This was supposed to be all about announcing the Pat Gilroy hurling regime. The project is still in gestation. It’s still only January. Last night confirmed just how much time and work Gilroy’s project requires but the evening was all about Offaly, who did more than just reclaim lost ground and what seems like a haze of lost years; this performance proclaimed themselves as a legitimate force in this division.
The buzz that Gilroy, as an All-Ireland winning football manager, inevitably brought to the position, plus the early reports of two training sessions a day, a template he patented with the footballers, had made Dublin unbackable favourites beforehand. The anticipation and expectation further framed that perception, especially with Offaly’s recent struggles, but Kevin Martin, an icon from the Offaly All-Ireland winning sides of the 1990s, had brought a similar level of intent and organisation to Offaly. There was also little to suggest on paper that there was a gulf between the teams. A raft of Dublin rookies on the starting 15 confirmed as much.
Offaly were brilliant. They were fit, aggressive in the tackle, but their hurling was far crisper and sharper than Dublin’s. They also had a consistent and more incisive scoring threat all evening. Offaly had 0-16 clocked at half-time but it could have been 2-19.
The accuracy of their long-range shooting was a standout feature of their play but the game-breaking score, their second goal, was a fitting throwback to the stickwork and genius that Offaly had built their All-Ireland successes on in the 1980s and 1990s. A high ball, which was doubled on in the air around midfield, took out two Dublin defenders and opened the door for Liam Langton to shoot to the net.
Dublin were missing some big names. The large Cuala contingent have still to return but they are unlikely to play any part in this campaign. In any case, Dublin’s bid for instant promotion back to Division 1A already looks dead in the water. Their score difference alone from last night will effectively shave another point off their final total at the end of the campaign.
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This was a wake-up call for Gilroy. The rookies are talented ball players but a host of them are still raw and green. Dublin brought some of the cavalry off the bench — Conal Keaney, Niall McMorrow, Eamonn Dillon — but they couldn’t ignite a damp performance. John Hetherton did make an impact as a target man full-forward but Dublin couldn’t find the goal that they desperately needed after the break to give themselves a foothold.
Offaly did set up with a sweeper but it certainly didn’t blunt their attacking edge as they arrowed stick passes around Cian McBride, the Dublin sweeper, and the periphery of the Dublin defence to pick them off, both from range and down the flanks.
Their five-point lead at half-time would have been far greater only for Dublin goalkeeper Alan Nolan making two excellent saves from Oisin Kelly. Nolan, who wasn’t part of the Dublin panel in 2016 and 2017, was very effective with his laser puckouts in the opening ten minutes but Offaly also began to shut him down more by pressing the space and being more aggressive around the middle.
Dublin only converted three of their first seven scoring chances but they had pared Offaly’s lead back to one by the 22nd minute when Shane Barrett did all the spadework to set up Paul Winters for a goal. Dublin instantly levelled the match with a Donal Burke free but they weren’t able to maintain their momentum because Offaly blew that platform apart with five successive points.
It got better for Offaly just after the restart when Conor Mahon was hauled down by Bill O’Carroll for a penalty. Shane Dooley buried it. Offaly’s defence continued to remain on top but their scoring rate slowed in the middle of the half and Dublin had pared the deficit back to six with nine minutes remaining when Hetherton went for goal from a close-in free. Conor Slevin saved the shot and Langton’s goal shortly afterwards sealed the result.
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One of Offaly’s final scores was a classy point from the excellent Kelly. After appearing to be boxed in on the sideline by two Dublin defenders, Kelly hopped the ball off the ground before playing it off the hurley and striking it over the bar.
It was a score befitting of Offaly’s evening.
Star man: Colin Egan (Offaly)
Referee: P O’Dwyer (Carlow)