Disappointing day for Down in Tullamore

Saturday was a bad day in Tullamore for Down who were defeated by a strong Offaly outfit in the second round of the Tailteann Cup following a loss to Sligo for the U20s in the All-Ireland B final in the first game of the double header. It was a bitterly disappointing result for Conor Laverty's men who were amongst the favourites to win the Cup and now will have to try to do so through the back door in Round 2B. Offaly were full value for their win however, taking goal chances when they came and killing their opponents with six two-pointers in total. Down had goal chances a-plenty too, but only one stuck and it wasn't enough against a side that were hungrier on the day. The home side went into the changing room at half-time five points to the good, aided by two goals, one from the spot, four two-pointers and a slight breeze in their favour. And while Down fought back and levelled 1-18 to 2-15 in the second half, Offaly pulled away again and simply couldn't be caught. The game was evenly poised for the first five minutes with traded scores between Shane Annett, Ceilum Doherty and Daniel Guinness for Down and Keith O'Neill Dylan Hyland and Shane Tierney for Offaly. But in the eighth minute, Hyland nailed Offaly's first two-pointer for an 0-5 to 0-3 lead, to nudge his side in front. Down responded well, with a good build-up from midfield ending with Pearse McPolin finishing to the net , but three minutes later Jordan Hayes scored a second for Offaly from beyond the arc and while Caolan Mooney equalised Down conceded a penalty on 16 minutes and when Hyland converted they stretched their lead from that point on. O'Neill made it 1-4 to 1-9 with the third Offaly orange flag and while Ronan Burns came out of his goal converting a free from outside the arc, Hayes replied in kind to make it 1-6 to 1-11. While their next two-point effort dropped short, Tierney sent the ball over the bar and the same player netted in 21 minutes giving Offaly a 1-6 to 2-12 lead. Down fought back with a brace of Pat Havern frees and while McPolin came close to a second goal from the left hand post there was just too much on the pass. Ceilum Doherty added a super score and Annett and Ryan Magill also pointed before the break with just one from their opponents. Burns was forced into a superb double save before that and as such the scoreline read 2-13 to 1-11 at the interval. There were goal misses at both ends after the restart following a converted '45 by Burns and traded scores followed before Down looked to be getting back in the game when Murdock raised an orange flag and Tom Close pointed to narrow the margin to one, 2-14 to 1-16. The signs were there that it just wasn't going to be Down's day however, as Murdock missed a point straight in front of the posts on the run. But the Mournemen managed to level the game with two of the next three scores, the third a point from John McGeough with his first touch off the bench. But that was as good as it got for Laverty's men, as Highland nudged Offaly in front again and a couple of wides and a Ryan Magill goal effort straight into the keepers arms was answered with another two-pointer from Highland. Goal chances came and went for Down, and they could only muster up three more points, while Offaly scored another couple, a sixth from beyond the arc and a goal off the boot of Diarmuid Egan for a 3-22 to 1-20 victory. MATCH STATS Offaly: Conor Melia; Shane O'Toole Greene, David Dempsey, Lee Pearson; Cormac Egan, Diarmuid Egan (1-0), Marcus Dalton; Jack McEvoy, Jordan Hayes (0-5, 2tp); Kyle Higgins, Keith O'Neill (0-3, 1tp), Aaron Leavy; Dylan Hyland (1-11 3tp, 2f), Shane Tierney (1-3), Nathan Poland Subs: Harry Plunkett for Poland (41mins), Rory Egan for Higgins (54mins), Jack Bryant for Tierney (56mins), Daire McDaid for Dalton (56mins), Cathal Ryan for C Egan (62mins)

Down: Ronan Burns (0-3 1tpf, 1 '45); Peter Fegan, Pierce Laverty, Finn McElroy; Callum Rogers (0-1), Pearse McPolin (1-0), Ryan Magill (0-1); Odhran Murdock, Daniel Guinness (0-1); Shane Annett (0-2), Ceilum Doherty (0-2), Miceal Rooney; Caolan Mooney (0-1), Pat Havern (0-5, 3f, 1tp), Tom Close (0-2) Subs: Ruairi McCormack for McPolin (h-t), Patrick Brooks for McElroy (45mins), John McGeough (0-1) for Close (48mins), Eamon Brown (0-1) for Rooney (53mins), Barry O'Hagan for Magill (56mins)

Referee: Conor Lane (Cork)