U20 Hurlers Suffer Defeat To Offaly In Leinster Semi Final

OFFALY 1-19 

DUBLIN 2-12 

Dublin’s hopes of advancing to the final of the Oneills.com Leinster Under 20 Hurling Championship were crushed at Glenisk O’Connor Park on Wednesday evening as they succumbed to Offaly by four points.

The Dubs would have been optimistic of overturning a five-point interval deficit, given the strength of the breeze at their backs for the second-half, but Offaly controlled matters for the large part to complete a deserved success.

After an early wide, it was Dublin that opened the scoring through Diarmuid Ó Dúlaing in the 1^st minute and they maintained that early advantage as Adam O’Connor did well to repel a Charlie Mitchell shot.

Mitchell gained compensation by converting the resultant ‘65’ as Offaly took advantage of the wind at their backs through a brace of points in quick succession by Joe Hoctor.

Colin Spain and Sam Bourke doubled the hosts’ lead to 0-5 to 0-1 by the 12^th minute but Dublin received a massive boost two minutes later when Ollie Gaffney was on hand to flick home from Ó Dúlaing’s inviting delivery.

Offaly’s Dan Bourke and James O’Brien exchanged points at the half progressed but with the home defence looking solid, the Faithful pushed four points clear thanks to Spain’s second score of the half and a Mitchell brace.

Ó Dúlaing stemmed the flow with an excellent point from an acute angle and Dublin were further buoyed as Neil Clerkin split the posts in the 27^th minute to leave just two points between the teams.

However, Offaly finished the half in the ascendancy with Mitchell landing three frees late on to push his side five points (0-12 to 1-4) clear by the turnaround.

Dublin resumed in a determined fashion and had whittled their deficit to just two points by the 34^th minute thanks to scores by Gaffney, Ó Dúlaing (free) and Jamie Conroy.

However, that was as close as the visitors got to their opponents with the decisive score arriving in the 39^th minute as Mitchell swept home from close range following a strong run down the middle from Cormac Egan.

Shane Rigney and Dan Ravenhill stretched the home lead sand while substitute Conn Rock offered Dublin a glimmer of hope with a fine solo score, the hosts pushed on through further scores by Ravenhill and Mitchell to leave eight points between the sides by the 49^th minute.

The Dubs managed to string four points on the bounce through Seán Gallagher, Neil Hogan and two Ó Dúlaing frees but Offaly regained their control through scores in injury time by Dan Bourke two by match-winner Mitchell.

Rock managed a consolation goal in the dying seconds but it was never likely to spare Dublin their fate as Offaly advanced to a final meeting with Wexford.

Scorers – Dublin: D Ó Dúlaing 0-5 (3f), O Gaffney, C Rock 1-1 apiece, J O’Brien, N Clerkin, J Conroy, S Gallagher, N Hogan 0-1 each. Offaly: C Mitchell 1-9 (0-5f, 0-1 ’65), J Hoctor, C Spain, D Bourke, D Ravenhill (1f) 0-2 each, S Bourke, S Rigney 0-1 apiece. 

Dublin: A O’Connor; D Lucey, B Moorhouse Carroll, B Dunne; C Ó Riain, J O’Shea, C Dolan; J O’Brien, S Gallagher; B Kenny, D Ó Dúlaing, N Clerkin; C Donovan, J Conroy, O Gaffney. Subs: N Hogan for Conroy (40), C Rock for Clerkin (40), S Crosbie for O’Brien (43), A Keegan for Dolan (50), C Brennan for Kenny (57).

Offaly: M Troy; P Taaffe, B Miller, J Mahon; L Watkins, S Bourke, T Guinan; C Spain, C King; D Bourke, C Egan, C Doyle; S Rigney, J Hoctor, C Mitchell. Subs: D Ravenhill for Hoctor (half-time), B Egan for Guinan (53), C Bracken for Miller (55).

Referee: Eamonn Furlong (Wexford).