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Offaly U-20's Blitz Cork To Reach All-Ireland Final

Saturday, 31 July 2021 18:41

By Robbie Fahy @RobbieFahy

It's Roscommon or Down in the final on August 14th.

Class, composure and a killer instinct. 

Three traits of champions and three traits displayed in abundance by Offaly over 60 minutes and change in O'Moore Park this evening.

Much has been talked about in GAA circles about the rejuvenation of Cork at underage level and the investment being made in the rebel county but this was all about the phoenix rising in the midlands.  

Expectations of this group will undoubtedly go through the roof in the fortnight leading to the decider but Declan Kelly's men have earned that right. 

Speaking of expectations...what about that Offaly inside forward line. 

Jack Bryant, Cormac Egan and Aaron Kellaghan tore their men asunder time and again from the 10th minute onwards. 

The sides had traded scores up to the first water break where Offaly had the upper hand by one. There must have been some magic stuff in the faithful water bottles because they really stepped up the pace in the second quarter. 

A black card for Cork proved crucial as Offaly managed to tag on 1-4 without response in the next 11 minutes up to half-time, the culmination of which was a stunning goal from Bryant.

He turned his man inside and out before casually placing the ball into the top right corner from inside the thirteen metre line. 

1-7 to 0-3 the score at the break. 

When Kellaghan and Bryant added their second and third points of the game coming out of half-time, Offaly could have been forgiven for taking their foot off the pedal and thinking they've one foot in the final. 

Cork were having none of it. 

They rattled off the next five scores in succession and Declan Kelly must have been contemplating changes as his charges looked to be wilting on the Laois turf.

Suddenly from nothing when they needed it most, upped stepped Cathal Flynn.

The Ferbane man found the back of the net at the end of a flowing move from back to front and restored the faithful lead to seven.  

All credit to Cork they didn't let the repeated blows kill their spirits and kept Offaly up to their work, Brian Hayes, David Buckley and Colin Walsh all kicking scores to keep the gap at between three and four heading into the closing stages. 

Substitute Keith O'Neill hit what looked to be an insurance score, restoring the lead to five but there was still time for Buckley to rattle off three points in a row for Cork and bring them to within a kick of levelling proceedings. 

Cork pressed and pressed for a winning goal as time expired but instead it was Offaly who would have the late goal. 

Like a knife through butter John Furlong slice through the Cork defence, fed Egan who laid it on for his partner in crime Bryant to create scenes in O'Moore Park not seen in many a year. 

3-10 to 0-14 the final score.

Offaly Scorers: 

Jack Bryant 2-4, Cathal Flynn 1-0, Aaron Kellaghan 0-2, Cormac Egan/Morgan Tynan/Lee Pearson/Keith O'Neill all 0-1.

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