Offaly 1-14 Laois 1-13 A late Brendan Murphy point gave Offaly a one-point victory over neighbours Laois in their Division One Group Two game at St Brendan's Park, Birr, yesterday. Laois led for much of the game, but Offaly fought back well in the second half.

It was a hard-fought game played on a pitch made slippy by drizzle. The hurling was often scrappy and there was little fluency to any of the play.

Backed by the wind, Laois enjoyed the better of the first half, with James Young and Darren Rooney dominating midfield.

The sides were level at 0-3 each early on, but Laois went on to hit five points without reply.

Scores were scarce in the last 15 minutes of the half, and at the interval Laois held a 0-9 to 0-5 lead.

The sides exchanged points early in the second half, and Offaly had a good goal chance, but Murphy blazed his effort over the bar.

They did find the net after 10 minutes when Gary Hanniffy put Damian Murray away and he drilled his shot to the net.

Stephen Brown put Offaly a point up, but Laois regained the lead when Liam Tynan latched on to a high ball from James Young and finished it to the Offaly net.

Three Offaly points put them back in front but Laois levelled twice more before Murphy shot what proved to be the winning point. Laois had a late chance but Michael Dunphy's shot was well saved by Byrne.

OFFALY: S Byrne; K Brady, G Oakley, B Teehan; N Claffey, J Brady, C Cassidy (0-2); B Whelahan, S Brown (0-2); B Carroll, G Hanniffy, R Hanniffy (0-1); B Murphy (0-5), J Errity (0-1), D Murray (1-2). Subs: P Molloy for Carroll, S Whelahan (0-1) for Murray.

LAOIS: J Lyons; L Mahon, Patrick Cuddy, T Phelan; C Cuddy, Paul Cuddy (0-2), M McEvoy; J Young (0-7), D Rooney (0-1); J Phelan, P Mahon, E Maher (0-1); L Wynne, L Tynan (1-0), T Fitzgerald. Subs: B McCormack (0-2) for J Phelan; M Rooney for P Mahon; M Dunphy for Wynne; D Culleton for Fitzgerald.

Referee: S McMahon (Clare)