Offaly let Westmeath off the hook in Tullamore

Offaly 0-10 Westmeath 0-10

Dublin certainly didn’t witness anything to cause them sleepless nights as they watched their semi-final opponents, Offaly and Westmeath, scrap out a draw in Bord Na Mona O’Connor Park.

It was a teak tough local derby, with no quarter asked or given, between two extremely committed teams but there was absolutely nothing to suggest that either has the slightest chance of upsetting the All-Ireland champions come the semi-final.

The replay will take place next Saturday afternoon in Mullingar and Westmeath were the more relieved to have secured a second chance. In truth, they were let off the hook by an Offaly side that lost two players to double yellow cards during the second half and failed to attack the game when it was there for the taking.

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Offaly gave a defensive master class throughout, but particularly in the first half, as their diligent tackling and high work rate consistently forced Westmeath into errors but they were unable to close out the deal once they got into a winning position.

The wind was a significant factor and ironically both sides did better against it. Offaly were the better side but paid the price for those moments of indiscipline and also going ultra defensive with the wind on their backs in the second half - at one stage late on, all 14 Offaly players were entrenched back in their own half while they also went into a ‘what we have, we hold’ mode earlier than that with their full quota on the field.

The sides were level at 0-apiece each with 15 minutes left when Offaly began to self implode. Firstly, Michael Brazil, brilliant in the first half as he worked his socks off and scored two points, was sent off for a second yellow. Then Anton Sullivan was black carded just a minute after coming on while Ruari Allen got a second yellow in injury time when conceding a free that John Heslin fired over for the equaliser - he had spurned a chance moments earlier when misplacing a short free from scoreable range.

Graham Guilfoyle’s point had edged Offaly in front with 10 minutes remaining and the closing exchanges were frantic as Westmeath drove forward relentlessly with the home side relying on counter attacks. It looked like Offaly might hold out but Heslin’s 72nd minute kick gave them a reprieve.

The first half was an engrossing affair with Westmeath unable to take advantage of the strong wind. Instead, Offaly’s work rate ensured that they exerted a quiet but definite control on proceedings and the visitors struggled to get any momentum going.

The favourites did have reason to be grateful to midfielder Ger Egan, who had a superb game, kicking four points in all, two in each half.

Westmeath led by 0-2 to 0-1 after 10 minutes and 0-4 to 0-2 after 24, but never looked like building up the significant lead that the wind seemed to merit. Instead they were fortunate to go in level at 0-6 each at half time, as Offaly hit a purple patch that yielded four unanswered points from Brazil (2), Nigel Dunne and Guilfoyle.

Two John Heslin points, one from a free, left it all square at the interval and the game was Offaly’s to lose. The second half was a ferociously tight affair and there was never more than a point in it. Offaly led on four different occasions but couldn’t get two clear as Westmeath survived by the skin of their teeth.

Offaly: A Mulhall; B Darby, E Rigney, S Pender; N Darby (0-1), P Cunningham, C Donoghue; E Carroll, D Hanlon; M Brazil (0-2), G Guilfoyle (0-2), N Dunne (0-3, 1f); R Allen, N McNamee (0-1), J Moloney (0-1). Subs: J Lalor for B Darby (2 mins), J O'Connor for Carroll (53 mins), A Sullivan for Hanlon (59 mins), B Allen for Sullivan (Black card, 62 mins), R McNamee for Dunne (65 mins).

Westmeath: D Quinn; J Gonoude, K Maguire, K Daly; J Dolan, P Holloway, M McCallon; A Stone, G Egan (0-4); K Reilly, P Sharry, N Mulligan (0-1); K Martin, J Heslin (0-4, 3f), S Dempsey (0-1). Subs: D Lynch for Dempsey (half-time), J Connellan for Stone (47 mins), J Egan for Reilly (51 mins), T McDaniel for Martin (57 mins), D Glennon for Mulligan (63 mins), A Gaughan for Glennon (73 mins).

Referee: P O'Sullivan (Kerry).

STATS

SCORES

Offaly 0-10 Westmeath 0-10

HALF TIME

0-6 0-6

WIDES

10 5

FROM PLAY

0-9 0-7

FREES CONCEDED

15 22

YELLOW CARDS

5 2

RED CARDS

2 (Both 2 yellows) 0

BLACK CARDS

1 0

ATTENDANCE

8723