Dooley on target

Winning or losing this league tie was not the greatest of concerns for managers Pat Fleury of Offaly and Dublin's Mick O'Grady on a rain-sodden pitch at Parnell Park on Saturday.

Offaly won chiefly because of a five-star display of marksmanship by Johnny Dooley and Dublin were saved from a heavier defeat by the brilliance of their goalkeeper Brendan McLoughlin.

Dublin's first championship game is against Carlow next Saturday and Offaly open against Wexford on June 18th. It was this match that weighed more heavily on the mind of Fleury.

"Sure it was nice to finish the league with eight rather than six points but to be honest our big concern at this stage is whether we will have our first-choice halfback line fit for the Wexford match," he said. The star Offaly trio are nursing injuries and Fleury feels that it will be touch and go whether they make it in time. O'Grady's problem concerns his team's erratic form. "We can be terribly bad and terribly good. We need to be more consistent," the Dublin boss said. Dublin were never out of touch on the scoreboard. There was only four points between them at half-time and that was reduced to three before one of Dooley's long deliveries resulted in the only goal of the match.

Eleven-point hero Dooley targeted Joe Errity on the fringe of the square and the Birr man gave Johnny Pilkington the easiest of chances from close range.

In terms of the final score, Fleury paid tribute to Dublin goalkeeper McLoughlin. "He's one of the best 'keepers around."

Offaly: S Byrne; S Whelahan, K Kinahan, C Cassidy; B Whelahan, M O'Hara, N Claffey (0-1); Johnny Dooley (0-11, five frees , three 65s), G Oakley; B Murphy, J Errity (0-1), J Pilkington (1-3); G Hanniffy (0-1), J Troy (0-2), M Duignan. Subs: C Gath for Troy (51 mins); D Franks for O'Hara (57); D Kelly for Claffey, A Hanrahan for Duignan (both 64); Joe Dooley for Errity (67).

Dublin: B McLoughlin; J Finnegan, L Walsh, C McCann (0-1, free); D McInerney, S Perkins (0-2, one free), L O'Donoghue; M Fitzsimons (0-2), D Sweeney (0-4, one 65); S Martin (0-1), G Flynn (0-1), D Russell (0-1); K Flynn (0-3 frees), S Duignan, G Ennis (0-1). Subs: C Brady for K Flynn (40 mins); K Horgan for Duignan (56).

Referee: P Dunphy (Kilkenny).