mahon; L Watkins, S Bourke, B Kavanagh; C King, C Spain; D Bourke, J Hoctor, C Doyle; S Rigney, C Mitchell, A Screeney.

Subs: T Guinan for Taaffe (half-time), C Egan for King (33), A Kavanagh for Mitchell (43), E Burke for Screeney (47), L Kavanagh for D Bourke (53).

Kildare: B Loughlin; E Ó Bríain, L O'Reilly, C O'Grady; S Gleeson, A Goss, B Hennessy; C Kirwan, D O'Meara; D Guerin, C Boran, C Flanagan; C Sheridan, C Kehoe, K Harrington.

Subs: C Treacy for O'Grady (29), O Lynam for Gleeson (45), J Dolan for Kirwan (51), F Maher for Treacy (54), C Nolan for Kehoe (59).

Ref: P Dunne (Laois).