Tyrone ... 1-11 Offaly ... 1-4: Tyrone bounced back from the previous week's shock defeat at the hands of Donegal to retain their top- of-the-table status in Division 1A with a convincing seven-point victory against Offaly in Tullamore yesterday.
The result leaves the home side propping up the table with just one point, and although they have a game less played than most of their rivals, relegation is looming ever larger.
Tyrone's position looked precarious at half-time, for having played with the backing of a strong wind blowing straight down the pitch they turned over with what seemed to be a vulnerable 0-8 to 1-2 lead.
Goalkeeper Padraig Kelly should have inspired the home side when he saved Peter Canavan's penalty just 30 seconds into the second half.
Although Vinny Claffey's point two minutes later augured well for Offaly's prospects, they failed to raise another flag until three minutes from the end.
By that stage, the game was beyond their reach, for points by Canavan, Stephen O'Neill from a free and substitute Eoin Mulligan preceded the game's only goal when Gerard Cavlan sent Canavan through to beat Kelly from close range.
Home supporters left O'Connor Park in dispirited mood having seen their side once again lose a game which they had appeared likely to win.
Offaly's first-half performance was promising, for after the visitors had stormed into a four-point lead within 10 minutes of the throw-in, Vinny Claffey, by far Offaly's best forward, raised home hopes by cracking in a magnificent goal after being placed unmarked inside the Tyrone defence by Basil Malone's astute line-ball.
The Midlanders failed to build on that goal and managed only two further points before going in at the break trailing by 0-8 to 1-2.
Still, with wind advantage to come after the break, they were in a very favourable position to inflict a second successive defeat on the league leaders.
Tyrone had to wait 14 minutes for their first score of the second half when Mulligan had a rasping effort deflected over the ball by Offaly full back Cathal Daly.
But, against a toothless home attack, they were shaping up as likely winners even before home hopes were blighted by the dismissal on a straight red card of their only worthwhile forward Vinny Claffey nine minutes from the end.
Earlier referee Adrian Mangan had booked five Offaly and three Tyrone players in a game that was strenuously contested throughout the 70 minutes.
The return of Peter Canavan who missed the previous week's game boosted Tyrone's performance. Playing at left corner forward, his contribution of 1-5 exceeded the entire Offaly total.
TYRONE: P Ward; C Gormley, C Holmes, B Robinson; R McMenamin, C Gourley, C Meenagh; V McAnnallen (0-1), J Gormley; B Dooher, S O'Neill (0-2), G Cavlan (0-1); E McGinley, K Hughes, P Canavan (1-5), Subs: P Jordan for McMenamin; E Mulligan (0-2) for McGinley; S Cavanagh for J Gormley; McGinley for O'Neill.
OFFALY: P Kelly; K Slattery, C Daly, B Mooney; J Hurst (0-1), G Rafferty, J Kenny; J Grennan, A McNamee; D Ryan (0-2), J Greene, B Malone; D Claffey, V Claffey (1-1), P Kellaghan. Subs: C Quinn for Malone; J O'Neill for Greene; S Grennan for Ryan; F McEvoy for Kellaghan; C Grennan for D Claffey.
Referee: A Mangan (Kerry)
