Offaly secured back-to-back Leinster Under-20 hurling titles with a hard fought three-point victory over Dublin in front of a huge crowd in Portlaoise.
The majestic Adam Screeney was a joy to watch for the thousands of fans packed into Portlaoise, with his nine-point tally steering Offaly to a deserved victory before a stampede of joyous kids in the Offaly colours swarmed onto the pitch to congratulate their heroes.
It was Dublin who settled into the game the quickest after a frantic start, taking the first two scores of the game, with Brendan Kenny and Diarmaid O’Dulaing influencing strongly throughout the opening period.
Shane Rigney had the ball in the back of the net for Offaly on 20 minutes, but from that point Offaly’s confidence only grew and grew, with Screeney pulling the strings for the Faithful County.
Despite both sides battling hard, it was Offaly who found their scores easier to come by, with Dublin going 12 minutes without a score before a Neil Hogan point on the stroke of half-time got them moving again. Offaly led by just two at the break.
A combination of a missed Dublin penalty and Screeney on the Offaly frees was the narrative of the second half as Offaly took control of the game.
A late goal for Dublin courtesy of Conn Rock was too little too late for the Boys in Blue, as a spread of six different second-half scorers for Offaly saw them crowned provincial champions for 2024.
The match began at a ferocious pace from both sides, with the heavy hits coming thick and fast. It took five minutes for the first score and it came courtesy of Brendan Kenny for Dublin. The roving right half-back capitalised from midfield, collecting a ball from Fionn Murphy before pointing between the posts.
With the deadlock broken and both sides beginning to settle, the scores started to roll, and with some style too. Neil Hogan showed sublime technique and composure to point for Dublin and within minutes Kenny helped himself to his second score from his own '65 with a point that wouldn’t look out of place at the highest level of the game.
Offaly could only muster up two points in the opening 15 minutes but did have to contend with playing into a very strong wind. Captain Dan Bourke opened the scoring for his side before two fine frees from the exciting Screeney left just three between the sides with 18 minutes played.
Dublin were tipping away at a nice pace with their scores and Diarmaid O’Dulaing fired over a beauty of a point from distance close to the 20-minute mark to put four between the sides.
To their credit, Offaly were battling ferociously and had the sliother in the back of the net on 20 minutes. A rare lapse in concentration from Dublin at the back allowed Rigney to turn Jack Behan at lightening speed before rifling to the back of the net.
Offaly were back to within one and another Screeney free saw the sides level at 0-07 to 1-04 with five minutes left in the first half.
Offaly were growing and growing in confidence from the moment they got their goal. Two further points from Screeney and midfielder Conor Spain edged Offaly into the lead for the first time in the game as the half-time whistle approached, with the Faithful supporters getting noticeably louder in appreciation of the performance they were witnessing from their side.
Neil Hogan’s second point of the game on the stroke of half-time gave Dublin a much needed score having gone 12 minutes without managing a score to leave just two between the sides at the break.
Dublin were battling hard but struggling to make much ground in the areas where they could really hurt Offaly, snapping ambitiously at difficult shots from long range but racking up the wides.
At the other end, Bourke led by example with two fine scores to extend his sides lead to four points with 20 minutes remaining.
Dublin had a golden chance to narrow the deficit when they were awarded a stonewall penalty just moments later. David Purcell weaved his way into the box before being dragged to the ground by Ruairi Kelly right in the goalmouth.
O’Dulaing stepped up to the spot against the wind and with the conditions worsening, but was denied by a stunning full-stretch save from Liam Hoare in the Offaly goal.
Screeney’s laser-like radar was switched on in the third quarter as the Kilcormac/Killoughey man hit four frees in a row for Offaly to extend his side's lead to five points.
In fairness to O’Dulaing, he didn’t let the miss get to him and slotted three difficult scores in the five minutes that followed to keep Dublin in touch, but still trailing by four with 10 minutes to go.
However, that was as good as it would get for Dublin as Offaly upped the intensity and more importantly the conversion of scores.
Points in the last few minutes from Rigney, Burke and a monster of a score from Donal Shirley cemented Offaly’s lead and despite a late goal from Conn Rock, Offaly held on to deservedly be crowned Leinster Under-20 hurling champions.
Dublin: Kevin Hogan; Conor Mag Ruairc, David Lucey, Cathal Kennedy; Brendan Kenny (0-03), Conor Dolan, Eoin Keys; Conal O’Riain (0-01), Jack Behan; Ollie Gaffney, Diarmaid O’Dulaing (0-06, 3f, 1 65), David Purcell (0-01); Fionn Murphy, Neil Hogan (0-03), Jamie Conroy (0-01)
Subs: Conor Newton for Fionn Murphy [31], Conn Rock (1-00) for Neil Hogan [47], Dylan Bannan for Eoin Keys [49]
Offaly: Liam Hoare; Ruairi Kelly, Ben Miller, James Mahon; Donal Shirley (0-01), Brecon Kavanagh, Ter Guinan; Colin Spain (0-01), Cathal King; Shane Rigney (1-01), Dan Bourke (0-04, 1f), Conor Doyle (0-01); Alex Kavanagh, Barry Egan, Adam Screeney (0-09, 6f, 1 65)
Subs: Leigh Kavanagh for Barry Egan [36], Eoin Burke (0-01) for Alex Kavanagh [44]
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