Down footballer, Danny Magill.
Tailteann Cup Group 4
DOWN 2-22 OFFALY 3-13
This was a match of no real consequence as Down were already guaranteed top spot in Group 4 and Offaly were already assured to finish bottom.
Down manager Conor Laverty took the opportunity to make a host of changes but they were still much the better team in the first half.
Offaly did get an early goal through Cathal Donoghue, but wouldn’t score again for another 16 minutes as Down moved 0-7 to 1-0 ahead.
They continued to move up through the gears with 10 different players getting on the scoresheet to help them into a 0-16 to 1-6 half-time lead.
It looked like Offaly might suffer a very painful defeat when Eoin Carroll was red-carded at the start of the second-half, but, credit to the 14-men, they battled on bravely.
Goals from Cormac Egan an John Furlong actually brought the Faithful County level by the 51st minute, but Down got energy from their bench and a goal by substitute Oisin Savage on 69 minutes made the game safe.
Scorers for Down: O Savage 1-0, R Magill 1-0, D Magill 0-4, P Quinn 0-4 (2f), G McKibben 0-2, C McCrickard 0-2,(1m), S Annett 0-2, J McCartan, M Rooney, P McCarthy, S Johnston, J Guinness, B McConville, R Mason, C Mooney 0-1 each.
Scorers for Offaly: J Furlong 1-0, C Egan 1-0, C Donoghue 1-0, N Dunne 0-6 (2f), C Flynn 0-2, L Pearsan, D McDaid, J Hayes, K O'Neill, J Bryant 0-1 each
Down: J O'Hare; F Murdock, M Rooney, P McCarthy; G McKibben, D Magill, S Johnston; J Guinness, J Flynn; R Mason, S Annett, B McConville; P Quinn, C McCrickard, R Magill. Subs: C Mooney for Murdock (38), J Doran for McConville (46), E Brown for D Magill (46), O Savage for Quinn (51), J McCartan for Mason (57)
Offaly: I Duffy; D Finnaran, D Dempsey, J Furlong; C Egan, P Cunningham, L Pearsan; E Carroll, C Donoghue; D McDaid, C Flynn, J Hayes; N Dunne, K O'Neill, J Bryant. Subs: K McDermott for Donoghue (h-t), J McEvoy for Bryant (55), A Sullivan for Dunne (60)
Referee: Kieran Eannetta (Tyrone)
