Offaly 1-9 Antrim 1-9 After Offaly and Antrim had been level on six occasions a draw was the most fitting result to this encounter in Tullamore.Neither side impressed in a scrappy encounter.

Passes consistently went astray and scoring opportunities were squandered, principally by the visitors, who shot 14 wides.

After playing with the wind Offaly led at half-time by 1-4 to 0-6 thanks to a 34th-minute goal by Paudie Mulhare.

The visitors lost no time in regaining the lead, as five minutes into the second half Seán Kelly stormed through from wing back to finish off a movement created by Kevin Brady.

Offaly responded with points from Colm Quinn (two), Karol Slattery and Pascal Kellaghan to lead by two points going into the final 10 minutes. However, they failed to score again and points by Brady and Kevin Madden gave the visitors a deserved share of the spoils.

For Offaly, Slattery, Cathal Daly and Barry Mooney were solid at the back and Alan McNamee did well at midfield.

Antrim's outstanding performer was wing back Anto Finnigan

OFFALY: C NcNamara; C Daly, C Evans, B Mooney; S Sullivan, J Kenny, K Slattery (0-1); A McNamee, G Rafferty; C Quinn (0-3), P Mulhare (1-0), C Reilly (0-1); P Kellaghan (0-3), R Malone, J Reynolds (0-1). Subs: M Gorman for Reilly; M Mitchell for Kenny.

ANTRIM: S McGreevey; J McKeever, C Brady, N Ward; S Kelly (1-0), T Convery, A Finnigan; M McCrory, M McCarry; P McCann (0-2), K Brady (0-2), SP O'Hagan; T O'Neill (0-3), J Storey, K Madden (0-2). Subs: C Anderson for Brady; S McCourt for Convery; D Hare for Storey; C McCann for O'Neill.

Referee: B Tyrell (Tipperary).