Harte and Kelly point to missed chances as league campaign looms

Offaly joint managers Mickey Harte and Declan Kelly both felt missed scoring chances were a key factor in the heavy defeat to Westmeath in last Saturday’s O’Byrne Cup semi-final at TEG Cusack Park, 5-10 to 2-8.

“We created a lot of chances in the game, but our return from those chances was not enough to be living in the company that we were in,” remarked Harte.

“We battled well at the start of the second half and got a bit of a glimpse of maybe getting close, but then they just turned on the burners again and we couldn’t live with them,” added the legendary Tyrone man.

His colleague Declan Kelly pointed to Offaly’s tally of 11 wides and a low return from the chances they created.

“It was nowhere near good enough. Early in the game, even when Westmeath were on top, we missed a lot, dropped shots short, a lot went wide; we hit the post from a free,” noted Kelly.

Offaly produced a gritty fightback in the second half to get within three points, but two Westmeath goals in quick succession halted their gallop.

“They hit us for two goals in the space of a minute, or near enough. They were key scores,” said Kelly.

Both Harte and Kelly gave their approval to the return of the pre-season competitions, with Harte saying he has “always been a fan” of these tournaments.

“I think it’s good for players to get a run out and teams to get themselves organised for the upcoming league. I’d hate not to have them because if you haven’t got them, people are looking at challenge matches and you don’t know what strength of a team you’re playing against, or you don’t know whether that team’s interested in winning the game. It is good to have them and I hope they stay.”

In a similar vein, Kelly said: “These are great competitions with local derbies. There’s an opportunity to put lads out there to see how they’re going, to give lads their chance. “That’s what they’re there for. It’s very hard to get challenge games at this time of year.”

It could be said that the final scoreline of last Saturday’s game presents a somewhat misleading picture. With Jack McEvoy to the fore in the first half, Offaly won plenty of ball in the midfield sector and they registered an overall tally of 11 wides (some from ambitious two-pointer attempts) and kicked a number of efforts short.

On a cold day in Mullingar, Westmeath laid the platform for victory with a bright start, forging ahead by 1-5 to 0-0 inside the opening 13 minutes. Danny McCartan scored the game’s first goal with a neat left-footed finish in the sixth minute.

Offaly had to wait until the 18th minute to get off the mark with a pointed free from Ferbane’s Darragh Flynn. After Westmeath’s Matthew Whittaker finished off a fine move by blasting over a point, Flynn scored his second free, which was moved closer due to dissent.

Eoin Sawyer contributed Offaly’s first point from play, but the lively Brandon Kelly struck for Westmeath’s second goal in the 29th minute, his shot finding the net despite a partial block from Offaly keeper Sean O’Toole.

As the first half moved into added time, Offaly were handed a lifeline as Charlie Drumm’s attempt to prevent a two-pointer from Jack McEvoy’s free presented Ciaran Murphy with an easy goal chance which he duly took. That left Westmeath 2-7 to 1-3 ahead at the interval.

Offaly enjoyed a productive spell early in the second half. And by the 41st minute of this 30 minutes per half contest, the visitors had cut the deficit to three points, 2-8 to 2-5.

The influential Murphy, who plays his club football with Skerries Harps, scored his second goal with a fine finish, while Diarmuid Egan and substitute Jack Bryant (a free) chipped in with points.

Yet it was a Westmeath sub who pounced for the vital score to halt the momentum Offaly had built up, Senan Baker finishing to the net with aplomb after the ball broke invitingly for him (44th minute).

Westmeath’s victory never looked in any doubt from then on, with McCartan scoring a splendid second goal shortly afterwards, having availed of Kevin O’Sullivan’s perceptive pass.

Mark McHugh’s charges embellished their win when Baker made a fine fetch in the Offaly goalmouth and laid the ball off to Kelly, who fired home his second goal (56th minute).

Offaly scored the last three points of the contest, which were undoubtedly of consolation value only at this stage. The scorers were Harry Plunkett (a free), Bryant and Cormac Egan, who blasted over from close range.

Offaly begin their National Football League Division 2 campaign against Leinster champions Louth on Sunday week.

“Obviously we will be deemed underdogs in every game we’re playing this year; that’s the battle we’re faced with. Home advantage is a little plus. We have four games at home, three away this year, it was the opposite last year,” said Kelly.

Harte said other counties can learn from the progress Louth have made in recent seasons. The former Tyrone boss was in charge of the Wee County for a three-year spell (2020 to 2023). Louth are now managed by Gavin Devlin, who worked alongside Harte in their native Tyrone and with Louth.

“There won’t be an easy game in this division and, after all, Louth are the Leinster champions. You don’t get to be Leinster champions by accident; you get it by building over a number of years, and credit to them, they took the chance when it was there,” said Harte.

Scorers – Westmeath: B Kelly 2-1; D McCartan 2-0; S Baker 1-0; R Wallace, L Loughlin (2f) 0-3 each; B Cooney, M Whittaker, R Forde 0-1 each. Offaly: C Murphy 2-0; J Bryant (1f), D Flynn (2f) 0-2 each; E Sawyer, D Egan, H Plunkett (f), C Egan 0-1 each.

Westmeath - Jason Daly; Boidu Sayeh, Charlie Drumm, Danny Scahill; Brian Guerin, Tadhg Baker, Ronan Wallace; Matthew Whittaker; Jonathan Lynam, Kevin O’Sullivan; Brían Cooney, Luke Loughlin, Matthew Whittaker; Brandon Kelly, Robbie Forde, Danny McCartan. Subs: Harry Niall for Cooney (37 mins); Senan Baker for Forde (37); Jack Duncan for Guerin (37); Tom Molloy for O’Sullivan (47); Darragh O’Keeffe for Sayeh (47), Stephen McGonagle for Wallace (56).

Offaly - Sean O’Toole; Daire McDaid, Ed Cullen, Lee Pearson; David Dempsey, Jordan Hayes, Rory Egan; Jack McEvoy, Aaron Leavy; Ciaran Murphy, Diarmuid Egan, Marcas Dalton; Cormac Egan, Eoin Sawyer, Darragh Flynn. Subs: Harry Goulding for Cullen (inj., 27 mins); Jack Bryant for Sawyer, Dan Molloy for Leavy, Sean Conway for Dalton (all h-t); Nathan Poland for Flynn (39); Conor Dunican for McDaid (46); Harry Plunkett for D Egan (51).

Referee - Lee Moore (Kildare).