Offaly claim Leinster minor title with enthralling victory over Louth

Irish Examiner

19-05-2025

Electric Ireland Leinster Minor Football Championship final: Offaly 2-20 Louth 3-14
A remarkable final few minutes ended with goalkeeper Jack Ryan converting two long-range stoppage time frees to secure a most dramatic Leinster MFC title success for Offaly.
The Faithful were considerable underdogs beforehand and trailed by four points with three minutes of normal time remaining.
It looked at that stage like Louth would secure all three of Leinster football's flagship titles and achieve a historic clean sweep having already taken the senior and U-20 crowns.
But an Offaly side beaten by nine points by Louth in their group just last month refused to relent and produced a thrilling finale to secure a first title since 1989.
Offaly outscored Louth by 0-8 to 0-1 in the closing minutes with Ryan's first two-pointer, in the 62nd minute, putting them a point ahead and his second, in the 65th minute, stretched the gap to three.
Ryan fired over four two-pointers in total, all from long-range frees, while the side beaten in their first two games this season impressively finished the game with three two-pointers in a row.
Eamon Maher scored Louth's other late two-pointer as they dominated the possession in the concluding minutes for a famous win.
Free-taker Tony Furey top scored for Offaly with 1-6 while Dylan Dunne blasted the early goal that kept them in the game despite a strong first-half from Louth.
Johnny Clerkin's Louth led by 0-11 to 1-6 at half-time with 0-8 of that tally coming from star forward Connell Kelly.
The son of former Louth senior player and manager Colin Kelly came into the game with 2-40 and added another 0-9 in Newbridge.
But he still somehow finished on the losing side despite three second-half Louth goals from Oisin Reidy, Jack Martin and Cillian McQuillan.
Martin's 37th minute goal left Louth five ahead and they were still four clear when McQuillan hit the net from a penalty in the 52nd minute, 3-13 to 2-12.
But it was all downhill from there for Louth who only added one more point.
As for Offaly, they were just getting going and a couple of Furey points from frees were followed by the three two-pointers in a row, Maher and Ryan filling their boots.
Louth lost sub Conal Mannion to a 64th minute red card for a challenge on Ruairi Woods, providing the free for Ryan's final two-point score.
All is not lost for Louth as both teams will advance to the All-Ireland quarter-finals.
Scorers for Offaly: T Furey 1-6 (5 frees); J Ryan 0-8 (4 tpf); D Dunne 1-1; C McNamee, E Maher (tp) 0-2 each; D Stewart 0-1.
Scorers for Louth: C Kelly 0-9 (3 tpf, 2 frees); C McQuillan 1-2 (1-0 pen); E Reidy 1-1; J Martin 1-0; M McGlew 0-2.
OFFALY: J Ryan; C Farrell, T Carroll, C O Beirne; P Duffy, T Kelly, E Rouse; E Maher, C Duffy; C Weldon, D Dunne, A Daly; T Furey, C McNamee, R Woods.
Subs: D Stewart for Weldon (39); C Duffy for Daly (43).
LOUTH: S Connolly; R Hickey, F McEneaney, C Titley; M McGlew, T Devaney, C Marron; T Maguire, C McQuillan; O Reidy, A O'Reilly, C Kelly; N McCreesh, J Martin, C Rooney.
Subs: C Mannion for McCreesh (54); S Hoey for Rooney (57).
Ref: J Foley (Carlow).