Offaly Secures Second Consecutive Victory with Dominant Display Against Laois

In a thrilling encounter at O’Moore Park, Offaly clinched a convincing 2-19 to 0-17 victory over neighboring Laois, marking their second successive win in the Division 3 campaign under Mickey Harte’s stewardship.

Early Dominance Sets the Tone

Offaly made an emphatic start, taking a five-point lead within the first five minutes. Keith O’Neill played a pivotal role, netting two early points. Subsequently, Jordan Hayes capitalized on a team move to score the first goal of the match.

Shane Tierney followed with a fisted effort, increasing Offaly’s lead to seven points against Laois’s solitary score from Kevin Swayne.

Half-Time Break: Offaly’s Superior Control

Despite a brief respite from Ronan Coffey, Offaly’s offensive prowess saw them notch further goals through Diarmuid Egan, Robbie Gallagher, O’Neill, and Sean Tierney. Offaly’s controlled rhythm and accurate shooting were evident.

Laois struggled to find consistency, missing numerous scoring opportunities. However, a goal from Damon Larkin and points from Pa Kirwan and Coffey narrowed the gap to five points before halftime. Despite this, Paddy Dunican’s powerful score ensured Offaly’s dominant position heading into the break.

Second Half: Offaly’s Unyielding Performance

Offaly continued with 14 players after Robbie Gallagher’s sending off, but their momentum was undeterred. Jack Bryant’s early point set the tone, and despite Laois’ possession dominance, they failed to convert their chances efficiently.

Offaly’s scoring was relentless, with contributions from Shane Tierney, Cormac Egan, and Hyland. Laois staged a late surge, scoring three points through Coffey, Barry, and Roche. However, these efforts were too little, too late, as Offaly sealed their victory.

Key Contributions from Players

Keith O’Neill was instrumental, scoring four points. Dylan Hyland and Jordan Hayes were formidable, each contributing four and two points, respectively. Hyland’s second goal proved pivotal in securing Offaly’s win.

For Laois, Mark Barry was the standout, scoring nine points through precision shooting, including three frees. Ronan Coffey was also a threat, bagging four points from effective placement.

Match Details

Scorers

Offaly: Keith O’Neill 0-04 (one free), Dylan Hyland 0-4 (one free), Jordan Hayes 1-01, Shane Tierney 0-03, Paddy Dunican 1-00, Jack Bryant 0-02, Robbie Gallagher, Diarmuid Egan, Cormac Egan, Cathal Flynn, and Cillian Bourke 0-01 each

Laois: Mark Barry (three frees, one two-point free, one two-point from play) 0-09, Ronan Coffey 0-04, Damon Larkin 1-00, Padraig Kirwan 0-02, Killian Roche and Kevin Swayne (mark) 0-01 each

Teams

Laois: Killian Roche; Ben Dempsey, Trevor Collins, James Kelly; Simon Fingleton, Brian Byrne, Seamus Lacey; Kevin Swayne, Damon Larkin; Conor Heffernan, Mark Barry, Danny O’Reilly; Ronan Coffey, Benny Carroll, Cathal Lee. Subs: Padraig Kirwan for Lacey (27), Niall Corbet for Lee (HT), Josh Hogan for O’Reilly (50), Paddy O’Sullivan for Byrne (53), Jake Darcy for Dempsey (62)

Offaly: Paddy Dunican; Lee Pearson, David Dempsey, Rory Egan; Diarmuid Egan, Cillian Bourke, Cormac Egan; Jack McEvoy, Jordan Hayes; Ruairi McNamee, Cathal Flynn, Keith O’Neill; Dylan Hyland, Jack Bryant, Shane Tierney. Subs: Robbie Gallagher for McNamee (injured – 14), Kyle Higgins for Gallagher (53), Eoin Sawyer for O’Neill (62), Marcas Dalton for D Egan (70)

Referee: Jerome Henry (Mayo)

Looking Ahead

With another strong performance under their belt, Offaly lays their eyes on upcoming matches with increased confidence. Mickey Harte’s side will undoubtedly look to continue their winning streak and strengthen their position in Division 3.

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