Offaly pip Kerry in thriller to boost Joe McDonagh hopes

Four goals - along with a 74th minute point from David Nally - was just about enough to get Offaly over the winning line in a brilliant Joe McDonagh Cup game in Tralee, a result that puts the Faithful county into pole position to secure a top two finish in the group and qualify for the final.

The result, meanwhile, has all but scuppered Kerry's hopes of reaching that final, as the Kingdom now have to go to unbeaten Antrim next week absolutely needing to win to give them what might be the slimmest of hopes of qualification.

Knowing it was a win-or-bust game for both teams didn’t see either hold back at a sun-splashed Austin Stack Park, with both teams contributing to a brilliant, open game of hurling.

Nally’s huge point from 85 metres in the 74th of 75 minutes played eventually tipped the result Offaly’s way, though Colin Walsh’s score a minute earlier looked as if it might have earned the hosts a point. There wouldn’t have been too many complaints had it ended in a draw, though the point would still have left Kerry needing to win in Antrim.

The first half was a story of two Offaly goals and a missed Kerry penalty, which was, in fact, a wonderful save from Stephen Corcoran to push Shane Conway’s low strike around the post. Padraig Boyle salvaged a point from the '65’ but Kerry would, in the end, rue the two missed scores.

Eoghan Cahill had pointed Offaly into an early lead from a free, but when Kerry full back Eoin Ross raided forward to clip a point and make it 0-03 to 0-02 to the visitors, Kerry looked to have settled.

But in the very next play David Nally picked out Killian Sampson who struck a fine shot past Louis Dee in the Kerry goal to send Offaly four clear, 1-03 to 0-02. Three Padraig Boyle scores – two frees and one