Egan goal crucial to Offaly minors' win

Offaly 2-15 Westmeath 1-13

A better balanced Offaly team overcame a spirited Westmeath outfit in this Leinster MHC game at Faithful Fields, Kilcormac last Saturday.

Eoin Meehan’s point gave Westmeath a slender lead 90 seconds after the restart, but Offaly outscored the visitors by 2-7 to 1-4 in the remainder to take a deserved victory.

A very competitive encounter was finely balanced when Cormac McKeogh scored a wonderful goal for Westmeath after 42 minutes, but Offaly found an instant reply and were ahead by 2-11 to 1-11 entering the final quarter of this intriguing contest.

Offaly will now face Laois in a preliminary quarter-final at the same venue tomorrow (Saturday, 5.30pm), with Westmeath away to Kildare on the same day (4pm).

This contest was very evenly poised at the break, the sides level on 0-8 apiece, and had Westmeath been more clinical, they would have been in front.

They never really built on Ryan Williams’ outrageous point in the opening 35 seconds as Offaly wrestled back the lead on six different occasions.

Kian Loughlin (free) and Cormac McKeogh, who shot a fine point in the 12th minute, kept Westmeath in touch and McKeogh set up Williams for a sublime point to level the match on 13 minutes.

Offaly’s Brian Guinan looked a real threat and Killian Wynne’s free-taking was good as they eventually forged ahead by two points, 0-6 to 0-4. A couple of Loughlin frees brought Westmeath on level terms and it was tit for tat in the remainder of the half.

In general Offaly were difficult to break down and Andrew Hogan held the centre very strongly as Westmeath struggled to come to terms with the home side’s defence. It was a good test of their credentials as the home side dropped a sweeper back and Westmeath were left to solve the puzzle.

The tempo of the match increased significantly after the break and Meehan got the opening point for Westmeath. However, Offaly replied with a quality strike from wing-back Michael Dooley, the Kinnitty player showing his class.

Offaly got 1-2 in the next six minutes - the goal coming when Odhrán Fletcher won the ball well in the air and flicked a pass inside for Killian Wynne, who forced it over the line from close range.

A soft free for Ward, converted by Loughlin, was the Lake County’s only reply and there were signs they were starting to feel the intensity, but they lacked nothing in terms of grit.

Their reward came when they won the ball back and Loughlin set up McKeogh to strike a low shot past Offaly goalie Matt Watkins, making it 1-11 to 1-10 after 42 minutes.

In a flash, Offaly had their second major, the puck-out going long and Guinan made the break before Conor Egan forced a save from Cathal Óg Fagan.

In the follow-up, Egan made no mistake and that gave the home side a four-point lead again.

Loughlin converted a routine free and Dylan Corrigan scored a splendid point from play as Westmeath’s industry was rewarded, but that was as close as they got. Offaly shot two points per substitute Macdara Mitchell and Fletcher, whose effort was adjudged to have been marginally inside the upright when the umpires conferred.

McKeogh’s 58th-minute point was Westmeath’s final score of the day, while Fletcher hit a quality point from play before converting an injury-time free.

Man of the match: Andrew Hogan (Offaly). The team captain looked strong and competent at centre-back and generally mopped up any threat that came his way. Brian Guinan, Michael Dooley, Conor Egan and Odhrán Fletcher all had their moments.

Turning point: Less than 30 seconds after Westmeath got their goal, Offaly swooped for their second major through Conor Egan and that was crucial to the outcome.

Stats watch: Wides - Westmeath 10 (7 in first half); Offaly 7 (2). Yellow cards: Westmeath (C Ward, M Weir, S Gavigan); Offaly 2 (M Dooley, J McLoughney)

Match officials: There was no major controversy and from that perspective, the officials can be pleased. The yellow card for Offaly's Michael Dooley was unnecessary; he had just scored a terrific point and jostled his opponent rather innocuously. The linesman should have let him know he was noted, but no more action was required. But a firmer hand should have been taken after protests from the Offaly mentors midway through the second half.

Scorers - Offaly: K Wynne 1-6 (0-6 frees); C Egan 1-1; O Fletcher 0-3 (1f); B Guinan 0-2; A Hogan (f), M Dooley, M Mitchell 0-1 each. Westmeath: C McKeogh 1-2; K Loughlin 0-5 (5f); R Williams, E Meehan 0-2 each; D Burke, D Corrigan 0-1 each.

Offaly: Matt Watkins; Conor Berry, Joey McLoughney, Cian Kinnarney; Oisin Carroll, Andrew Hogan, Michael Dooley; Luke Bracken, James O'Sullivan; Brian Guinan, Killian Wynne, Eamon Maher; Odhran Fletcher, Conor Egan, James Hennessy. Subs: Macdara Mitchell for Kinnarney (47 mins), Morgan Feenane for Hennessy (51), James Sampson for Wynne (56), Sean Carey for Egan (61).

Westmeath: Cathal Óg Fagan; Oisín McCauley, Mikey Weir, Dara Mulligan; Ben McNamee, Sean Hayes, Cian Fleming; Cody Ward, Finn Higgins; Cormac McKeogh, Dylan Corrigan, Eoin Meehan; Kian Loughlin, Dillon Burke, Ryan Williams. Subs: Marc Davis for Burke (43 mins), Setanta Gavigan for Ward (53).

Referee: Dean Alford (Dublin).