Points do the job for the holders

Holders Offaly had little difficulty in a free-riddled game in difficult conditions at Walsh Island.

Holders Offaly had little difficulty in a free-riddled game in difficult conditions at Walsh Island.

Offaly ... 0-12

Louth ... 1-4

Offaly led 0-5 to 0-1 at half-time, and stretched the lead to 0-11 to 0-2 before a Vincent Loughran goal gave Louth hope. Offaly got back on top by the end.

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OFFALY: J Maolone; A Heron, G Egan, D Finn; T Phelan, D Collins, M Davis; M Stones (0-1), J Quinn (0-1); J Cuskelly, J Coughlan (0-3), P Foran (0-1); E Dunne (0-3), P Thornton (0-1), K Mitchell (0-2). Subs: W Crampton for Thornton; J Mollen for Foran; P Nestor for Finn; P Flanagan for Cuskelly.

LOUTH: G Matthews; P Doyle, P Lynch, D Stevenson; S Gilsenan, A Kinley (0-1), O Sambughly; E Kelleher (0-1), P Murtagh (0-1); S Bishop, V Loughran (1-1), S Monaghan; T J Tuite, S McCoy, M Gorman. Subs: D Gilligan for Gorman; R McCabe for McCoy; McCoy Stevenson; P Crelly for Tuite; J Smith for Doyle.

Referee: T Maher (Laois).