Disputed goal key as Offaly respond after early Leitrim fright
Lowly Leitrim, who had not won a league game this season, provided Offaly with something of a fright early on in Ballinamore but then the Faithful County side got their game back in gear just before the interval when John Furlong with a tinge of controversy attached to it finished to home side's net and put the visitors on the road to a hard fought win.
Leitrim defenders claimed that Furlong was in the 'square' when he palmed the ball to the net but Westmeath referee Alan Coyne and his officials quickly dismissed the home side's appeals. At the other end a few minutes earlier it appeared that Leitrim's DCU Sigerson Cup winning player, Tom Prior had a 'good' claim for a penalty denied when it seemed he was grounded close to the Offaly posts.
In the first half Leitrim failed to win any of their own kick-outs. As a result Offaly won all of them and this allowed the Faithful County to get back into the game after having been outplayed by the home side in the game's opening quarter.
Meanwhile Leitrim started brightly and probably surprised Offaly since they had suffered crushing defeats in all their previous league outings. Conor Quinn opened Leitrim's account when he split the Offaly posts in the first minute.
Over the next four minutes Paul Honeyman (free) and Riordan O'Rourke increased Leitrim lead with points apiece. Leitrim's upbeat performance continued with Paul Honeyman (free) and Ben Guckian whipping over points each by the ninth minute to put Leitrim 0 – 5 ahead with Offaly still to raise a flag.
Keith O'Neill opened Offaly's account when he put over a 10th minute free and seven minutes later Dylan Hyland reduced the deficit with Leitrim to two points when hit over another placed ball for the Faithful men.
Conor Quinn answered with Leitrim's last first half score when his 21st minute effort split the Offaly uprights. Offaly fought back to get on level terms over the next seven minutes with Kyle Higgins, Daire McDaid, Shane Tierney and Keith O'Neill all adding points on the trot.
A Cathal Flynn point near the break put Offaly ahead for the first time of the game and then John Furlong palmed to the Leitrim net just before the short whistle to put the visitors ahead by 1 – 7 to 0 – 6 ahead at the interval.
In the opening twenty-five minutes of the second half Offaly increased their advantage over Leitrim to 1 – 11 to 0 – 9 after Marcus Dalton, Paddy Dunican, Nigel Dunne and Jack Bryant fired over for them.
In this period when Offaly still maintained their grip on the proceedings Leitrim answered with points from two Paul Honeyman converted frees while Keith Keegan also chipped in with a point for the home side.
A well-worked Leitrim 61st minute goal which Darren Cox finished to the Offaly net cut the visitor's advantage to two points. But after that the Faithful County managed to hold out for a relieved victory with points from goalkeeper Paddy Dunican and Keith O'Neill (free).
J Furlong 1-0; K O'Neill 0-3 2f; P Dunican 0-2 45; D Hyland f, D McDaid, K Higgins, S Tierney, C Flynn, M Dalton, N Dunne & J Bryant (0-1 each).
P Honeyman (0-4f; D Cox 1-0; C Quinn 0-2; R O'Rourke, B Guckian & K Keegan (0-1each)
P Dunican; L Pearson, A Bracken, R Egan; D McDaid, J Furlong, C Egan; J McEvoy, J Hayes; K Higgins, C Flynn, K O'Neill; D Hyland, A Kelleghan, S Tierney.
J Bryant & M Dalton for Kelleghan & Hyland (HT); N Dunne for Tierney (50); M Tynan for McEvoy (56).
D O'Shea; E McLoughlin, K Clancy, E McNamara; J Foley, M Diffley, J Rooney; K Keegan, C Quinn; J Flynn; B Guckian, P Honeyman; R O'Rourke, D Cox, T Prior.
S Harkin for Foley (55); C McGloin for Rooney (61); S McLoughlin & M Keegan for K Keegan & Quinn (69).
A Coyne (Westmeath).
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