Sport

Offaly outclassed and look doomed to relegation

Offaly 1-17 Limerick 5-19: OFFALY REMAIN anchored at the foot of the table, having endured a trouncing yesterday at O'Connor…

Mon Mar 17 2008 - 00:00

Offaly 1-17 Limerick 5-19:OFFALY REMAIN anchored at the foot of the table, having endured a trouncing yesterday at O'Connor Park that almost certainly dooms them to relegation.

Limerick were totally dominant throughout a game in which referee Johnny Ryan brandished three second-half red cards that left the visitors with a 14-13 numerical advantage. That, however, had little bearing on the result, as by that stage Offaly were trailing by 4-12 to 1-11.

Andrew O'Shaughnessy put Limerick ahead by netting after just 40 seconds. The visitors had 1-3 on the board before Brian Carroll pointed a free to open Offaly's account in the seventh minute.

Nine minutes later Limerick's lead had increased to 1-7 to 0-3, but then Ger Healion dispossessed goalkeeper Brian Murray to score an opportunist goal for Offaly.

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That goal reduced the visitors' lead to three points, but it was soon nullified when Ollie Moran netted following a sweeping movement. Donie Ryan's goal give Limerick a 3-11 to 1-10 interval lead.

Hopes of an Offaly recovery were shattered early in the second half when O'Shaughnessy scored his side's fourth goal.

A scuffle between Niall Moran and Ciarán Flannery resulted in both being dismissed in the 39th minute, and three minutes later they were followed to the dug-outs by Offaly's Derek Molloy for a second yellow card offence.

Ryan added his second goal late on to complete the rout.

LIMERICK: B Murray; D Reale, S Lucey, S Hickey; M O'Riordan, P O'Dwyer (0-1, 65), M Foley (0-1); D O'Grady (0-4), W McNamara; M Fitzgerald, O Moran (1-0), N Moran (0-2); A O'Shaughnessy (2-2, two frees), S O'Connor (0-4), D Ryan (2-2). Subs: B Foley for Fitzgerald (24), K Tobin (0-3) for O'Shaughnessy (52), H Flavin for O Moran (57), D Cosgrave for O'Riordan (60), S Lavin for McNamara (62).

OFFALY: S O'Connor; C Hernon, K Brady, D Franks; D Horan (0-1), J Brady, J Bergin; S Dooley (0-1), B Leonard; C Mahon, G Oakley (0-3), D Molloy (0-1); B Carroll (0-6, five frees), G Healion (1-1), A Egan (0-1). Subs:C Flannery (0-1) for Leonard (20 mins), D. Kilmartin for O'Connor (41 mins), J Gorman (0-2) for Dooley (47 mins), S Wynne for Franks (63 mins), T. Corcoran for Egan (69).

Referee: J Ryan (Tipperary).