Antrim 3-22 Offaly 2-24

Joe McDonagh Cup 

Antrim left it late in the day on Saturday afternoon to seal an opening win in the Joe McDonagh Cup but that they did in dramatic fashion.  Conor Johnston’s second goal coming in the fifth minute of injury time proving to be the decisive score as the Saffrons edged past the challenge of Offaly.

To say this was a rollercoaster for 70 minutes would be an understatement.  You would think as an Antrim supporter we would get used to this by now but Corrigan Park hosted another intense battle with two sides giving everything they had.

Offaly came with a point to prove and were certainly a different animal from three weeks ago.  Antrim exploited gaping holes in their defence in Navan and looked like scoring a goal at every opportunity but Michael Fennelly and his team learned from that 70 minutes.  Any sights of Stephen Corcoran’s goals were hard earned or coming through pieces of quality play.  

In a bruising encounter, Domhnall Nugent gave everything he had for the Saffrons with he and Joe Maskey shouldering a lot of the heavy hits Offaly could give.  Some curious refereeing decisions going against both men, or no calls at all being given that left plenty in attendance scratching their head.  Conal Cunning was once again mesmeric from frees with eight of his 10 points coming from placed ball while the goals came from the two Conor’s – Johnston and McCann.

Defensively Antrim will be disappointed with the two goals conceded but Paddy Burke shone at half back with Ryan McGarry also having a good game.

Antrim started superbly and scored the opening three points of the game inside the opening four minutes but Offaly were getting joy from utilising short poc-outs and developing chances through the lines.  The Saffron’s were slow in responding to Offaly’s game plan in a half that was played largely on the visitors terms.  Eoghan Cahill their main scoring threat with the Birr star capable of scoring from anywhere inside 70 yards as his overall performance showed.

The Faithful men had a three point lead by the 33^rd minute and any in Saffron couldn’t argue such was Offaly’s performance but Antrim scored the opening major to gain some momentum.  A quick, incisive move that saw quick passing through the Offaly defence saw Ciaran Clarke release Conor McCann and he found the back of the onion bag to bring Antrim level .

The sides remained ties at the interval 1-8 to 0-11 and the Saffrons had plenty to ponder.  Playing into the wind after the restart and not playing as fluently as they had shown in recent times, they needed half time. Darren Gleeson and his team needed a response from his players and they got it.  Antrim outscored Offaly six points to two in the opening ten minutes of the second half with Seaan Elliott bringing the best out of Corcoran in the Offaly goals in the same period of time.

Offaly’s challenge seemed to be on the brink when influential midfielder Jack Screeney was sent off for a second bookable offence in the 50^th minute.  Antrim took full advantage soon after with Conor Johnston scoring his first goal in 57^th minute.  A long delivery was broken by McCann and Johnston pulled on the sliotar first time with a rasping drive finding the back of the net.  

Offaly’s response was instant.  The crowd in Corrigan were still celebrating Johsnton’s major when David Nally took advantage of a mix up in the Saffron defence to score his sides first goal of the match.  A blow at the time for the Saffron’s whose seven point lead lasted barely seconds.

The sides went toe to toe with Conal Cunning, McCann and Johnston all firing well for the Saffrons.  Offaly had cut the Antrim lead to three points when they breached the Saffron defence one more time.  Joey Keenaghan’s first time shot well saved by Ryan Elliott but John Murphy stole in behind to sweep the sliotar over the line despite the best efforts of the Saffron defence.  Cahill’s 11^th free and 15^th point of the match followed to give Offaly the lead for the first time since the 33^rd minute in the first minute of injury time.

Antrim needed something special in the dying embers of the game and Eoghan Campbell produced it.  He could have been forgiven for getting the yard needed to split the uprights but Campbell lured the Offaly defence his way and sent Johnston through.  Corrigan Park held it’s collective breath as Johnston sidestepped before finding the back of the net to send the Saffron support into wonderland.

There was time for more drama as Offaly pushed for another major.  Cahill stood over a free 30 yards from goal knowing nothing but a major would do but his effort fizzed over the bar with no time for the restart as referee Chris Mooney calling an end to proceedings.

This was a game that had everything and everything only the championship can bring.  Thrills, spills, emotions, chances, skills and heroes.  An unforgettable 70 minutes where Antrim had to dig deep to get the result.  Having come off the wrong end of close matches in the league, their efforts were finally rewarded.  They now travel to Ballycran and a Derby meeting with Down next Sunday with the Mournemen securing an excellent opening day win against Kerry in Tralee – 1-19 to 0-18.

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TEAMS

Antrim: Ryan Elliott; Ryan McGarry, Gerard Walsh, Stephen Rooney; Paddy Burke, Eoghan Campbell, Scott Walsh; Joe Maskey, Keelan Molloy; Seaan Elliott, Domhnall Nugent, Conor McCann; Conal Cunning, Ciaran Clarke, Conor Johnston

Subs: James McNaughton for K Molloy (HT); Phelim Duffin for S Rooney (56); Matthew Donnelly for S Walsh (61); Daniel McKernan for S Elliott (64); Conal Bohill for D Nugent (68)

Scorers: C Cunning 0-10 (7f’s 1 ’65); C Johnston 2-2; C McCann 1-1; C Clarke 0-3; P Burke 0-2; R McGarry 0-1; K Molloy 0-1; S Elliott 0-1; J McNaughton 0-1

Offaly: Stephen Corcoran; Joey Keenaghan, David King, Padraig Cantwell; Eoghan Parlon, Ben Coneely, Eimhin Kelly; Jack Screeney, Leon Fox; Adrian Cleary, Eoghan Cahill, Brian Duignan; Sean Cleary, Jason Sampson, David Nally

Subs: Luke O’Connor for S Cleary (48); John Murphy for L Fox (52); Killian Sampson for B Duignan (54); Ciaran Burke for E Parlon (63); Paddy Clancy for A Cleary (67)

Scorers: E Cahill 0-15 (11f’s, 1 ’65); D Nally 1-3; J Murphy 1-00; E Kelly 0-1; J Screeney 0-1; A Cleary 0-1; B Duignan 0-1; J Sampson 0-1; L O’Connor 0-1

Referee: Chris Mooney (Dublin)

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