Allianz Football League Division Three
Offaly 4-19 Antrim 0-15

TWO red cards in the space of six second-half minutes killed Antrim's charge at Glenisk O'Connor Park in Tullamore on Sunday as Offaly maintained their 100 per cent record in Division Three.

The Saffrons had got to within two at the break as they came from eight back after coughing up two preventable goals and seemed to have momentum, but Conor Stewart's dismissal two minutes into the second period was soon followed by another for Conor Hand as their challenge was as good as over.

It was basically a procession for Offaly in the final quarter of the game as they piled on the scores, with Keith O'Neill netting twice to kill off what was left of the visitors' hopes.

In all, it was a bit of a ‘what might have been’ as it was mistakes and indiscipline, which were the killer blows for an Antrim team that had looked in a good spot at the break.

But it all unravelled in the final quarter with the 16-point margin perhaps a little unkind as the dam had burst in the final 15 minutes, yet it was another defeat for the Saffrons as Offaly maintained their own perfect start to the campaign. 

“It seemed we didn't get going until the last 10 minutes of the first half,” said. Antrim captain, Dermot McAleese.

“When we did get playing and got a hold of our kick-outs, we were dangerous and reeled off five or six points in a row. 

“Our shot selection was a bit off (in the first half) as the temptation with the breeze is to go for them (two-pointers). It's a hard enough shot with it tricky underfoot, but when we added a bit more urgency, we looked good.

“We were well in the game at half-time even though we were really unhappy with how we'd played and started, but we regrouped and were ready to go.

“With the new rules, it's hard enough playing around the middle third, but down to 13 men is really tough, so it was a nightmare start to the second half.”

Conor Stewart was the first Antrim player to see red
2Gallery

Conor Stewart was the first Antrim player to see red

Antrim had the elements in their favour in the opening period and Paddy McBride took full advantage as he slung over a two-pointer to get them off the mark.

The teams would swap a couple of scores apiece with the pick of them a beautiful curling effort from Dominc McEnhill, but Offaly were beginning to look a lot more menacing as their direct approach was opening gaps.

Dylan Hyland punished a free just outside the arc to level, but it would get better immediately afterwards as they latched upon a poor kick-out with Jack Bryant in. Although Mick Byrne got a hand to his effort, Shane Tierney swept home. 

Offaly would power on with Bryant and Hyland landing two apiece as Antrim seemed overly keen on kicking two-pointers with three shots tailing wide.

One of those shots did finally find the mark through Conor Hand, but the hosts were in for a second goal in the 25th minute and again, it was preventable as Offaly goalkeeper Paddy Dunican saw a shot for two drop and Byrne was unable to gather with Cillian Bourke profiting to finish to the net.

Byrne would make to deny Cormac Egan, but the Saffrons managed to settle themselves and enjoyed a good run into the break with Marc JOrdan and Hand pointing either side of a two-pointer by Dermot McAleese and a pair of McEnhill frees left just two between the teams at the break with Offaly leading 2-8 to 0-12.

Antrim's task got much harder just two minutes after the break, with Conor Stewart shown a straight red for a high challenge John Furlong. Six minutes later, 14 became 13 as Conor Hand lashed out at Hyland, who had just thumped over a two-pointer.

In reality, that was that although Antrim did manage to hang in until the last quarter with a Marc Jordan shot cleared away for a 45 that Byrne nailed to bring it back to a goal.
But the gaps quickly appeared with Offaly able to punish. Their third goal came as a result of Byrne being stationed out they had the numbers to work the simplest of finishes from Keith O'Neill.

Substitute Nigel Dunne chipped in with three scores in the second half as Jordan Hayes and John Furling also got in on the act.

The game was long since decided and O'Neill was able to tap home his second goal to put added gloss on the board as Offaly banked another two points to leave them in a very healthy position heading into the midway point of the campaign.

“We'd be very happy as we looked at Antrim in their first two games: a win at Corigan Park against Clare and a toss of a coin game when they could have beaten Fermanagh, so could have been coming here with four (points) as well,” Offaly joint-boss Mickey Harte said.

“We were against the breeze in the first half and would have been happy to have been two points up, but there's always a danger when you think it's job done.

“The game became a bit disjointed in the second half with Antrim getting a couple of men sent off, which upset us as much as them, so once we sorted ourselves out and worked it out we pulled out some great scores. It's unfortunate for Antrim but we just have to work with what we have. We've been putting up some good performances and long may it last.”

OFFALY: P Dunican; L Pearson, K Higgins, R Egan; A Bracken, J Furlong (0-1), C Egan; J McEvoy, J Hayes (0-1); C Bourke (1-0), C Flynn, K O'Neill (2-2, 0-1f); D Hyland (0-7, 0-1f, 1x45, 1tp, 1tpf), J Bryant (0-3, 0-1f), S Tierney (1-2).
Subs: N Dunne (0-3, 1f) for D Hyland (53), C Donoghue for C Bourke (66), S O'Toole-Greene for C Egan (68), D McDaid for L Pearson (69, R Gallagher for S Tierney (70+2)

ANTRIM: M Byrne (0-1, 1x45); J McDonnell, E Walsh, J McAuley; R Boyle, J Finnegan, D McAleese (0-2, 1tp); C Stewart, C Hand (0-3, 1tp); P Finnegan, M Jordan (0-2), P King; P McBride (0-2, 1tp), R McCann (0-1m), D McEnhill (0-4, 3f).
Subs: F Nagle for R McQuillan (23), P Ferris for J Finnegan (30), J Morgan for R Boyle (62), R Murray for D McEnhill (62), C Higgins for P McBride (68)

REFEREE: D Murnane (Cork)