Derry 0-8 Offaly 2-10

Report by John Gavin

Offaly travelled north on Saturday to take on Derry at the Derry Centre of Excellence in the second round of the Very League hoping to back up last week's victory over Kerry with another win.

Already without the injured Sharon Shanahan, David Sullivan announced two further changes to his starting team before throw in with the injured Cathy Fogarty and Megan King being replaced by Kaitlyn Kennedy and Emma Buggy.  While Derry had overcome the Offaly challenge in last year's league match, the team that lined out on Saturday showed very few faces from that to the team facing the Faithful girls this time round.  

While weather conditions were good for the game, unfortunately the pitch in Owenbeg did not match that, with a thin layer of grass covering the rolled pitch.

Offaly got off to a flying start hitting a goal and a point in the opening 3 minutes with Offaly's opening score coming when a long range shot from Fianait Dooley was batted down by Laura Coyle in the Derry goals only for Mairead Teehan to sweep the ball to the back of the net.  The remainder of the first half was a battle with scores proving scarce.  However with half time approaching Offaly finished strongly hitting an unanswered 1-3 with Grace Teehan finding the net on the stroke of half time.  

David Sullivan will have been pleased with the 2-5 to 0-2 scoreline but he will have known that his team were not over the line just yet and if they needed any reminding, they got it when play restarted and Derry hit three points in a row.  Credit to Offaly, they did not panic and two quick points settled any nerves.  After that the Faithful girls saw the game out without Derry getting close.

The only negative for the Offaly Manager was the injury to forward Becky Bryant early in the game.  The Tullamore woman rolled her ankle and went down in a lot of pain before being carried off looking distressed and was replaced by Caoimhe O'Donovan.  If that was a negative, then the Offaly management will be pleased with the second week in a row when they were able to empty the bench and give their subs game time.  As well as that, while this was not a high scoring game, they also had a good range of scorers.

Next up for Offaly is a home game against Meath in Tullamore.  A big occasion for the Offaly girls who will play in Glenisk O'Connor Park for the first time ever and while it is significant for camogie in Offaly, David Sullivan will be keen that his team concentrate in getting the job done and take them a step closer to a League Final.

Afterwards Sullivan reflected on a nice win for his team and acknowledged that the 1-2 before half time made a huge difference to the game.  Keen to keep his girls grounded, however he acknowledged that while it is two wins out of two it is only the start of the year and they won't be getting carried away.  

Looking forward to next week's match against Meath in Tullamore he went on to say how he had spoken to the team about how important it is that they put on a show and showcase everything that they are about to reflect that they are putting in the same amount of work as their male counterparts.  

Offaly team:  Leah Gallagher, Aoife Liffey, Kaitlyn Kennedy, Emma Buggy, Ellen Regan, Amy Byrne, Orlagh Phelan, Faye Mulrooney, Clodagh Leahy,  Fianait Dooley, Christine Cleary, Grace Teehan, Roisin Kinsella, Becky Bryant, Mairead Teehan

Subs: Caoimhe O’Donovan for Becky Bryant, Grainne Kennedy for Emma Buggy, Hannah Feenane for Faye Mulrooney, Ciara Maher for Grace Teehan, Aoife Hoctor for Roisin Kinsella, Elizabeth Kilmartin for Aoife Liffey, Orla Kilmartin for Mairead Teehan, Aoife Donovan for Fianait Dooley, Emer Reynolds, Aoife O’Donovan, Kelly Sammon, Nicola Cleary, Sharon Shanahan, Ellen Gilligan, Cathy Fogarty, Megan King

Offaly scorers:  Clodagh Leahy 0-5 (0-4 frees, 1 x '45), Mairead Teehan 1-1, Grace Teehan 1-1, Fianait Dooley 0-1, Roisin Kinsella 0-1, Faye Mulrooney 0-1

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