IT SHOULD have been a draw, this first round match in the Leinster championship between Offaly and Laois at Croke Park yesterday. That view is bolstered not only because neither side deserved to win but because both were worthy of better conditions on what we have been accustomed to accept as the best pitch for either football or hurling in Ireland.

The state of the pitch yesterday was little short of a disgrace, given all the circumstances which should have provided an ideal surface. If this is the price hurling has to pay for pop concerts it means that the light is not worth the candle.

Even allowing for this there could be little excuse for a very poor standard of hurling in the first half. But the fire and passion of the second made up for what had gone before. As the excitement mounted towards the end a mere point separated the sides as P J Peacock's wicked, low cross-shot sped across the Offaly goal begging for a touch to decide the match.

It was poor stuff indeed in the first half. Both defences closed down practically all scoring opportunities and it was 10 minutes before a score arrived, from a Johnny Dooley free.

Prior to that Offaly had spurned no fewer than five scoring chances. Johnny Dooley was wide twice, including a free from well within his normal compass, Joe Errity was equally slack, followed by Johnny Pilkington and Killian Farrell.

It was Laois who finally broke through the mediocrity in the 21st minute when the Offaly defence spurned at least three opportunities to clear the ball only for it to break clear to Owen Coss, who does not miss such opportunities. Offaly found themselves a goal behind.

If Offaly have ambitions to be in Croke Park next September there are a number of their defenders, including the normally commanding Kevin Kinahan, who will have to be more vigilant. This was the kind of goal which good full back lines should never concede.

Sadly for Laois, they failed to build on this break. Their own defence fiddled and fumbled and finally fell two minutes later. Billy Dooley was racing through when he was felled, but he managed to release the ball to Joe Dooley and his deft pass found Joe Errity who put the sides level.

From then until half-time Offaly were on top. They made a number of switches in their attack and by half-time they had a 1-5 to 1-2 advantage by virtue of a point from play by Joe Dooley and two successful frees by Johnny Dooley.

The latter stretched that lead immediately after the break, but the introduction of Tony Dunne at half-time began to work wonders for Laois. One can only speculate as to what might have happened had he been there from the start.

He injected considerable spirit and width to the Laois effort and a long-range point from him gave Laois new heart. This was reflected in another raid on the Offaly goal which ended with a courageous save by the Offaly goalkeeper, David Hayes, who stretched himself across the goal to block a typical Coss effort.

Offaly steadied themselves to race into a lead of 1-10 to 1-3 and seemed to be in total control. Johnny Dooley, Johnny Pilkington, Michael Duignan, playing like his old self by this stage at midfield and substitute Gary Cahill gave Offaly their seven-point lead.

But Laois were by no means finished.

Bill Maher's work-rate finally set up an opportunity for Laois and PJ Peacock got the telling touch for a goal which put his side back in the match. Joe Dooley stretched Olfaly's lead again to make the score 1-11 to 2-3, but Laois came storming back and two frees by Joe Dollard and points from play by Seamus Cuddy and Peacock left them only a point behind and set up the prospect of a draw.

As it was Lao is might have won the match. Peacock missed the chance of an equaliser with three minutes to go and then, with time running out, he again broke through on left flank of the Lao is attack and he drove the ball low across the goal, where all it needed was a nudge to send it to the net.

But. with no Laois player available, the ball sped wide, much to the relief of Offaly who will have to improve dramatically if they are to advance further when they come up against the All-Ireland champions Wexford in the next round.

At one stage yesterday, when Offaly had a seven-point lead half-way through the second half, a runaway victory for the favourites looked a likely outcome.

But players of the calibre of Kinahan, Martin Hanamy, Duignan, the Dooleys and Johnny Pilkington and Joe Errity should have turned the screw. It was not to be.

The Laois full back line of John Shorthall, Cyril Duggan and John Taylor stuck admirably to their task, Paul Cuddy at centre back and his flankers Niall Rigney and Seamus Dooley hurled feverishly in the second half, and if Laois had others of the calibre of Peacock and Coss in the attack an upset might have been on the cards. Certainly it may remain a mystery as to why Dunne and Dollard were not in action from the start.

Near the end Offaly would have been happy with a draw and so would most hurling followers who thrilled to Laois's second half effort, even if the standard of play was not out of the top drawer.