Offaly hit Carlow for six

Within three minutes of the throw-in, Offaly had grabbed 1-3 effectively killing Carlow's challenge from the off. Joe Brady grabbed the three points and set up Cathal Parlon for the first goal.

Offaly went on to add further points from Brendan Murphy, Colin Cassidy, Brian Carroll and Niall Claffey.

Then in the 10th minute Brendan Murphy scored Offaly's second goal. They added four further points to lead 2-11 to no score after 20 minutes of play.

Carlow hit back with 1-1, their goal coming when Paul Kehoe finished off a goalmouth scramble.

A second Carlow goal from Ruairi Dunbar gave them a glimmer of hope that was quickly extinguished when Damien Murray and full-forward Brady grabbed two more Offaly goals to give them an unassailable 4-13 to 2-3 interval lead.

At the end of the third quarter Offaly led 4-18 to 2-6 when Carlow defender Martin Keating received a yellow card for a rash pull.

Offaly introduced substitute Dylan Hayden and with his first touch he scored a marvellous goal for Offaly. Brady added another Offaly goal and when the same player tagged on a point Offaly led by a whopping 6-20 to 2-6.

SCORERS - Offaly: J Brady 2-4, D Murray 1-3, B Murphy, C Parlon 1-2 each, D Hayden 1-1, B Carroll 0-3, C Cassidy, M Cordial, R Hannify 0-2 each. Carlow: P Cody 0-5, B Laller, R Foley, D Roberts, Shane Kavanagh 1-0 each, R Dunbar, P Kehoe 0-1 each.

Offaly: B Mullins; K Brady, B Tehan, D Franks; D Hoctor, N Claffey, C Cassidy; B Carroll, M Cordial; G Hannify, R Hannify, B Murphy; C Parlon, J Brady, D Murray. Subs: P Healion for Franks, P Mulhare for Cassidy, A Hanrahan for R Hannify, M Corcoran for Murphy, D Hayden for Murray.

Carlow: P Fenlon; M Keating, J Nevin, D Shaw; A Gaul, S Kavanagh, S Watchorn; C English, D Roberts; P Cody, M Brennan, P Kehoe; R Dunbar, D Murphy, R Foley. Subs: B Cox for Keating, L Kenny for Watchorn, J Myers for Brennan, S Kavanagh for Kehoe, B Laller for Dunbar.

Referee: Eamon Morris (Dublin)