Duignan hits back over criticism of Clare defeat
The fallout from the calamitous nature of Offaly's defeat to Clare in last Sunday's Allianz Football League match has led to Michael Duignan blasting supporters who dished out criticism online.
Offaly allowed a nine-point lead (1-10 to 0-4) to slip away, with Clare eventually winning the Division 3 encounter by 2-10 to 1-12 in Tullamore. Peter Cunningham blasted a penalty over the bar deep in added time when a goal would have secured victory for the home side.
Offaly GAA chairman Michael Duignan was deeply annoyed with the level of critical comments on social media.
"Thanks lads for your comments. No one on here has ever been inside an inter-county dressing room. You have no idea what these players do for their county.
"All of you should be very ashamed," he retorted.
Although Offaly have no points from three matches thus far, they have lost two games by the minimum margin (to Antrim and Clare), having lost to Westmeath by four points in their opening fixture.
And despite having no points on the board, Offaly still seem eminently capable of steering clear of relegation with games against Wicklow, Sligo and Limerick to come. The games against Wicklow and Limerick are at home in Glenisk O'Connor Park.
In advance of those three games, Offaly will face Division 3 table toppers Down (who are ahead of Westmeath on scoring difference) at Páirc Esler, Newry this Saturday (throw-in 6pm).
Limerick have a scoring difference of -28 - which indicates how far off the pace they have been - and the other team on no points, Wicklow, have a scoring difference of -13.
Offaly's goal against Clare was scored by substitute Anton Sullivan, while Nigel Dunne and Dylan Hyland contributed seven points between them (see teams and scorers below).
Offaly: Ian Duffy; Lee Pearson, David Dempsey, Aidan Bracken; Cormac Egan (0-1), John Furlong, Jack O'Brien; Eoin Carroll, Peter Cunningham (0-1, pen); Kevin McDermott, Ruairi McNamee (0-2), Jordan Hayes (0-1); Dylan Hyland (0-3, 2f); Cian Farrell, Nigel Dunne (0-4, 2f, 1 '45'). Subs used: Anton Sullivan (1-0) for Farrell (29 mins), Cathal Flynn for McDermott (52), Keith O'Neill for Hyland (56), Rory Egan for O'Brien (60), Jordan Quinn for Carroll (67).
Clare: Stephen Ryan; Manus Doherty, Ronan Lanigan, Micheal Garry; Ikem Ugweru, Alan Sweeney, Daniel Walsh (0-1); Gavin Murray, Brian McNamara; Dermot Coughlan, Emmet McMahon (0-3, 3f), Ciaran Downes (1-0, pen); Mark McInerney (0-1), Aaron Griffin (0-1), Shane Griffin (0-1). Subs used: Cormac Murray (0-1) for S Griffin (33 mins), Einne O'Connor for Garry (H-T), Diarmuid O'Donnell (1-2) for McInerney (44), Tom McDonald for G Murray (54), James Curran for Coughlan (56).
Referee: James Molloy (Galway).