Established names help Offaly to O'Byrne Cup quarter-final win over Meath

Jordan Hayes, deployed as a centre back here, really took control of the game in the opening 30 minutes to put the midlanders into the driving seat

Jack O’Connor of Meath in action against Shane O’Toole Greene of Offaly during the O'Byrne Cup quarter-final. Pic: Seb Daly/Sportsfile

O’Byrne Cup quarter-final: Offaly 2-13 (2-1-11) Meath 0-15 (0-3-9)

Offaly’s decision to bring a bit more first-string firepower to tonight’s O’Byrne Cup quarter-final made all the difference as they build up a nine-point lead by half-time and then stuttered and stumbled through a forgettable second half to set up a clash with Westmeath this Saturday.

Cormac Egan, Keith O’Neill and Lee Pearson were among the established names that performed well for the Faithful County but it was midfielder Jordan Hayes, deployed as a centre back here, who really took control of the game in the opening 30 minutes to put the midlanders into the driving seat.

Hayes drove out of defence with power and authority, slamming in a sensational goal and firing another two-pointer over the bar as he racked up his full tally of 1-4 in the opening half. Cormac Egan added the second goal with a trademark run and finish while there were other opportunities that didn’t quite land for Offaly, with Eoin Sawyer not able to finish off another slick move.

Diarmuid Moriarty and Niall Finnerty hit the target with some nice scores for Meath in the opening half but it was in the ten minutes after half-time when the Royals were at their best, dominating the Offaly kickout and firing over 0-6 unanswered, two singles and two doubles.

Daithí McGowan and Oisín Martin were on target from range but after that Meath’s accuracy dipped, in part due to missing good chances and in part due to poor shot selection.

Skerries Harps player Ciarán Murphy has been an interesting and notable addition to the Offaly panel this year and he brought his tally to three points with two second half scores as Offaly advanced to the last four without hitting the high notes for any consistent length of the time in the second half.

In Mullingar, it was a similar story in that two first half goals proved crucial in a midland team knocking over visitors from the east. Brian Guerin and Brandon Kelly found the net for Westmeath against Louth but Ryan Burns hit a two-pointer to leave just three in it at half-time, and that lead was down to one early in the final quarter.

Kevin O’Sullivan, Tom Molloy (2p), Robbie Forde and Luke Loughlin completely the scoring to leave it 2-15 to 0-15 at the long whistle.

In the O’Byrne Shield, Wexford led Carlow by two at half-time but Colm Hulton’s goal saw the home side take the lead and eventually pick up a 1-13 to 0-13 win by the final whistle in Tullow.

Scorers for Offaly: J Hayes (1-4, 1tpf), C Murphy (0-3), C Egan (1-0), K O’Neill (0-2, 1f), R Egan (0-1), E Sawyer (0-1), J Bryant (0-1f), D McDaid (0-1).

Scorers for Meath: D McGowan (0-6, 1tpf, 3f), D Moriarty (0-4, 1tpf), N Finnerty (0-2), O Martin (0-2, 1tp), O Mulvany (0-1).

OFFALY: S O’Toole; E Cullen, L Pearson, D McDaid; S O’Toole Greene, J Hayes, R Egan; J McEvoy, A Leavy; C Murphy, K O’Neill, M Dalton; K Sawyer, D Egan, C Egan.

Subs: J Bryant for Sawyer (39), D Molloy for O’Neill (39), S Conway for D Egan (55).

MEATH: B Hogan; C McCarrick, G Dwane, S Gibney; K Smyth, J O’Regan, J McEntee; B Menton, O Martin; D McGowan, D Campion, J O’Connor; N Finnerty, D Moriarty, C O’Sullivan.

Subs: R Stafford for Campion (39), O Mulvany for McEntee (48), C Ennis for O’Sullivan (48), D Garrigan for McCarrick (56), M Gavin for Dwane (56), J Swan for Gibney (59).

Referee: E Kelly (Westmeath).