Allianz Hurling League Division 1B – Offaly 2-15 Limerick 2-15

Offaly and Limerick played out a 2-15 to 2-15 draw in round 4 of the Allianz Hurling League Division 1B on Sunday March 16th at O’Connor Park, Tullamore.

Last-gasp Bergin proves hero as gritty Offaly draw comfort

Offaly 2-15 Limerick 2-15

Report from the Irish Independent newspaper

Having trailed by four points with three minutes to play, resilient Offaly hit 1-1 in the closing stages to earn a deserved draw with reigning Munster champions Limerick at O’Connor Park in Tullamore. Peter Geraghty fired in a cracking goal on 68 minutes to bring Offaly to within a point with the final say being left to captain Joe Bergin, who sailed over a free from midfield with the last puck of the game to salvage the draw.

Offaly manager Brian Whelahan was delighted with the spirit showed by his players to force their way back and earn their draw. “I am delighted for the lads that they didn’t lose it because I didn’t think they deserved to lose it,” Whelahan said afterwards. “I was very happy with the way we responded each time they got a goal and that is something we have been trying to work on. “If you haven’t got that bit of spirit, you won’t make those comebacks”.

Limerick were wasteful throughout and racked up 12 wides, but could call on the clinical Graeme Mulcahy for their two second-half goals. Mulcahy was well-marshalled by James Rigney throughout, but when his limited scoring chances arose, the Kilmallock man was potent. The Munster men led 0-8 to 0-6 at half-time with Offaly’s Bergin seeing his first-half penalty saved on the line by Aaron Murphy.

Offaly failed to score from play in that opening half, but a rousing couple of scores from Shane Dooley early in the second half paved the way for Offaly to up the ante. Mulcahy struck for his opening goal on 40 minutes, just at the stage when Offaly were really carving into the deficit. Kevin Downes started to get the upper hand on a limping Rory Hanniffy, but Bergin kept Offaly in touch with some excellent free-taking.

Limerick led by five points with 15 minutes to go and looked more than capable of closing the game out, but Offaly had their own ideas. Dan Currams finally found some space on the edge of the square and once he rounded Richie McCarthy in the 62nd minute, he only had eyes for goals and sent a shot crashing to the net. That brought Offaly level on 1-13 each, but two minutes later Mulcahy capitalised on some pedestrian defending to get his second goal and put a knife into the Offaly heart.

Offaly showed resilience, however, and a rocket goal from Geraghty set the stage for Bergin to point his free with the last puck of the game to earn a draw and give Offaly their first point of the league.

SCORERS – Offaly: J Bergin 0-12 (10fs, 0-1 ’65’), P Geraghty, D Currams 1-0 each, S Dooley 0-2, S Cleary 0-1. Limerick: G Mulcahy 2-1, C Allis 0-6 (4fs, 0-1 ’65’), K Downes 0-3, P Browne 0-2, D Reidy 0-2, P O’Brien 0-1.

Offaly – J Dempsey 7; N Wynne 8, R Hanniffy 7, J Rigney 7; C Parlon 7, G Healion 6, M Egan 7; T Geraghty 7, P Geraghty 7; J Bergin 8, C Mahon 6, S Dooley 7; B Carroll 6, D Currams 7, K Connolly 7. Subs: S Cleary for P Geraghty (22-26 blood), S Cleary 7 for K Connolly (51), S Quirke 6 for B Carroll (58), D Morkan 6 (for R Hanniffy (58).

Limerick – A Murphy 6; S Walsh 7, R McCarthy 7, T Condon 8; P O’Brien 7, W McNamara 7, G O’Mahony 6; D O’Grady7, P Browne 8; W Hickey 6, C Allis 7, D Reidy 7; G Mulcahy 8, K Downes 8, T O’Brien 6. Subs: J Ryan 6 for W Hickey (48), C King 6 for G Mulcahy (50), S Tobin 6 for T O’Brien (52), A Dempsey 6 for C Allis (61).

REF – D Hughes (Carlow)

Limerick 2-15 Offaly 2-15

Report from thescore.ie

THE LIMERICK HURLERS promotion hopes suffered a huge setback this afternoon as Offaly struck 1-1 in injury-time to force a draw in their clash in Tullamore. The result means Limerick are now a point behind Cork heading into the last round of games and have lost the initiative in Division 1B ahead of the final round of games next Sunday.

Limerick will rue this result with Offaly staging a comeback thanks to a late goal from Peter Geraghty and a point by Joe Bergin ensuring the home side grabbed a share of the spoils. Limerick made the early running to lead by 0-8 to 0-6 at the break with Kevin Downes, Paul Browne and Paudie O’Brien all showing up well for them. Joe Bergin kept Offaly in touch but they were rocked by a Graeme Mulcahy goal just after half-time.

Dan Currams found the net to push Offaly ahead by 1-14 to 1-13 but it was a brief advantage as Mulcahy bagged his second goal of the game soon after. Limerick looked on course for victory only for Offaly to peg them back at the death.

LIMERICK: A Murphy; S Walsh, R McCarthy, T Condon; P O’Brien (0-1), W McNamara, G O’Mahony; D O’Grady, P Browne (0-2); W Hickey, C Allis (0-6, 0-4 frees, 0-1 ’65), D Reidy (0-2); G Mulcahy (2-1), K Downes (0-3), T O’Brien.

Subs: J Ryan for Hickey (47), C King for O’Mahony (49), S Tobin for T O’Brien (51), A Dempsey for Allis (61).

OFFALY: J Dempsey; N Wynne, R Hanniffy, J Rigney; C Parlon, G Healion, M Egan; T Geraghty, P Geraghty (1-0); J Bergin (0-12, 0-10f, 0-1 ’65), C Mahon, S Dooley (0-2); B Carroll, D Currams (1-0), K Connolly.

Subs: S Cleary (0-1) for P Geraghty (21 – temp), Cleary for Connolly (51), S Quirke for Carroll (57), D Morkan for Hanniffy (57).

Referee: David Hughes (Carlow)

Team News

Limerick Senior hurling team announced for Sunday’s game against Offaly in Allianz hurling league in Tullamore at 2pm http://t.co/H3ePCKITss

— Limerick GAA (@LimerickCLG) March 14, 2014

Offaly GAA News Offaly Hurling Team to play Limerick announced http://t.co/7m54OJIj6B

— Official Offaly GAA (@Offaly_GAA) March 15, 2014

LIMERICK: Aaron Murphy; Stephen Walsh, Richie McCarthy, Tom Condon; Paudie O’Brien, Wayne McNamara, Gavin O’Mahony; Paul Browne, Donal O’Grady; Conor Allis, James Ryan, David Reidy; Graeme Mulcahy, Kevin Downes, Thomas O’Brien
Subs: Nickie Quaid, Alan Dempsey, Philip O’Loughlin, Dan Morrissey, Cathal King, John Fitzgibbon, Cathal McNamara, Sean Tobin, Tommy Quaid, Micheal Ryan, Shane Dowling

The Offaly team to play Limerick in Sunday’s Allianz National Hurling League, has three changes from the side that lost to Cork last Sunday. Mark Egan, Thomas and Peter Geraghty come into the side at the expense of Dermot Mooney, Sean Ryan and Damien Kilmartin.

James Dempsey

Niall Wynne

Rory Hanniffy

James Rigney

Cathal Parlon

Ger Healion

Mark Egan

Peter Geraghty

Thomas Geraghty

Joe Bergin Capt

Conor Mahon

Shane Dooley

Brian Carroll

Dan Currams

Kevin Connolly