Offaly boss McGarvey eager to build on Division 4 title

Offaly joint-manager Danny McGarvey says his team has achieved their first aim this year in winning Division 4 of the Lidl National Football League.

Donegal native McGarvey and Brian O'Ruairc joined up with Offaly in November and they had their first major success when their side got the better of Limerick at St Brendan’s Park.

Ellee McEvoy scored 1-04 and further goals from Ciara Walsh and Emma Hand sealed a brilliant victory in Birr.

"It was the first goal on our list from the start of the year was to win the league and get out of Division 4, it’s a great feeling," said McGarvey.

"The girls have put in such work since the start of the year and they’ve tremendous talent in the team. They deserve to be playing at least in Division 3 if not higher.

"The biggest thing we wanted to change was the belief within the group. They have the talent, maybe they just needed more self-confidence and belief in themselves that they can mix it with any team.

"We haven’t reinvented the wheel or anything like that, we have just gone back to basics."

Limerick had already beaten Offaly 3-04 to 1-06 earlier in the campaign but in a repeat of the 2015 Division 4 final, it was the intermediate side who were the team to beat.

However, Limerick who took a narrow 3-01 to 0-9 lead into half-time after first half goals from Catriona Davis and Iris Kennelly (two).

Limerick raced into a 1-1 to 0-0 lead early on but they trailed by 0-5 to 1-1 at the first water break before Kennelly scored her two goals.

Then Hand, Walsh and McEvoy scored their goals with Offaly taking a 3-11 to 3-4 lead at the final water break. Cathy Mee added Limerick’s fourth goal but there was no way back.

"Of course, we are disappointed, we came up to win," said Limerick manager Graham Shine.

"We’ve won our four games and come up to the final and fallen short, you get no reward for winning four games and getting to the final.

"All credit to Offaly, they have experience, they are an intermediate team and our girls will learn and will grow from it and we will refocus for championship."