Offaly 1-7 Dublin 0-15: DUBLIN AND Offaly both fielded understrength sides for yesterday's first-round O'Byrne Cup tie in Tullamore. The visitors were harder hit in this respect, for whereas Offaly included a number of their established players the Dubs were without their entire regular line-out.
Dublin were further handicapped by being obliged to make five late changes on the side published on the official programme, but they succeeded in recording a fully deserved five-point victory to keep alive their prospects of completing a three-in-a-row victory sequence in this competition.
From the outset Dublin took control, combining better and taking their scoring chances with some considerable flair as they raced into a 0-9 to 0-3 lead by the 24th minute helped by scores from John O'Brien and Aidan Relihan.
Offaly were thrown a lifeline just before the break when corner forward Thomas Deehan availed of a defensive lapse to finish Rory Guinan's delivery for the game's only goal.
However, Dublin resumed well and stretched their 0-10 to 1-3 interval lead with three unanswered points on the resumption. They remained in control until taking their foot off the accelerator in the closing stages, thereby allowing their opponents to put a more respectable appearance on the scoreboard.
The new rules relating to cards were on trial for the first time yesterday and resulted in three Offaly players being yellow-carded and replaced, compared with just one of their opponents.
No red card was produced by referee Maurice Deegan, but the 'score' of black cards finished five for Dublin and four for Offaly.
DUBLIN: C Walsh; B Sexton, W Lowry, D Daly; D Lally (0-1), G O'Connell, P McMahon, D OMahoney, E Reilly; D Byrne (0-5, three frees), G Smith (0-1), J O'Connor; A Relihan (0-3), J O'Brien (0-5, four frees), J Donnelly. Subs: B Kirby for Lowry (50 mins), D O'Shaughnessy for Smith (57 mins), K. Devine for O'Connell (60 mins), J Ryan for Relihan (67 mins). Yellow card: D. McCann for O'Connor (yellow card) (29 mins),
OFFALY: A Mulhall; C Evans, C McManus, K Lynam; K Flannery, J Quinn, M Mitchell; N Smith (0-1), C Carroll (0-1); N Coughlan (0-1), R Guinan (0-3, three frees), G Rafferty; T Deehan (1-1), J Reynolds, J Coughlan. Subs: S Ryan for Rafferty (47 mins), N Darby for J Coughlan (47 mins).
Yellow cards: J Rafferty for Smith (46 mins), R Connor for Flannery (50 mins), S Sullivan for Rafferty (56 mins).
Referee: M Deegan (Laois).
