Dublin 1-20
Offaly 2-16
DUBLIN WERE RATTLED by two Offaly goals in the second half of their Allianz Division 1B Hurling League encounter at Parnell Park but held on for a four-point win.
Shane Dooley scored 2-9 for Offaly but it was not enough as they were edged out by a point.
The Dubs led by seven points at one stage of the match but two Offaly goals in the space of six minutes made it a tense finish for the home side.
Paul Ryan opened the scoring for the Dubs with a third minute free but Shane Dooley added two frees of his own to put the visitors ahead.
Joseph Boland pointed after 11 minutes before a fine Danny Sutcliffe score made it 0-3 to 0-2 to Anthony Daly’s men.
Offaly’s Joe Bergin and Conal Keaney of Dublin got in on the scoring attack as the teams traded points.
Ryan slotted over a second free before a Conor McCormack score from a tight angle made it 0-6 to 0-3.
Offaly got a score back before three more Ryan frees made it 0-9 to 0-4 by the 29th minutes. James Mulrooney showed some grit to get a point back before another Ryan free made it 0-10 to 0-6.
John McCaffrey had the last say of the half with a further point for the home support at a chilly Parnell Park to cheer.
Visitors warm up
Second-half scores from McCormack and Keaney were matched by Dooley before the Dubs duo tallied again to make it 0-15 to 0-8 after 46 minutes.
Brian Carroll helped Dooley out on his crusade and the pair added three points before the Tullamore clubman slammed in a goal.
When Danny Sutcliffe responded with a Dublin goal on 58 minutes, and followed up with a point, it was 1-18 to 1-12. However Dooley stepped with with a belting free to reduce the lead again.
A Ryan free and a Keaney point gave the home side breathing room that Offaly, despite two more scores from Dooley, could not magic their way back from.
Scorers for Dublin: Paul Ryan 0-7 (0-6f), Conal Keaney 0-5, Danny Sutcliffe 1-2, Conor McCormack 0-3, Joey Boland, Kevin Byrne, Johnny McCaffrey 0-1 each.
Scorers for Offaly: Shane Dooley 2-9 (1-8f, 0-1 sideline), Cathal Parlon, Joe Bergin (0-1f) 0-2 each, Rory Hanniffy, James Mulrooney, Brian Carroll 0-1 each.
DUBLIN: Gary Maguire; Peter Kelly, Paul Schutte, Ruairi Trainor; Michael Carton, Liam Rushe, Shane Durkin; Joey Boland, Kevin Byrne; Conal Keaney, Johnny McCaffrey, Danny Sutcliffe; Paul Ryan, Conor McCormack, Mark Schutte.
Subs: David Treacy for M Schutte (55), Niall Corcoran for P Schutte (inj) (58), David O’Callaghan for Sutcliffe (66), Simon Lambert for Byrne (69).
OFFALY: James Dempsey; Derek Morkan, Chris McDonald, David King; Dermot Mooney, Kevin Brady, Sean Gardiner; Rory Hanniffy, Sean Ryan; Brian Carroll, Joe Bergin, Cathal Parlon; James Mulrooney, Shane Dooley, Odhran Kealey.
Subs: Colin Egan for Kealey (33), Thomas Carroll for Ryan (51), Derek Molloy for Carroll (66).
Referee: James McGrath (Westmeath).
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Division 2 FL
Wexford 3-8
Armagh 3-8
Wexford hit the front in some style in their league clash with Armagh at the Athletic Grounds but the Orchard County battled back for a draw.
Ben Brosnan kicked a point from close range to give Wexford an early lead that was extended after Paddy Byrne drove home a fine goal after just six minutes.
Stephen Forker got Armagh on the board with a free but Wexford hit back almost immediately and their pressure was rewarded with the awarding of a penalty. Redmond Barry drilled it home to make it 2-1 to 0-1.
Brosnan was the provider for Wexford’s third goal of the game as he set up Shane Roche, who smashed his attempt home. Two minutes later and a Brosnan free made it 3-2 to 0-1.
Armagh fought back, however, and a Gavin McParland goal made it 3-3 to 1-1 at the break. More was to follow in the second 35.
Armagh’s Gavin McParland. (©INPHO/Presseye/Jonathan Porter)
McParland the hero
Forker kicked two Armagh points that were soon erased by Brosnan. PJ Banville (Wexford) and Ethan Rafferty (Armagh) got in on the act and the score was 3-8 to 1-5 after 53 minutes.
McParland netted his second with a blast into the top corner of the net and made it 3-8 to 3-5 when he calmly slotted home a penalty.
The momentum was all with Armagh in the closing stages, especially when Wexford Rory Quinlivan was red carded, and it was left to Forker and Barry Loughran to ensure a draw from a fantastic clash.
Scorers for Wexford: Ben Brosnan 0-5 (0-4f), Shane Roche 1-1 (0-1f), Redmond Barry (1-0 pen) Paddy Byrne 1-0 each, PJ Banville 0-2.
Scorers for Armagh: Gavin McParland 3-0 (1-0 pen), Stefan Forker 0-4 (0-3f), Ethan Rafferty, Aidan Forker, Barry Loughran, Stefan Campbell 0-1 each.
ARMAGH: Paul McEvoy; Mark Shields, James Donnelly, Declan McKenna; Ciaran McKeever, Aidan Forker, Barry Loughran; Stephen Harold, Kieran Toner; Caolan Rafferty, Niall McConville, Ethan Rafferty; Eugene McVerry, Stefan Forker, Brian Mallon.
Subs: James Lavery for Harold, Gavin McParland for McConville, Brendan Donaghy for McVerry, Stefan Campbell
WEXFORD: Anthony Masterson; Brian Malone, Graeme Molloy, Rob Tierney; Aindreas Doyle, Joey Wadding, Adrian Flynn; Daithi Waters, C Doyle; Michael Furlong, Ben Brosnan, Paddy Byrne; Shane Roche, Redmond Barry, PJ Banville.
Referee: Joe Curley (Meath)
