Bryant and O'Neill star as Offaly turn over Wexford in Tailteann Cup quarter-final

Shane Tierney and Nathan Poland of Offaly celebrate their sides win in Tullamore. Pic: Mark Kavanagh/Sportsfile

Tailteann Cup Quarter-Final: Offaly 1-22 (1-1-20) Wexford 1-17 (1-5-7) 

Offaly continue to leave their dismal league campaign behind them as they made it three wins from three in the Tailteann Cup this afternoon, coming from eight points down just before half-time to lead by three when Harry Plunkett’s two-pointer midway through the second half rounded off a run of 1-8 unanswered.

Even as they fell behind, in no small part to a fortuitous long-range goal from Eoghan Nolan, Offaly looked like the more balanced team as their movement and energy opened up the Wexford defence time and again.

In the first half they picked off some excellent posts but kept getting reeled in by Wexford’s ability to split the posts from long range, with a strong breeze behind them.

Liam Coleman was unlucky as his effort from outside the arc came back into play off the post but scores from Eoghan Nolan and Dylan Furlong, either side of a free from goalkeeper Darragh Brooks, meant that the sides were level at 0-6 each midway through the first half, despite the fact that Offaly looked the better side from open play.

The midlanders failed to take a couple of goal chances with Shane Tierney blasting one effort over the bar while Shane O’Toole Greene punched one over the bar instead of taking on Brooks, the first of three scores for the Offaly corner back in this game.

That lack of killer instinct started to look relevant when Wexford hit their purple patch. Eoghan Nolan was credited with a goal after his long delivery went all the way to the Offaly net, in part because Robbie Brooks went up to contest the ball with Conor Melia, preventing the Offaly goalkeeper from clearing his lines.

Cathal Kehoe and Mark Rossiter also raised the orange flag as they briefly led by eight approaching the interval.

Jack Bryant and Jack McEvoy, two of the stars on the day for Offaly, picked off points before the turnaround and once Offaly switched over to play with the breeze, they were devastatingly effective. Cormac Egan and Lee Pearson surged forward from the back to great effect, Bryan hit the net at the end of a good attack down the right wing involving David Dempsey, and by the 43rd minute the sides were level.

Wexford struggled to find their own accuracy shooting into the wind and Offaly grew in confidence, with a rejuvenated Bryant hitting the crossbar in what was his first start since the first round of the league against Kildare in Newbridge.

The introduction of Harry Plunkett also proved crucial as the Maynooth University student hit four points in the final quarter, including the home side’s only two-pointer, seeing out an impressive win.

Scorers for Offaly: J Bryant (1-3), K O’Neill (0-4), H Plunkett (0-4, 1tp), J McEvoy (0-3), S O’Toole Greene (0-3), D Hyland (0-2f), S Tierney (0-1), C Egan (0-1), L Pearson (0-1).

Scorers for Wexford: E Nolan (1-3, 1tp), M Rossiter (0-4, 1tp), C Kehoe (0-2, tp), D Brooks (0-2, tpf), D Furlong (0-2, tp), G Malone (0-2), P Hughes (0-1), N Hughes (0-1).

OFFALY: C Melia; S O’Toole Greene, D Dempsey, L Pearson; C Egan, D Egan, M Dalton; J McEvoy, J Hayes; K Higgins, K O’Neill, A Leavy; J Bryant, S Tierney, D Hyland.

Subs: H Plunkett for Tierney (50), R Egan for C Egan (52), A Bracken for Dalton (61), E Dunne for Higgins (63), N Poland for Hyland (65).

WEXFORD: D Brooks; E Porter, L O’Connor, G Sheehan; G Malone, E Nolan, D Furlong; L Coleman, N Hughes; P Hughes, C Kehoe, M Rossiter; M Kinsella, R Brooks, Ben Brosnan.

Subs: S Ryan for Brosnan (half-time), M O’Connor for Kinsella (50), C Feeney for Kehoe (61), T Byrne for Coleman (61), P Breen for N Hughes (62).

Referee: Seamus Mulhare (Laois).