NFL Division Two final/ Offaly 1-10; Down 1-8: One theory about the Division Two final is that it's more important not to lose than to win. Yesterday's display of largely forgettable football seemed to prove that. Offaly won by rising to that fear of defeat, and Down lost by failing to do likewise.
There was little else to make the difference. Both sides had their major playmakers in Ciarán McManus and Benny Coulter, but too many of those around them let the Croke Park arena get the better of them. Sharp shooting was at a premium and so was quality and once Offaly found anything like decent form the result was as good as theirs.
Yet, both managers came away satisfied with the lessons learnt, chiefly the adaptations necessary for playing at Croke Park.
Offaly's Gerry Fahey reckoned the new experience certainly helped unnerve his team and there was quick agreement from Down's Paddy O'Rourke.
Some of the bare facts support their cases. Offaly hit 13 wides and Down one less and scoring from play over 70 minutes often looked laborious. Down could only manage 1-2 of their total away from the placed ball.
Offaly fared a lot better with 1-7, but consistency was their main problem and most of their first half will be easily forgotten.
Fahey reflected that mood when asked if victory was the important thing: "Well not really," he said. "I'd have mixed emotions about it. We're delighted to have won, but I'd be disappointed at the way we played.
"What we saw out there today proves that the likes of Offaly and Down need more Croke Park experience, because we were both very nervous, and committed a lot of basic errors.
"Just look at the number of guys slipping. That partly comes down to choice of studs and the only way of getting used to that surface is playing on it. But there was also a lot of tension in both teams and I know part of that comes down to playing in Croke Park. Hopefully they can prosper here a little more in the future because of this."
Offaly are back at headquarters in three weeks to face off against Westmeath, while Down have a week's less breathing space before playing Cavan. From that point of view, Fahey can consider the afternoon a little more constructive.
"Ah yeah, but we have set high standards for ourselves. It's just too bad we didn't play a little better. We felt we had done well to get level at half-time, and came in knowing we hadn't really played yet. So if we could lose some of the inhibitions it could improve for us."
Doing exactly that for a bubbling 15-minute period after half-time, Offaly scored 1-3 without reply and in the process handed Down an unachievable task.
Roy Malone and McManus opened that burst with two fine points and the goal from Neville Coughlan - something of a classic - caught everyone off guard.
Having swapped positions with Malone and moved to centre forward, Coughlan collected a short free from Barry Mooney from just outside his own half.
One by one he slipped past the Down defenders and then calmly slipped the ball under Michael McVeigh as if the whole thing was planned. After a show of skill like that who could argue?
Scott Brady popped up to tag on another point and so Offaly went 1-8 to 0-5 clear, with 48 minutes gone. Down hadn't scored since the 31st minute and needed something fast, and when Coulter found Shane Ward unmarked, he rocketed the ball into the roof of the net - and Offaly's six-point lead was back to three.
From there to the end, though, neither team capitalised on any of their strengths. Coulter stayed hungry for ball, but either the wide-count mounted or Conor Evans, the fulcrum of Offaly's defence at full back, stalled the move in its tracks.
Michael Walsh was introduced for Down for the last 10 minutes and his two frees kept a slight air of excitement. But they'd also gone chasing goals and Offaly comfortably handled that threat over the final minutes.
Down's best period was probably the opening 10 minutes, when Liam Doyle's free-taking was spot on and Gregory McCartan made sure they won everything around midfield.
McCartan himself added a free to send Down 0-5 to 0-2 in front, but that was the high point of a generally dull afternoon. James Grennan topped off the Offaly fight-back so that the sides were level at 0-5 at the break.
Afterwards, O'Rourke pointed to the very early loss of Seán Ward - who suffered a bad ankle strain - as one reason for their game plan going astray: "But that's not why we lost the game. We had our chances, and possibly if we had been a little more careful we could have got a result.
"It was one of those days when a lot of things didn't happen. Hopefully, they'll happen in a fortnight's time against Cavan."
OFFALY: P Kelly; S Sullivan, C Evans, S Brady (0-1); B Mooney, C Daly, K Slattery; C McManus (0-5, three frees), J Grennan (0-1); N McNamee (0-1), R Malone (0-1), A McNamee; C Quinn, N Coughlan (1-0), P Kellaghan. Subs: T Deehan for A McNamee (40 mins); J Coughlan (0-1) for Kelleghan (52); M Daly for Grennan (60); J Reynolds for Quinn (68).
DOWN: M McVeigh; M Higgins, A Molloy, A Scullion; J Lavery, M Cole, S Farrell; Seán Ward, G McCartan (0-2, frees); L Doyle (0-2, frees), B Coulter (0-1), R Sexton; D Hughes (0-1), D Gordan, Shane Ward (1-0). Subs: K King for SeáWard (six mins, inj); E McCartan for King (half-time); J Clarke for Sexton (45 mins); M Walsh (0-2, frees) for McCartan (60); G McCrickard for Shane Ward (68).
Referee: M Daly (Mayo).
