Offaly booked a date with Carlow in the Walsh Shield final as they dished out an 11-point drubbing to UCD in Banagher yesterday. The Faithful County held a three-point advantage at half time but stepped it up a gear in the second half and pulled away with Shane Dooley and newcomer Thomas Carroll to the fore. Limerick man Conor Allis was UCD's biggest threat but with the likes of Cathal Parlon and Joe Bergin influential, Offaly's class rose to the top and sent UCD packing.
James Rigney was outstanding at full-back for the victors as Joe Dooley's charges hit an impressive haul of 23 points, 14 from play. UCD will now turn their attention to the Fitzgibbon Cup where they will have Tipperary ace Noel McGrath available again. Offaly manager Dooley will be hoping a number of key players will return from injury to play some part in the Allianz League, as they travel to Cork for the opening round on February 13.
Scorers -- Offaly: S Dooley 0-9 (6f, 1 '65'), B Carroll 0-4 (2f), T Carroll, C Parlon 0-3 each, J Bergin 0-2, D Hayden, D Currams 0-1 each.
UCD: K Hogan 0-5 (3f), C Allis 0-4 (2f), C McBride, D O'Connor, O Gough, 0-1 each.
Offaly -- J Dempsey; B Mulrooney, J Rigney, S Egan; D Hayden, P Healion, D Morkan; C Parlon, C Mahon; D Curram, J Bergin, T Carroll; B Carroll, S Dooley, J Mulrooney. Subs: K Connolly for Mulrooney (h-t), M Verney for Egan (h-t), M Cordial for Currams (51), P Bermingham for Dooley (59), K Brady for Morkan (62).
UCD -- J Ryan; J Doyle, S Cummind O Gough; W Devereux, J O'Loughlin, S Norton; B O'Shea, D Fox; C Allis, K Hogan, C McBride; D O'Connor, W Walsh, E MacSuibhne. Subs: C Brennan for (h-t), K O'Loughlin for (h-t), F Hannon for Fox (h-t), J Foley for Walsh (h-t), B Phelan for O'Loughlin (45), D Fox for F Hannon (47), M O'Sullivan for J Ryan (59).
