Charlie Mitchell fires Offaly to back-to-back wins in Joe McDonagh Cup

A week after leaking a neat half century of points to Laois, hosts Meath were always going to be up against it and ultimately slipped to a 21-point defeat.

BACK-TO-BACK WINS: Offaly's Charlie Mitchell celebrates. Photo by Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile

Joe McDonagh Cup, Round 3

Offaly 5-31

Meath 3-16

Former U-20 star Charlie Mitchell fired 1-7 in Trim as Offaly recorded back-to-back wins in the Joe McDonagh Cup to keep their title hopes on track.

A week after leaking a neat half century of points to Laois, also in Trim, hosts Meath were always going to be up against it and ultimately slipped to a 21-point defeat.

But they gave Johnny Kelly's side a few nervous moments, particularly approaching half-time when Nicky Potterton, who top scored for Meath with 2-5, blasted a couple of goals to leave just five points in it at the break.

That gave the Royals, under the interim management of Kilmesan's Steven Clynch, renewed hope having trailed by 12 at one stage during the opening half.

But a strong third quarter from Offaly put them back in pole position and they piled on the misery in the final 20 minutes or so with sub Adam Screeney, an All-Ireland U-20 finalist last year like Mitchell, proving influential.

The result leaves Offaly in a strong position to nail down a top-two finish and a final place as they seek to go one better than last year's final defeat to Carlow.

But Meath, the Christy Ring Cup holders, are in a tricky spot now after three straight defeats and they will view their Round 4 clash with Westmeath as a massive encounter in the context of the relegation battle.

Offaly, beaten by Laois in Round 1, never looked like slipping to a loss here and opened up a 1-4 to 0-2 lead after just seven minutes, thanks in part to Oisin Kelly's goal which was set up by full-forward Mitchell.

Mitchell, Dan Bourke and free-taker Brian Duignan then added points before Offaly registered their second goal in the 26th minute through Killian Sampson.

It was all Sampson's hard work this time as he surged clear, lost possession of the ball but used his craft to finish to the net with a one-handed swipe.

With 35 minutes on the clock, Offaly led 2-17 to 0-11 and already looked to be home and hosed but Meath suddenly kicked into top gear and cut the deficit right back with those two Potterton goals in the 36th and 37th minutes.

Potterton's first came from play after an interception at the back and his next was a cheeky strike from a free that struck the net, leaving Offaly just 2-17 to 2-12 clear at half-time.

Kilcormac-Killoughey talent Screeney was brought on at half-time and immediately impacted the game with his wizardry, pinching a point. Offaly scored the first six points of the second-half to reestablish their authority.

Mitchell added Offaly's third goal in the 46th minute and Screeney played in Dan Bourke for their fourth major before sniping one himself after a turnover on the Meath goalkeeper's puck-out in the 53rd minute.

In the closing minutes it was a case of, would Offaly reach the 50-point mark as Laois had done at the same venue a week earlier? They came close, amassing a 46-point haul in the end with Eimhin Kelly among the scorers and Donal Shirley becoming the 11th different scorer for Offaly in stoppage time.

Scorers for Offaly: C Mitchell (1-7), D Bourke (1-3), E Cahill (0-6, 3f), B Duignan (0-6, 5f), K Sampson (1-2), A Screeney (1-1), O Kelly (1-0), D King, E Kelly (0-2 each), C Kiely, D Shirley (0-1 each).

Scorers for Meath: N Potterton (2-5, 1-5f), T Shine (1-2), E Og O Donnchadha, D Murtagh, K Gorman (0-2 each), N McLarnon, M Horan, J Kelly (0-1).

Offaly: M Troy; B Conneely, C Burke; C Kiely; D Shirley, D King, S Bourke; C King, E Kelly; K Sampson, B Duignan, E Cahill; O Kelly, C Mitchell, D Bourke.

Subs: A Screeney for O Kelly (h/t), Luke Watkins for S Bourke (h/t), D Maher for Sampson (44-47 blood), Maher for Duignan (53), P Cleary for D Bourke (60), J Clancy for C King (67).

Meath: C Ennis; J Ennis, S Whitty, D Shine; J Kelly; K Gorman, S Geraghty, S Ennis; D Murtagh, N McLarnon; S Martin, T Shine, M Horan; E Og O Donnchadha, N Potterton.

Subs: M Burke for J Ennis 30, S Quigley for Martin 33, D Rogers for S Ennis (55-56 blood), Rogers for O Donnchadha (57), D Healy for McLarnon (63), W Gleeson for Murtagh (68).

Referee: Conor Daly (Kildare).