Another hefty defeat but at least Meath stay faithful to the cause
Some high points for Steven Clynch's side as Offaly march to expected big win
Offaly...5-31
Meath...3-16
It wasn't as bad as the 31-point shellacking they received against Laois the previous week but to lose any game by 21 points - as Meath did against Offaly in the McDonagh Cup at Trim today - has to be considered a bad day at the office. Another bad, sad day for Meath hurling.
Of course nobody expected anything else but a big win for the Faithful County and when they led by 12 points at one stage in the opening half you had to fear for the home team. Could there be a record pounding on the cards for a Meath senior hurling side?
That, at least, didn't happen like it did against Laois. Instead the home team dug in, showed formidable spirit and fight.
They clocked up a pretty decent score themselves against a good side - their cause greatly helped by two goals from the irrepressible Nicky Potterton just before the interval.
The first of those came about when the Kildalkey player took possession from Sean Quigley about 20 metres out.
He danced, bobbed and weaved past Offaly defenders before slotting the ball to the net. It was a splendid goal matched by a lethal, net-bursting finish.
The second arrived shortly afterwards - and was a reward for doing something radical; for taking a risk. Potterton himself won a 20 metre free. Offaly lined their goals - as you do.
A point looked to be the certain outcome. Potterton had other things on his mind. Instead he shot low and hard into the Offaly net past startled opponents on the line. The defenders were caught unawares.
Those two, quick-fire strikes left just five between the teams going into the half-time break, 2-12 to 2-17 and, unlikely as it might have seemed, Meath still in with a shout.
As expected Offaly upped the intensity in the second-half, rattled off a series of scores that put them in the clear and marched on with richly talented players like Brian Duignan and Charlie Mitchell between them contributing 1-13 to their team's tally.
The home side fashioned a third goal on 50 minutes. It was the produced of a well-structured move.
Again Potterton played a central role with his forward surge causing problems in the Offaly rearguard. The ball broke, there was a goalmouth scramble. The sliotar fell to Tom Shine who finished from close range.
Sure Meath were outclassed for much of the game by a classy Offaly side but the those goals were positive moments for Steven Clynch's side that helped to elevate this performance above what was produced against Laois.
Sure Offaly were superior in so many respects. Their puck out strategy functioned better, they were slick and pacy in their attacks and were well capable of exploiting weaknesses in the home rearguard.
Yet there were moments too when the home side conjured up some fast-paced forward thrusts with Kris Gorman, David Murtagh, Shine, Niall McLarnon, Eamon Og O Donnchadha, Mark Horan and James Kelly all finishing off moves with fine strikes that yielded scores dug out of rock.
Meath were often the engineers, the scriptwriters of their own downfield, repeatedly giving the ball away as they sought to construct passing moves.
A lamentable example as far as the home side were concerned occured in the 53rd minute. Meath sought to work their way out of defence. They lost the ball and a micro second later Adam Screeney fired to the net for Offaly's fifth goal.
The home team despite the odds didn't give up. They stayed faithful to the cause. That's something to take forward this week as they prepare for a crunch game with Westmeath who drew with Down today.
The young Meath players will have learned a great deal from the past two weeks. Experience they can draw on for the battles ahead starting with that game the Lake County in two weeks time.
SCORERS
Offaly - Charlie Mitchell 1-7; Brian Duignan 0-6 five frees; Eoghan Cahill 0-6 three frees; Dan Bourke 1-3; Killian Sampson 1-2; Adam Screeney 1-1; Oisin Kelly 1-0; David King 0-2; Eimhin King 0-2; Donal Shirley 0-1; Cillian Kiely 0-1.
Meath - Nicky Potterton 2-5 frees; Tom Shine 1-2; Kris Gorman 0-2; Eamon Og O Donnchadha 0-2; David Murtagh 0-2; Mark Horan 0-1; James Kelly 0-1; Niall McLarnon 0-1.
TEAMS
Offaly - Mark Troy; Cathal King, Ciaran Burke, Ben Conneely; Donal Shirley, Cillian Kiely, Sam Bourke; David King, Eoghan Cahill; Killian Sampson, Brian Duignan, Oisin Kelly; Eimhin Kelly, Charlie Mitchell, Dan Bourke. Subs - Adam Screeney for O Kelly, Luke Watkins for S Bourke both half-time, Dara Maher for Duignan 55m, Paul Cleary for D Bourke 60m, Jack Claney for C King 66m.
Meath - Charlie Ennis; Jarlagh Ennis, Shane Whitty, Daire Shine; Sean Geraghty, Simon Ennis, Kris Gorman; David Murtagh, Naill McLarnon; James Kelly, Tom Shine, Sean Martin; Mark Horan, Eamon Og O Donnchadha, Nicky Potterton. Subs - Michael Burke for J Ennis 31m, Sean Quigley for Martin 34m, Domhnall Rogers for O Donnchadha 58m, Damien Healy for McLarnon 62m, William Gleeson for Murtagh 68m.
Referee - Conor Daly (Kildare).