Waterford 1-19 Offaly 1-16:WATERFORD FINALLY got the better of a gallant Offaly side at Walsh Park yesterday in an exciting encounter which suffered from over-fussy refereeing.
Waterford needed the victory to keep their faint hopes of reaching the league final intact, but it was all in vain as results elsewhere mean they cannot now qualify.
For a long time during the second half it looked as if Waterford were going to earn their third draw in a row, but in a frantic final quarter they managed to keep their noses in front and earn their third victory of the campaign.
Waterford started the game quite brightly and led by 0-5 to 0-2 after 12 minutes, with Séamus Prendergast notching two fine points from play and Eoin Kelly scoring the other three from frees.
However, Offaly rallied during the second quarter and were soon back on level terms, mainly thanks to the free-taking of Shane Dooley.
In the 22nd minute, a fine point from Derek Molloy put Offaly in front for the first time.
It was nip and tuck from there to the break, with Kelly once again being the main score-getter for Waterford, for whom Maurice Shanahan and Shane O’Sullivan also scored. O’Sullivan’s point in injury time gave Waterford an interval lead of 0-11 to 0-10.
The first goal came when Waterford corner forward Thomas Ryan made progress down the right before squaring to Shanahan who finished neatly.
Davy Fitzgerald then introduced John Mullane for Eoin Kelly. As Kelly left the field, he flung his helmet into the dugout in disgust at his substitution.
On the hour mark a mix-up in the Waterford defence after a shot from Derek Molloy gave Shane Dooley free to get a goal.
Although that put Offaly back in front, it proved to be their final score of the game as three points from Maurice Shanahan and one from Shane Walsh gave the two points to Waterford.
Manager, Davy Fitzgerald, in what may have been a reference to Kelly’s reaction at being substituted, said: “You won’t be playing on this Waterford team unless you work very hard, no matter who you are.”
WATERFORD: C Hennessy; E Murphy, M O’Brien, N Connors; S Fives, R Foley, J Nagle; E Kelly (0-8, all frees), S O’Sullivan (0-1); K Moran, S Prendergast (0-2), M Shanahan (0-6, four frees); S Molumphy, D Shanahan (1-0), T Ryan. Subs: J Mullane (0-1) for Kelly, S Walsh (0-1) for Prendergast, A Kearney for Fives, T Browne for Shanahan, J Meagher for Murphy.
OFFALY: J Dempsey; D Franks, P Cleary, M Verney; J Rigney, D Kenny, D Morkan; R Hanniffy (0-1), S Wynne; B Carroll (0-1), D Molloy (0-2), D Currams (0-2); G Healion, J Bergin, S Dooley (1-10, nine points from frees). Subs: D Hayden for Rigney, C Mahon for Healion, S Egan for Franks, J Brady for Wynne, C Parlon for Bergin.
Referee: John Sexton (Cork).
