19 July 2008
Down 5-19 Offaly 2-10
Down’s resounding first-half
performance proved enough in this mismatch
at Tullamore as Offaly suffered an 18-point
drubbing at the hands of the Mourne men to
make their exit from the 2008 All-Ireland
SFC.
First-half goals from Dan
Gordon, John Clarke and Kevin McKiernan helped
Ross Carr’s side establish a 3-12 to
0-4 lead at the break from where it got a
little bit better for the hosts.
The visitors put up 1-5 on
their opponents without a reply with Gordon
netting the game’s first goal after
a powerful run from centre-field and both
Aidan Carr and Kevin McKiernan combing for
points.
Offaly were of the mark on
12 minutes through Patrick O’Callaghan,
but a pair of green flags from Clarke and
McKiernan along with the points of Ciaran
McManus and Daniel Hughes made sure that Down
were set for a more than comfortable 17-point
advantage at the break.
Ronan Murtagh and Gordon
combined for three-points to make sure the
difference would be at 20, but goals from
Pascal Kelleghan and John Reynolds cut down
the deficit somewhat.
However, the Ulster side
were not through yet as inside forwards Benny
Coulter and Ronan Sexton both found the back
of the net to ensure that Offaly would receive
a thumping on their own patch as Ross Carr’s
side advanced to the second round of the backdoor.
Down - B McVeigh; M Cole,
C Murney, L Howard; P Murphy, A Carr (0-4),
K McGuigan; D Gordon (0-2), A Rodgers (0-1);
J Fegan, K McKernan (1-1), D Hughes (1-1);
J Clarke (1-4), R Murtagh (1-5), B Coulter
(0-1). Subs - G McArdle for Murphy, P Turley
for Cole, D McCartan for Murney, J Lynch for
Howard, R Sexton (1-0) for Rodgers.
Offaly - P Kelly; G Rafferty,
S Brady, P McConway; K Slattery, Js Keane,
N Grennan; C McManus (0-1), N Smith; N Darby,
J Coughlan, J Kelly; Kelleghan (2-1), J Reynolds
(0-2), N McNamee (0-4). Subs - A McNamee for
N Darby, B Darby for Rafferty, G Comerford
(0-2) for Coughlan, D Egan for Kelly, S Ryan
for Reynolds.
Ref - A Mangan (Kerry)
