Offaly put themselves on the brink of promotion to Division 2 with a huge win over neighbours Kildare in Tullamore.
It was a first win for Offaly over their neighbours in a competitive fixture since 2006 but it was much bigger than this as it puts them on top of the table on 10 points, with Kildare and Clare on 8 behind them.
Offaly look certain to go up as scoring difference will decide it if they tie with Clare and Kildare on 10 points after next Sunday's closing round. Offaly travel to Ennis but having a scoring difference of 21 points better than Clare so anything less than an eleven point defeat will suffice for them. Scoring difference will only come into play if Clare and Kildare win and any other sequence of results will see Offaly safely up.
Stranger things have happened in football but Offaly very much have their fate in their own hands and it would be a calamity to let it slip at this stage. Kildare will not be one bit happy after back to back defeats against Clare and Offaly but have a big get out of jail card to play at home to Antrim next Sunday. With a scoring difference of +48 points, a win there will put them up and on current form, they are fortunate to be in such a strong place.
Scoring difference will apply from all the games in the group, including Leitrim who conceded a walkover to Fermanagh but that won't matter as they have played Offaly, Kildare and Clare.
For Offaly, it was their best display of the league as they reproduced the genuinely exciting, attacking football that had lit up their early games before they lost it in their defeat to Fermanagh and struggling win over Leitrim.
Kildare settled the quicker and deservedly led by 0-3 to 0-2 after eleven minutes. Significantly, their opening points all came from play whereas Offaly’s came from two Keith O’Neill’s frees.
By the time Callum Bolton curled over Kildare’s fourth point in the 24th minute, Offaly had eight on the board and the whole complexion of the game had changed.
Four of those were excellent Dylan Hyland two pointers and Offaly were full value for their 0-11 to 0-8 lead as the half drifted into injury time.
Crucially, however, Kevin Feely kicked two points, one from a free, to leave just a point in it, 0-11 to 0-10 at the break and it was all very much up in the air.
Kildare came flying out of the blocks in the second half and quick points from Cathal Hagney, Colm Dalton and Jimmy Hyland had them 0-14 to 0-12 up after 48 minutes.
With Offaly missing chances, it looked like Kildare had the initiative but a fabulous breakaway goal from Rory Egan in the 53rd minute gave them the lead and changed the game.
They went for the jugular and two Dylan Hyland points and one from the super Cormac Egan gave Offaly a 1-15 to 0-14 lead after 60 minutes. Points from Colm Dalton and Cathal Hagney brought Kildare back into it but a debatable 66th minute penalty when man of the match, Daire McDaid was adjudged to hacve been pushed was a big moment. Dylan Hyland stroked home the kick to put Offaly 2-15 to 0-16 ahead and that cushion proved big enough.
Kildare had to get goals to rescue it but Offaly’s defence was sensational and they kept their heads and a clean sheet to secure a great win.
Offaly: Paddy Dunican; Lee Pearson, Aidan Bracken, Daire McDaid; Rory Egan (1-0), John Furlong (0-1), Cormac Egan (0-3); Jack McEvoy, Jordan Hayes; Kyle Higgins, Cathal Flynn, Keith O'Neill (0-2, 2f); Dylan Hyland (1-9, goal from a penalty, 2 2p, 3f), Jack Bryant (0-1), Shane Tierney (0-1).
Subs: Aaron Leavy (Tullamore) for O'Neill, inj. (48m), Nigel Dunne (Shamrocks) for Tierney (68m).
Kildare: Didier Cordonnier; Ryan Burke, Mick O'Gready, Brian Byrne; Harry O'Neill, James McGrath, David Hyland; Callum Bolton (0-2), Cathal Hagney (0-3); Ben McCormack (0-1), Alex Beirne (0-1), Colm Dalton (0-2); Ryan Sinkey (0-2), Kevin Feely (0-4, 2f), Jimmy Hyland (0-2, 1f).
Subs: Brian McLoughlin for McCormack (44m), Jack McKevitt for Burke (44m), Aaron Masterson for Sinkey (51m), Darragh Swords for Beirne (56m), Niall Kelly for Hyland (66m).
Referee: Paddy Neilan, Roscommon.
