Offaly outclassed and look doomed to relegation

Offaly 1-17 Limerick 5-19: OFFALY REMAIN anchored at the foot of the table, having endured a trouncing yesterday at O'Connor Park that almost certainly dooms them to relegation.

Limerick were totally dominant throughout a game in which referee Johnny Ryan brandished three second-half red cards that left the visitors with a 14-13 numerical advantage. That, however, had little bearing on the result, as by that stage Offaly were trailing by 4-12 to 1-11.

Andrew O'Shaughnessy put Limerick ahead by netting after just 40 seconds. The visitors had 1-3 on the board before Brian Carroll pointed a free to open Offaly's account in the seventh minute.

Nine minutes later Limerick's lead had increased to 1-7 to 0-3, but then Ger Healion dispossessed goalkeeper Brian Murray to score an opportunist goal for Offaly.

That goal reduced the visitors' lead to three points, but it was soon nullified when Ollie Moran netted following a sweeping movement. Donie Ryan's goal give Limerick a 3-11 to 1-10 interval lead.

Hopes of an Offaly recovery were shattered early in the second half when O'Shaughnessy scored his side's fourth goal.

A scuffle between Niall Moran and Ciarán Flannery resulted in both being dismissed in the 39th minute, and three minutes later they were followed to the dug-outs by Offaly's Derek Molloy for a second yellow card offence.

Ryan added his second goal late on to complete the rout.

LIMERICK: B Murray; D Reale, S Lucey, S Hickey; M O'Riordan, P O'Dwyer (0-1, 65), M Foley (0-1); D O'Grady (0-4), W McNamara; M Fitzgerald, O Moran (1-0), N Moran (0-2); A O'Shaughnessy (2-2, two frees), S O'Connor (0-4), D Ryan (2-2). Subs: B Foley for Fitzgerald (24), K Tobin (0-3) for O'Shaughnessy (52), H Flavin for O Moran (57), D Cosgrave for O'Riordan (60), S Lavin for McNamara (62).

OFFALY: S O'Connor; C Hernon, K Brady, D Franks; D Horan (0-1), J Brady, J Bergin; S Dooley (0-1), B Leonard; C Mahon, G Oakley (0-3), D Molloy (0-1); B Carroll (0-6, five frees), G Healion (1-1), A Egan (0-1). Subs:C Flannery (0-1) for Leonard (20 mins), D. Kilmartin for O'Connor (41 mins), J Gorman (0-2) for Dooley (47 mins), S Wynne for Franks (63 mins), T. Corcoran for Egan (69).

Referee: J Ryan (Tipperary).

© 2008 The Irish Times

This article appears in the print edition of the Irish Times