Offaly 3-19
Kerry 0-14
OFFALY HURLERS SURVIVED a huge Kerry challenge to retain their Division 1B status after this relegation play off at Semple Stadium.
Despite having Sean Cleary red carded in the 45th minute Offaly finished the stronger and two goals in the last 18 minutes from Stephen Quirke saw them pull clear in the end.
Kerry can take huge positives from this game though. Entering the game they were unbeaten, including a Division 2A league final win against Carlow last week.
And today they led Offaly by 0-7 to 0-0 after just nine minutes in Thurles, but Brian Whelehan’s side showed their superiority in the second-half to ease to victory.
Shane Nolan was central to Kerry’s early superiority and his four early points saw they race clear in the early stages.
Cleary got Offaly’s first score after ten minutes, but Offaly finished the half the stronger and Joe Bergin’s goal two minutes from the break saw the sides tied at 0-11 to 1-8 at half-time.
But Cleary was shown the line in the 45th minute for an incident on his way to the sideline when he was due to be replaced by Shane Dooley.
However, Offaly responded well to the setback and with Brian Carroll superb up front they began to pull clear.
Quirke flicked his first goal to the net in the 52nd minute and bagged his second four minutes from the end as Offaly took advantage of a jaded Kerry side, who had given their all.
Scorers for Offaly: S Quirke 2-1, J Bergin 1-1, B Carroll 0-8 (5f), C Mahon & S Dooley 0-2 each, C Egan, K Connolly, D Currams, S Cleary, T Geraghty 0-1 each.
Scorers for Kerry: S Nolan 0-8 (3f, 1 ’65), C Harty 0-2, D O’Connell, B O’Leary & P Boyle, B Brosnan 0-1 each.
Offaly: Conor Slevin; N Wynne, G Healion, J Rigney; B Harding, C Egan, C Parlon; K Connolly, Ciarán Slevin; B Carroll, D Currams, C Mahon; S Quirke, S Cleary, J Bergin.
Subs: P Geraghty for Ciarán Slevin (29), C McDonald for Healion (50), S Dooley for Bergin (51), T Geraghty for Quirke (65), K Brady for Connolly (70).
Kerry: T Flynn; B Murphy, T Murnane, T Casey; S Weir, D Dinneen, D O’Connell; J Griffin, C Harty; B O’Leary, D Collins, S Nolan; K Carmody, P Boyle, J Egan.
Subs: B Brosnan for Carmody (28), P O’Connor for Brosnan (51), J Leahy for O’Leary (54), P Lucid for Boyle (63).
Referee: Johnny Ryan (Tipperary)
No sour grapes but Kerry won all their league games and should be playing 1b next year. How else are tier 2 county’s to progress. Sure they would have shipped a big loss or too but it might be better than easing in to a pointless league final. Offaly should be in div 2 as a kick in the a… For failing to perform all year.
Hurling league is a joke. It’s 10 times harder to get relegated than get promoted. GAA protect the traditional counties and screw those trying to make an impact
I agree completely but it’s not offaly who should be relegated it’s aintrim, they finished bottom of div 1a with 0 points. Offaly had 3 points but lost to Antrim in stupid relegation game. Kerry were hard done by for sure.
So Offaly, who have already lost a relegation play off to Antrim and should therefore have been relegated get a second chance to stay up and Kerry who won all their games (including the div 2a FINAL) have to stay in 2a? What’s the point in having a ‘final’ if there’s no reward for winning?
How is hurling in the ‘weaker counties’ supposed to improve if they’re not given a chance? Absolute farce.
Its a joke really even Brain Whealan admitted that if fair was fair this game shouldn’t have happened and Offaly should have been relegated and Kerry promoted, However its not Offaly’s fault that this is the way the league was set-up. Hopefully Offaly can kick on from here. I’m from Offaly BTW
Offaly drew with Limerick and beat Antrim in the group so had 3 points and Antrim finished bottom with 0 points so should have been relegated.
But Antrim put out a near second team for the last day of the league against Offaly as there was nothing to play for and out their strongest team to beat them in the play off. They wouldn’t have rested players for the final league game otherwise.
There was a barrow load wrong with the way league was set up this year, first of all Antrim brought the game into disrepute by resting 14 player for the last league game against Offaly in Tullamore (Which Offaly won at a canter).
Then why was the playoff played in Ballycastle uo in the very north of Antrim even though Offaly had 3 points and Antrim finished with 0 points.
Surly the game should have been in a neutral venue.
Also if you win Division 2A as Kerry did then surly to God that team deserves to get promoted. I mean Who D Funk put this system together, my kids junior infants class would have done a better job
Offaly finished the league with 3 points Antrim with none, antrim should be gone, I fail to see the point of playoffs at all. Completely unnecessary.
Offaly deserved to remain in Div 1B – it was Antrim who failed to register a single point all year and should be in Division 2 with Kerry taking their place in 1B next year.
Offaly lost the relegation play off against Antrim so therefore they don’t deserve anything, you really are clueless just like the people who decided this second play off should have happened.
FDL is correct. Offaly new their fate was to be decided in that playoff.
There should have been no playoff finish bottom of the group you should be relegated. What’s the purpose of these playoffs?
I wonder do we get a cup!? #fishing
Opportunity missed to expand hurling counties in Ireland. But don’t worry Sky are going to bring brilliant exposure to it in the UK.