Shadow Clare side sneak victory over tired Offaly

Offaly will rue their failure to take a golden chance to get one over their depleted visitors

David Nally of Offaly in action against Conor Cleary and Ross Hayes of Clare

Allianz HL Division 1A: Clare 0-23 Offaly 1-19

Clare came away from Birr on Saturday with a smash-and-grab victory against an Offaly team who led for virtually the entire game, but just about failed to hang on in the closing minutes. 

Clare travelled with a shadow team, their place in the league semi-finals secured, and Offaly will rue their failure to take a golden chance to get one over their visitors and post a second positive result in this division, following on from their draw with Wexford.

Offaly won many of the opening exchanges and started to get the small crowd into the game. Jack Clancy got on the end of a sharp pass by Eimhin Kelly before beating Eibhear Quilligan in the Clare goal from close range, really bringing the home audience to life.

Eoghan Cahill impressed from dead balls, notching five frees and a 65  before half-time, while Clare were far less clinical from their own chances, with seven wides before the break. Offaly, meanwhile, kept their misses tally to just three.

Trailing by 1-12 to 0-9 at the break, Clare didn’t take long to exert their dominance over a tiring Offaly side. Against Kilkenny, the Faithful men saw a big lead reeled in within ten minutes, but here it was more gradual, building to a dramatic finale.

Jack Clancy of Offaly scores a goal past Gearoid Sheedy and Eibhear Quilligan of Clare

Clare’s forwards came alive from the restart and began to put Offaly on the back foot. Ian Galvin and Patrick Crotty scored seven from play between them and Offaly did just enough to stay at this pace before beginning to flag as the game entered the final quarter.

With ten minutes left, Offaly held a one-goal advantage at 1-18 to 0-18 but they struggled to make good use of their puckouts, with Clare swallowing up any space around the middle. Rory Hayes and Paddy Donnellan scored two consecutive points from play to narrow the gap to a single point.

Offaly looked tired but a positive result should have been within their control. They squandered two scoreable chances before Clare equalised through a David Reidy free. Clare then took the lead for the first time in the game from another Reidy free, effectively the last puck of the game.

Scorers for Clare: D Conroy 0-5 (0-3f), I Galvin 0-4, P Crotty and D Reidy (0-2) 0-3 each, S Meehan, K Smyth (0-2f) and S Morey 0-2 each, R Hayes and P Donnellan 0-1 each.

Scorers for Offaly: E Cahill 0-10 (0-8f, 1 ’65), J Clancy 1-0, L Watkins and S Bourke 0-2 each, D Nally, L Fox, D King, E Kelly and D Maher 0-1 each.

CLARE: E Quilligan; R Hayes; J Conneally; C Leen; R Hayes; C Smyth; C Galvin; S Morey; D Lohan; G Sheedy; D Conroy; P Crotty; K Smyth; I Galvin; S Meehan.

Subs: D Reidy for Sheedy (HT), C Cleary for Leen (HT), A Shanagher for Conroy (50), C O’Meara for K Smyth (56), P Donnellan for Lohan (63).

OFFALY: M Troy; P Cantwell; B Conneely; S Bourke; L Watkins; D Maher; K Sampson; J Sampson; D King; J Clancy; L Fox; D Nally; E Kelly; O Kelly; E Cahill.

Subs: R Ravenhill for Maher (56), P Cleary for Fox (69), J Nally for O Kelly (70+2).

Referee: Caymon Flynn (Westmeath).