NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE: Division 1A/Galway 1-13; Offaly 0-15Offaly have won matches this year by not playing as well as they performed in Ballinasloe yesterday. Padraig Nolan's men gave the impression that they were prepared to give everything for the cause in a roller-coaster clash.
They had Galway on the back foot at times but, alas, lacked the guile up front without the suspended Vinny Claffey to put the finishing touches to a high and persistent possession rate. "Fifteen points was our best score this year. We were inexperienced when it came to taking our chances but we have improved and I'm pleased with our high score," said Nolan, who saw his team of battlers miss out on at least three goal opportunities.
Galway manager John O'Mahony was relieved to see those Offaly chances go abegging. "We were fighting for our lives. I am delighted with the points that will save us from relegation."
Offaly's commitment was clearly in evidence throughout but never more so than in the second half when full back John Kenny, left full-back Barry Mooney and corner forward Pascal Kelleghan covered acres of ground, striving miles away from their allocated positions.
Kenny's solo run into the heart of the Galway defence was only surpassed by Mooney who shot Offaly's last point when popping up 120 metres from his corner-back spot.
But Galway had the experience and superior technique up front to contrive a brilliant match-winning first-half goal, something that Offaly tried to emulate, without success during the entire match. "Our goal was the deciding factor," insisted O'Mahony.
This crucial score came in the 34th minute when Ja Fallon sent Joe Bergin away. Padraig Joyce moved off his marker and was on hand to collect Bergin's flick pass with only goalkeeper Padraig Kelly to beat. Joyce finished the job in style, sending Kelly the wrong way with a deft dummy before nonchalantly placing the ball into the empty net. It was but one example of Galway's greater ability to create the opening.
Joyce had equalised for Galway on the half hour with the first score from a free. His goal enabled Galway to lead by 1-7 to 0-7 at the interval.
After Ciarán McManus had switched to the left flank of attack in an early straight swop with Alan McNamee, Offaly's potential improved. But early indications that it was not going to be the visitors' day came when Alan Keane denied McManus a goal with a spectacular save. Earlier still, McNamee cut the Galway defence in two with a clever through ball only for Kelleghan to fumble the chance.
Kelleghan later redeemed himself with some brilliant points but when yet another goal-scoring opportunity was created by Karl Slattery's incisive run at the Galway defence, John Divilly smothered a Donie Ryan effort before a Kelleghan shot rebounded off a post. "You've got to put your chances away," rued Nolan afterwards.
Joe Bergin put in a tireless and highly effective display in Galway's midfield and finished up with four points. Derek Savage, Fallon and Joyce were frequently menacing for a brave and totally committed Offaly rearguard.
Offaly led for most of the first half but a fruitless spell from the third to the 19th minute weighed heavily on their attacking resources.
Joyce's great goal was Offaly's bugbear as they played catch-up football in the second half. However the losers got the deficit down to a single point with a great Colm Quinn point in the 55th minute.
Nobody appreciated the Offaly performance more than the Galway manager who said afterwards: "From this moment we will be totally focused on the 19th of May and Roscommon in the championship."
GALWAY: A Keane; M Comer C Fitzerald T Meehan; R Fahy J Divilly S og de Paor; S O'Domhnaill , J Bergin (0-4); P Clancy J Fallon M Donnellan (0-1) D Savage (0-3) P Joyce (1-4 points off frees) M Clancy (0-1). Subs: T Joyce for O'Domhnaill 50 mins) M Colleran for Fahy 66 mins.
OFFALY: P Kelly; C Daly J Kenny B Mooney (0-1); J Hurst G Rafferty K Slattery; J Grennan, C McManus (0-2); C Quinn (0-1) P Mulhare (0-2) A McNamee (0-2) D Ryan R Malone (0-2) P Kelleghan 0-4. Sub: D Claffey (0-1) for Ryan 60 mins.
Referee: E Murtagh (Longford).
