OFFALY MANAGER John McIntyre had a wish before yesterday's clash at Birr. He wanted, so badly, to exorcise a nagging doubt about his team's ability to play for 60 minutes. However, he was denied such comfort.

Offaly's inability to cope with the speed and cohesion of Kilkenny throughout the first 30 minutes was the defining aspect of a match played in warm sunshine in front of a crowd of 10,000.

The game developed along more appropriately competitive lines, between staunch rivals, in the second half when third quarter goals from Johnny Pilkington and Gary Hanniffy stoked matters up and charged the crowd.

However, it was obvious that Offaly had done untold damage to their chances over the first 30 minutes.

They had trailed by 1-8 to 0-4 at the interval, despite having opened the scoring in less than two minutes with a Johnny Dooley point, and slipped into a eight point deficit early in the second half.

"I thought we were heading for a real hiding in the second half. No matter how much you train, it's all down to attitude on the day. Our attitude was all wrong in the first half," said McIntyre.

Johnny Pilkington rejected any lack of stamina on Offaly's part, but rued his team's first half and early second half display following defeat by Clare in the previous round.

Kilkenny's defence looked unassailable throughout the first half. Their half back line of Liam Keoghan, Pat O'Neill and John Costelloe established an obstacle that Offaly could not overcome. Willie O'Connor, in the left corner of the winner's defence, was inspiring.

The focus remains on team captain DJ Carey to perform individual wonders and while he did not disappoint, with a contribution of five points, seemingly, it will not be long before Niall Moloney and Charlie Carter are challenging DJ for top billing.

Carey welcomes the trend, but insists: "Individual performances are not as important as team efforts".

Two special contributions by Carey in the dying moments of this game underlined his great worth to Kilkenny. Offaly's admirable second half grit had reduced arrears to a single point when Carey popped up on his own end line to wipe out an ominous looking, do or die Offaly attack.

Moments later, he scored the game's last and best point from 50 yards after jinking through the Offaly midfield cover with such superb fleetness of foot and ball control.

Offaly's two second half goals' from Pilkington and Hanniffy came within three minutes of each other and made a real match of it.

Pilkington's score cut the deficit to five points 13 minutes into the half and Hanniffy's equally urgent score came moments after DJ Carey pointed a huge effort from his own 65 metre line.

Whereas Pilkington appropriately did it all himself, with a probing run at the Kilkenny defence before unleashing a low shot that Joe Dermody almost stopped, Hanniffy's goal was batted home in an overhead strike from close range following Johnny Dooley's blocked attempt.

This left only three points between the teams with almost 15 minutes remaining. Indeed, it had not helped Offaly morale to have a goal disallowed at the outset of their great fightback.

It was no surprise, however, when Charlie Carter promptly improved Kilkenny's position with a neat point.

Offaly substitute Gary Cahill sniped two subsequent points in a rousing Offaly bid that, perhaps, deserved a better fate.

Nicky Brennan, the Kilkenny manager was pleased with his team's first half display, but was critical of their complacent and casual approach in the second half. He also disapproved of the way some of his players allowed themselves to get involved in a little argy bargy in the second half when they were well ahead.

The couple of flare ups in an otherwise clean game warranted a string of bookings by Carlow referee Pat Ahern.

McIntyre was equally critical of his players. "If you can't hurl for the hour you don't deserve to win" was his summing up Yet his championship hopes were reflected during his visit to the Kilkenny dressing room afterwards.

He told the Kilkenny players: "It will be no cake walk for either side when we meet in the championship".

. Down beat Roscommon by 1-18 to 1-8 in Division Three of the Hurling League at Ballycran yesterday. Roscommon led by 1-4 to 1-2 at the end of the opening quarter but that's as near as they came to upsetting a superior home side. Down led by 1-7 to 1-5 at hafftime and move into joint seconds place in the table along with Kildare, who lost to Carlow. Wicklow, who beat Derry by 3-15 to 4-10 yesterday, are the clear leaders.