Offaly 3-15 Wicklow 1-6:WICKLOW WERE chasing this game in Aughrim from the 12th minute after Niall Smith and John Reynolds had scored Offaly goals.

Wicklow clawed their way back to 2-3 to 1-3 after 17 minutes, their goal scored by Derek Daly.

Offaly's Nigel Grennan scored their third goal to help his side to a 3-8 to 1-4 lead at the break and the game was effectively dead.

OFFALY: P Kelly; G Rafferty, S Brady, B Darby; P McConway, J Keane, N Grennan (1-0); A McNamee, C McManus (0-2, one free, one 45); J Reynolds (1-0), N Coughlan (0-1), N Smith (1-0); T Deehan (0-1), P Keelaghan (0-1), N McNamee (0-10, five frees). Subs: S Sullivan for Brady, K Casey for Keelaghan, N Kelly for Coughlan, R Fox for Grennan.

WICKLOW: M Travers; B McGrath, D Power, A Byrne; P Dalton, D Ó hAnnaidh, T Burke; T Walsh, JP Dalton; J McGrath, T Hannon, P Earls (0-2, one free); D Odlum, S Furlong (0-3), D Daly (1-0). Subs: J Stafford (0-1) for Dalton, L Glynn for Hannon, M McLoughlin for McGrath, C Walsh for McGrath, N Mernagh for Daly.

Referee: Cormac Reilly (Meath).