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Brian Whelahan couldn't prevent a shock defeat for Offaly. Ken Sutton/INPHO

'We were outfought, we fell flat and that's a sickener' - Offaly hero on crushing loss

Manager Brian Whelahan was powerless to prevent a big defeat.

FOR THE MAN regarded as Offaly’s greatest player, yesterday’s Leinster championship defeat to Laois marked one of the lowest points of his hurling life.

Brian Whelahan attempted to put some sense on Offaly’s first championship loss to their neighbours since 1972, and laid the blame firmly at the door of his players.

The Faithful County slumped to an eight-point defeat at O’Moore Park and Whelahan is now faced with the unenviable task of lifting them for the qualifiers.

“No fight really, you know? No fight when Laois came at us there late in the second half,” he told reporters.

“Just very disappointing. We thought we had prepared well enough but you wouldn’t think it out there. That’s the disappointing thing.”

Brian Whelahan Brian Whelahan lamented a lack of fight from his Offaly players. Ken Sutton / INPHO Ken Sutton / INPHO / INPHO

Whelahan revealed how he spoke to his players at half-time after Laois had come with a run of eight unanswered points to lead by four, but that key messages were not absorbed.

“When we went short with puckouts, we were actually getting scores but when we went long, we were losing ball, drawing Laois on.

“In the first 20 minutes we looked to be comfortable enough but we stepped off and fought for no breaking ball.

“When we had numbers there, a Laois man seemed to come away with the ball.

“All the little things we tried to work on this year, we took a step backwards. It’s brutal.”

Seamus Plunkett is congratulated by Zane Keenan at the end of the game It was a good day for Zane Keenan and Laois boss Seamus 'Cheddar' Plunkett. Ken Sutton / INPHO Ken Sutton / INPHO / INPHO

And Whelahan admitted that he doesn’t know where Offaly go from here in the aftermath of such a damaging setback.

“I don’t know, to be honest with you. I don’t know where we’re going after today.

“The mood in the dressing room is devastating.

“I felt we couldn’t have prepared any better, the players seemed really up for it but on the day, Laois wanted it that bit more and that’s the most disappointing thing.

“We were outfought and that’s very disappointing.

“We felt we hadn’t a bad season, injuries were back right and we prepared well but fell flat and that’s a sickener, hard to explain.

“It’s going to be very hard to lift the lads but we’ll work very hard to do that over the next week especially.”

The Fermanagh hurlers paid a lovely tribute to Shane Mulholland on Saturday

‘Could Brian Gavin be in any worse position? He doesn’t need to be there’

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6 Comments
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    Mute Chris Long
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    May 4th 2016, 12:58 AM

    How are we still talking about this? Was that interview not nearly a month ago?

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    Mute Fred west
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    May 4th 2016, 1:58 AM

    ” We’re going to do it ” -Ger Loughnane 1995, half time All Ireland final.

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    Mute An_Beal_Bocht
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    May 4th 2016, 12:58 AM

    And Mr functionality himself in the photo, Wally Walsh

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    Mute anthony campion
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    May 4th 2016, 10:36 AM

    Nothing gets past you

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    Mute gold3n
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    May 4th 2016, 5:15 AM

    A slow news day!

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    Mute Cathal O'Donoghue
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    May 4th 2016, 10:53 AM

    If I was a Clare supporter I wouldn’t relish the thought of meeting Kilkenny again this year after all this nonsense. They may not be a great team now, but they’re still a very good one and are comfortably the best in the country right now. Clare only won a league match and they have a lot to prove. As for the management, Ferguson v Keegan 1996 comes to mind.

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    Mute Eddie Ryan
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    May 4th 2016, 6:51 PM

    Cody as ever singing all the write songs. Ger actually never said anything bad about him. You can be sure that was digested by the players. Revenge is a dish best served cold. Kilkenny tend to serve it up more then most!

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    Mute Martin Fitzpatrick
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    May 5th 2016, 1:51 PM

    Now is that not some reply ? A very tongue in cheek response. Typical Cody

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