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Biffos batter lethargic London
BY Larry cooney
NFL Division Four, Round
One
Offaly 5-16
London 1-6
London were decisively defeated by Offaly in their opening round Division
Four match at O’Connor Park, Tullamore on Sunday.
Two late Offaly goals by John Reynolds gave the Faithful County a 22-point
winning margin against a new-look London side, which included eight debutantes.
Noel Dunning’s side, who had battled gamely for most of an hour’s
play, finally succumbed to a better balanced Offaly side and their superior
fitness proved decisive in the end.
While the London manager will be relieved to have got their hardest game
out of the way, they will also realise that the team is well short of
match fitness — even for the standard of football in Division Four.
Chris Donnellan equalised for London in the eighth minute with a neat
left-footed effort from the left corner to cancel out Niall McNamee’s
opening score four minutes earlier.
However Offaly then began to dominate the midfield exchanges, Ciaran McManus
and Alan McNamee winning all the loose breakdown possession.
By the time Donnellan had pointed a free in the 16th minute Offaly had
already gained a significant advantage through points from McManus, Kelly
and Deehan.
The Faithful County then went on to open up a 0-7 to 0-2 lead with 11
minutes remaining of the half following further points from Deehan and
two Niall McNamee frees.
Offaly’s lead became six points a minute later with hat-trick hero
John Reynolds’ opening score.
A cross-field pass from Kelly to Reynolds then set-up Paschal Kellaghan
for the opening goal of the game eight minutes before half-time.
However London were right back in contention three minutes later.
A free from Eamonn Reilly following a foul on Fergus McMahon hit an upright
and rebounded into the arms of Paul O’Donoghue who scored a fortuitous
goal for London from the edge of the small square.
A Donnellan point within a minute left just five points between the sides
but a Ciaran McManus point on the stroke of half-time left the score at
the break Offaly 1-9 London 1-3.
Unfortunately for the Exiles it was all one-way traffic in the second-half.
It is clearly evident after a bleak opening day that Dunning’s charges
have much work to do.
London: Evan Byrne; Andrew Shanaghy, Conor Beirne, John Sharpe; Philip
Morgan, Barry Comer, Niall Spain; Fergus McMahon, Paul O’Donoghue
(1-0); Eamonn O’Reilly (0-1, 1f), Chris Donnellan (0-4, 1f), Jamie
Coffey; Mark Mulholland, Paul Fagan, Dave Moriarty.
Subs: Richard Dempsey for Jamie Coffey, Mark McNulty (0-1) for Andrew
Shanaghy.
Offaly: Padraic Kelly; Ger Rafferty, Scott Brady, Brian Darby; Paul McConway,
Richard Fox, Nigel Grennan; Alan McNamee, Ciaran McManus (0-2, 1f); Niall
Kelly (0-1), Paschal Kellaghan (1-0), Niall Smith (0-1), Thomas Deehan
(0-2), John Reynolds (3-2), Niall McNamee (1-6, 5f).
Subs: David Egan (0-2) for Niall Kelly, James Keane for Ger Rafferty.
Referee: Michael Daly (Mayo). |
