Offaly secure Division 2 football despite Clare defeat

Offaly secured their promotion to Division 2 as well as a place in next Saturday's Division 3 decider despite an underwhelming defeat to Clare in front of 2,176 spectators in Zimmer Biomet Páirc Chiosóg Ennis.

A brace of late Aaron Griffin goals completed a 10-point second half turnaround for Clare but while the Banner finished level with Offaly and Kildare at the top of the Division 3 table, the hosts required an 11-point victory to overtake their opponents on score difference.

Peter Keane’s side had the chances to do so but kicked 15 wides including nine two-point attempts over a largely frustrating 70 minutes before those goals.

Clare certainly started with clear intent as opening placed balls for Eoin Cleary and Mark McInerney sandwiched two glorious goal chances.

Dermot Coughlan and Cillian Rouine combined to tee up Keelan Sexton for the first that agonisingly rebounded off the right post and wide before a minute later Emmet McMahon’s back post effort was deflected for a ’45.

Offaly proved much more efficient as Jordan Hayes’ 12th minute delivery was flicked to the net by Jack Bryant ahead of onrushing goalkeeper Eamon Tubridy at 1-00 to 0-02.

That pattern would be replicated once more at the end of the second quarter when after a three-point unanswered burst through Cleary, Sexton and Mark McInerney regained full parity at 0-06 to 1-03.

By the 26th minute however, it would again be wiped out by an Offaly surge.

Clare's Aaron Griffin reacts after scoring his side's second goal

Bryant had been unlucky with a goal sighting that just flashed across the face of goal and wide but the lively Cathal Flynn would make no mistake with an opportunist 33rd minute strike to power the visitors 2-05 to 0-06 clear by the break.

Inevitably the Banner rallied, kicking the first four points of the new half through Sexton, Emmet McMahon and Cillian Rouine to reduce the arrears to the bare minimum after only three minutes.

A two-point free from goalkeeper Paddy Dunican held off a baying Banner, but as the tie drifted into the final quarter Cleary and McInerney would level the tie for only the third time at 0-14 to 2-08.

A much-needed slice of fortune duly catapulted Clare in front for the first time at the hour mark when substitute Darragh Burns’ point attempt dropped short and broke off a defender into the welcome hands of Aaron Griffin to find the net from close range.

A second Griffin goal five minutes into additional time sealed the two points but it wasn’t sufficient to overtake Mickey Harte’s side who now face Leinster rivals Kildare in the decider next Saturday.

KEY: tp - two-point score; tpf - two-point free; tpm - two-point mark

Clare: Eamon Tubridy; Manus Doherty, Cillian Brennan, Ronan Lanigan; Ikem Ugwueru, Cillian Rouine (0-01), Alan Sweeney; Brian McNamara, Emmet McMahon (0-01); Dermot Coughlan, Aaron Griffin (2-00), Ciaran Downes; Eoin Cleary (0-04, 1f), Mark McInerney (0-04, 2f, 1’45), Keelan Sexton (0-04, 1f)

Subs: Darragh Burns for Sexton (55), Cormac Murray for Cleary (58, inj), Evan Cahill for Downes (68), Shane Griffin for Sweeney (73), Daniel Walsh for McInerney (76)

Offaly: Paddy Dunican (0-02, 1tpf); Daire McDaid, Rory Egan, Lee Pearson; Cormac Egan, John Furlong, Aidan Bracken; Jack McEvoy, Jordan Hayes; Marcas Dalton (0-01), Cathal Flynn (1-00), Keith O’Neill (0-01); Dylan Hyland (0-01), Jack Bryant (1-02), Shane Tierney (0-01)

Subs: Aaron Leavy for Bracken (HT), Ruairi McNamee for Dalton (58), Nigel Dunne (0-01, 1f) for Egan (67)

Referee: David Hickey (Carlow)

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