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Details

Date Time Competition Season
22 May 2022 2:00 pm Tailteann Cup 2022

Match Report

Offaly progress in Tailteann Cup

Offaly defeated Wexford by one point in an entertaining and tightly contested game that sees them advance to the next round of the Tailteann Cup.

The game was even but you felt Offaly’s quality going forward would eventually see them take a slender win and that’s how it played out. Goals from Diarmuid Egan, Lee Pearson and Niall McNamee would prove decisive.

Mcnamee who scored 1-5, scored the pivotal goal for the Faithfuls after 53 minutes. Wexford battled to the end and only missed out by a point, as Ben Brosnan once again did all he could for the Yellowbellies.

John Maughan’s side have pencilled in a meeting with Wicklow in the next round after just getting over the line today in Enniscorthy. A strong offensive Wexford performance pushed Offaly all the way and it took the extra goal to see them through, as they won 3-11 to 2-13 in Bellefield.

The score line never went further than a four point deficit and things could have gone either way. The favourites and visitors were the more threatening as expected, but some poor wides from them in the first-half combined with the fact that the Model County’s big names showed up made this a very tight affair.

Ben Brosnan’s game started with no surprises as he kicked two early points but Diarmuid Egan hit the net after 12 minutes to get Offaly ticking. Dylan Furlong responded with a goal soon after for Shane Roche’s team and the rest of the half continued to ebb and flow as an even contest.

Despite being ahead at numerous points in the half, the away team were sloppy and missed a lot of wides, Niall McNamee and Keith O’Neill with two particular shockers. Nonetheless they kicked over enough to lead 1-7 to 1-5 at the interval with points from McNamee, Anton Sullivan and Johnny Maloney.

Into the second period, the team once again took turns at scoring goals. Lee Pearson scored from corner back and Offaly started to multiply their scorers as Bill Carroll and Niall Darby kicked over. Just when it looked like the travelling team could pull away Wexford replied with points from Niall Hughes and sub Mark Rossiter.

Hughes then fisted in a dropping ball right at the goal-line and everything was back in the balance. At this stage Niall McNamee was fully in his rhythm and built towards the five points he would have at the final whistle. He also scored the vital third goal which was all that separated the sides for a decent spell.

It would also be what decided the game as late Wexford scores from Kevin O’Grady and Donal Shanley couldn’t prevent a single point loss.

Wexford
1Darragh Brooks Goalkeeper
2Gavin Sheehan Defender
3Eoin Porter Defender 29'
25'
4Michael Furlong Defender
5Paidi Hughes Defender
6Glen Malone Defender 23'
7Dylan Furlong Defender 16'
45'
8Liam Coleman Midfielder
9Niall Hughes Midfielder 49'
51'
10Dean O’Toole 23 Forward 36'
11Kevin O’Grady Forward 41', 70+2'
12Alan Tobin 22 Forward
13Ben Brosnan 26 Forward 2', 10', 35'
14Eoghan Nolan 21 Forward 45', 60'
25Sean Ryan 15
16Conor Swaine
15Mark Rossiter 25 Forward 50'
17Jim Rossiter
18Conor Carthy Defender
19Naomhan Rossiter Goalkeeper
20Darragh Lyons Midfielder
21Nick Doyle 14
22Donal Shanley 12 Forward 70+4'
23Tom Byrne 10 Forward
24Robbie Brooks
26Cian Hughes 13 Forward

Offaly
1Paddy Dunican Goalkeeper
2Lee Pearson 17 Defender 40'
3Declan Hogan Defender
4Niall Darby Defender 37'
5Cian Donohoe Defender
6Johnny Moloney Defender 22'
7Rory Egan 12 Defender
8Bill Carroll Midfielder 36'
9Jordan Hayes Midfielder
19Keith O’Neill Forward 5'
11Diarmuid Egan 26 Forward 12'
22Ruairi McNamee Forward
13Jack Bryant 25 Forward
21Niall McNamee Forward 53'
13', 33', 34', 48', 49'
15Anton Sullivan 10 Forward 20', 66'
16Ian Duffy Goalkeeper
10Dylan Hyland 15 Forward
12Mark Abbott 7 Forward
14Bernard Allen Forward
17Kieran Dolan 2 Defender
18Oisin Keenan-Martin
20Aaron Brazil
23Morgan Tynan Midfielder
24Jack McEvoy Midfielder
25Conor McNamee 13 Forward
26Cathal Flynn 11 56'

Timeline

Ben Brosnan 2' 
  5' Keith O’Neill
Ben Brosnan 10' 
  12' Diarmuid Egan
  13' Niall McNamee
Dylan Furlong 16' 
  20' Anton Sullivan
  22' Johnny Moloney
Glen Malone 23' 
Eoin Porter 25' 
Eoin Porter 29' 
  33' Niall McNamee
  34' Niall McNamee
Ben Brosnan 35' 
  35' Diarmuid Egan
Cathal Flynn
Dean O'Toole 36' 
  36' Bill Carroll
  37' Niall Darby
  40' Lee Pearson
Kevin O'Grady 41' 
Dylan Furlong 45' 
Eoghan Nolan 45' 
Sean Ryan
Mark Rossiter		 45' 
Alan Tobin
Donal Shanley		 45' 
  47' Jack Bryant
Conor McNamee
  48' Niall McNamee
Niall Hughes 49' 
  49' Niall McNamee
Mark Rossiter 50' 
Niall Hughes 51' 
  53' Niall McNamee
  56' Cathal Flynn
Eoghan Nolan 60' 
Dean O'Toole
Tom Byrne		 61' 
  62' Rory Egan
Mark Abbott
Ben Brosnan
Cian Hughes		 65' 
  66' Anton Sullivan
Eoghan Nolan
Nick Doyle		 69' 
  69' Anton Sullivan
Dylan Hyland
  69' Lee Pearson
Kieran Dolan
Kevin O'Grady 70+2' 
Donal Shanley 70+4' 

  • Full-time in Enniscorthy it finishes 3-11 to 2-13 and Offaly advance with the extra goal proving to be decisive

  • 74'

    Sub Donal Shanley kicks over as Maughan's men try to hang on

  • 72'

    O'Grady scores a point for Wexford but they still need to hit the net or they're out here

  • 69'

    Lee Pearson off and Kieran Dolan replaces

  • 66'

    Sullivan with his second score for Offaly

  • 62'

    Subs for both teams. For Wexford Tom Byrne replaces O'Toole and Mark Abbott comes in for Rory Egan

  • 60'

    Nolan with another score for Wexford

  • 55'

    Cathal Flynn booked

  • 53'

    McNamee scores to bring it back to a three point gap. 1-5 for the Offaly forward now

  • 50'

    McNamee kicks over but sub Mark Rossiter and Hughes follow up with scores

  • 47'

    Niall Hughes fists home from a dropping ball to score for the hosts. One point in it again

  • 45'

    Dylan Furlong booked

  • 45'

    Eoghan Nolan hits it over for Shane Roche's men

  • 45'

    Jack Bryant almost scores but it rattles the crossbar

  • 41'

    Kevin O'Grady with a point for the Yellowbellies

  • 40'

    Good build up play sees Lee Pearson finish the move and score Offaly's second goal. 2-8 to 1-6 now

  • 37'

    Niall Darby with a successful free for the Biffos

  • 36'

    Wexford gets the scoring back underway through Dean O'Toole

  • Half-time change from Maughan. Cathal Flynn on for the goal scorer Diarmuid Egan

  • Half-time in Enniscorthy and its 1-5 to 1-7 in the favour of John Maughan's Offaly. The game has been quite even but you certainly feel that sloppiness going forward and numerous wides are the only things stopping the Faithfuls from pulling away. With that said Wexford are a constant threat going forward and Brosnan has already kicked 0-3.

  • 35'

    Brosnan with his third score to bring the deficit to one point but then at the other end Carroll kicks the score of the half for Offaly

  • 34'

    McNamee again to get a third point

  • 33'

    Niall McNamee sticks over another free. Brosnan went in on goal down the other end but Paddy Dunican made a great close range stop

  • 31'

    Eoin Porter with a point to equal the scores

  • 30'

    Dylan Furlong with a wide

  • 29'

    Another poorly taken free from the away team making it five wides for them. Keith O'Neill with the recent one

  • 25'

    Eoin Potter booked for Wexford and then Niall McNamee with a bad wide from a free

  • 23'

    Glen Malone gets one back with a score

  • 22'

    Captain Johnny Maloney with a score for Offaly

  • 20'

    Anton Sullivan restores the visitors' lead with a point

  • 16'

    The Model County get a goal of their own as Dylan Furlong buries it home

  • 13'

    Niall McNamee with a lovely free to make it 0-2 to 1-2

  • 12'

    Goal for the Faithfuls. Bill Carroll with a surging run and effort and Diarmuid Egan scored the follow up off the underside of the bar

  • 10'

    Brosnan scores another free after a needless foul. The Yellowbellies lead again

  • 5'

    Keith O'Neill levels with a score for Offaly

  • 4'

    Brosnan kicks a high wide now from play. One wide for each team

  • 2'

    Ben Brosnan kicks the first score of the game with a free

  • We're off in Wexford!

  • Late changes for both teams. Sean Ryan is in in place of Mark Rossiter for the hosts. For Offaly Niall and Ruairi McNamee are in late as well as Keith O'Neill as Hyland Bernard Allen and Mark Abbott come out

  • As part of the Southern section if this new tournament, the winner of today's game will meet Wicklow in the next round after they beat Waterford yesterday with a score-line of 3-16 to 1-10

  • Brosnan is joined by Eoghan Nolan and Mark Rossiter on the full forward line but this is subject to change if the Yellowbellies play a sweeper. Niall Hughes and Liam Coleman start in midfield. For the Faithful County Jack Bryant starts after missing the Championship game, Dylan Hyland is at wing-forward and captain Johnny Maloney is in at six.

  • The sides met last month in the Leinster Championship where a stunning Ben Brosnan performance led Wexford to a three point win. However Offaly had many injuries that day and are favourited to reverse the outcome this afternoon.

  • Con Sheehan reporting here for Wexford v Offaly in the preliminary round of the Tailteann Cup. Throw-in is set for 2pm at Bellefield

Past Meetings
(First Round)
1-12 1-15
Leinster SFC
Chadwicks Wexford Park

Ground

Chadwicks Wexford Park
Chadwicks Wexford Park, Clonard Road, Clonard, Wexford, The Borough District of Wexford, County Wexford, Leinster, Y35 RT91, Ireland

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