FIRST a deluge of rain, then a deluge of scores. The sort of game that leaves the winners worrying more about the quality of the opposition than the quality of their own performance.

Still, Offaly have no need to fret. They did all that was asked of them - and a bit more along with it. They struck up a fluent scoring rhythm early on and, bar a scatter of first half wides, stayed in that groove right until the final seconds when substitute Gary Cahill crashed home their third goal.

Meath's best hope was to catch Offaly in a complacent mood but, for the first time in a couple of seasons, there is genuine competition for places in the Offaly team, especially in attack, and it showed in this hungry accumulation of scores. Given these circumstances, damage limitation was all that Meath could hope for.

But even that modest priority was abandoned well before the finish as their beleaguered midfield and defence simply succumbed to the onslaught.

This was evident 10 minutes from the finish when Johnny Pilkington foostered over a ball and then nearly fell across it. By then he should have had company, yet he still had time to flick it up and slap it backwards to Brian Whelehan, also unmarked. The crowd, bored with the procession by now, cheered Johnny's nonchalant impudence.

Offaly manager John McIntyre will know that such luxurious time and space will not be available again this summer. Nor can he deduce a great deal about the form of his players from what was essentially a phoney championship game.

Still, the performance from one of Offaly's newcomers was impressive. Wing forward Killian Farrell played like a man anxious to nail down his place. He popped up repeatedly in their attack, finishing with four points from play and winning a second half penalty.

Centre half forward Paudie Mulhare has been on the scene a little longer. He opened the scoring with a nice point from the wing but what should have been a good afternoon for him ended after just four minutes when a Meath hurley caught him flush in the face. It was accidental, but Mulhare left the field bleeding from a wound.

The scoring spree which he had launched continued without interruption, Offaly's superior touch and technique enabling them to cope quite comfortably with the horrible conditions.

Johnny Dooley led the way with 1-9, most of it from play. If one thing discomforts McIntyre about his team's performance, it could be the uneven contribution from an attack that enjoyed an almost incessant supply of ball.

At the other end, Meath's full forward line could only watch in frustration. They did have some half chances for goals in the first half and while their nippy forwards threatened to do some damage early on they were tied up by Offaly's stronger defence well before the finish. Pat Potterton got few chances to show his class, a beautiful 22nd point from the wing his best effort.

Offaly had got their first goal a minute earlier, full forward Joe Errity turning his man and drawing the cover before passing to Joe Dooley. Meath hung in and were just five points behind when Johnny Dooley, lurking unmarked on the edge of the square, first timed the ball home with four minutes left in the half.

Trailing 2-8 to 0-5 at half time, it looked all over for Meath. It was.