Hurling / Walsh Cup / Quarter-finals / Offaly 2-26 Antrim 1-6: Offaly, fielding a number of newcomers, looked very sharp in recording a 23-point victory over Antrim in Birr yesterday

Antrim got the first score of the game but Offaly took over from there and hit eight points in succession before Antrim scored again. Damien Murray then goaled from a penalty to help Offaly to a 1-14 to 0-4 half-time lead.

Offaly continued to dominate in the second half and seemed able to pick off points at will. They had increased their lead before Paddy Richmond scored a fine goal for Antrim but that score failed to lift his team-mates.

A fine individual goal by Joe Bergin rounded off a good team display by Offaly who meet Wexford in the semi-final next Sunday.

OFFALY: S O'Connor; P Cleary, P Healion, D Franks; R Hanniffy, G Oakley, D Tanner; P Molloy (0-1), A Hanrahan (0-2); D Hayden (0-3), M O'Hara, M Cordial (0-4); B Carroll (0-8), J Bergin (1-3), D Murray (1-1). Subs: A Egan (0-2) for Murray, S Browne for Hayden, J Rigney for Hanniffy, B O'Meara for Healion, E Bevans (0-2) for Carroll.

ANTRIM: D Quinn; D McCauley, M McCambridge, G Cunningham; M Molloy, G Bell, J Campbell; B Delargy, C Cunning; C Hamill, K McKeegan, P Richmond (1-0); J Scullion, M Dallas (0-2), B McFall (0-4). Subs: B McCauley for D McCauley, D Quinn for Scullion, B Quinn for Hamill, J McKiernan for Campbell, S McFadden for Delargy.

Referee: J McGrath (Westmeath).