Faithful hold off battling Treaty

Offaly sailed close to the wind before securing their Division 3 status in Tullamore.

Antrim’s win over Wicklow would have kept Offaly up in any event but they gave a mixed bag here with an improved second half following a dreadful first half.

The game then had an unsatisfactory end with the outstanding Dylan Hyland and Nigel Dunne sent off in injury time.

Limerick deserved ly led by 0-6 to 0-4 at the break.

Offaly were better in the second half as they took the initiative with 1-2 without reply in the six minutes after the restart.

The goal came from Cathal Flynn in the 41 st minute after Limerickgoal keeper Josh Ryan lost the ball while moving out the field.

Three quick points brought Limerick back on terms, 0-9 to 1-6, four minutes later but Offaly got on top again.

They led by 1-10 to 0-10 with four minutes left but injury-time points from Barry Coleman and a Diarmuid Kelly free brought it down to the wire.

SCORERS – Offaly: D Hyland 0-5; C Flynn 1-0; J Furlong, A Sullivan, J Bryant (f), K O’Neill (m), N Poland (m) 0-1 each. Limerick: J Naughton 0-4 (4f); C Downes 0-3; B Coleman, R Childs, P Nash, D Kelly (f), S Costelloe 0-1 each. OFFALY: I Duffy; D Dempsey, J Furlong, L Pearson; C Egan, D Hogan, P Cunningham; E Carroll, J McEvoy; D Hyland, R McNamee, J Hayes; C Flynn, J Bryant, K O’Neill. Subs: A Sullivan for McNamee (40), N Dunne for Bryant (46), N Poland for Hayes (50), J O’Brien for Pearson (62), K McDermott for Sullivan (inj, 67) LIMERICK: J Ryan; D O’Doherty, S O’Dea, B O’Sullivan; B Coleman, I Corbett, P Maher; T Childs, C Fahy; R Childs, C Downes, J Naughton; J Baynham, D Neville, B Nix. Subs: P Nash for Baynham (35+2), S Costelloe for Corbett (h-t), D Kelly for Nix (60) REF: J Gilmartin (Sligo).