Offaly may have won two valuable league points, but there was little to commend in either side in a poor game played in difficult wind conditions at Park Sean MacDiarmada, Carrick on Shannon, yesterday.

Few present could remember the last time Leitrim failed to register a score in the first half of a competitive fixture, while Offaly weren't much better, scoring only two points in the opening 30 minutes.

Peter Brady's pointed free for Offaly after 50 seconds suggested that the league champions meant business. However, the second Offaly point only came from Bernard O'Brien in the 20th minute.

Brady extended the Offaly lead four minutes after the resumption and then in a five-minute scoring blitz between the 36th and the 41st minute, Offaly exploded into life with two excellent goals. The first, a volley from 15 metres by Donie Ryan was followed five minutes later by a goal from Willie Reynolds.

Adrian Charles got a consolation goal on fulltime for Leitrim.

OFFALY: P Kelly; C Daly, J Brady, D Foley; J Kenny, F Cullen, T Coffey; C McManus, S Grennan (0-1); D Ryan (1-0), B O'Brien (0- 1), M Daly; P Brady (0-2), W Reynolds (1-0), V Claffey. Sub s: J Stewart for M Daly; D Connolly for D Ryan; P Kelleher for W Reynolds.

LEITRIM: G Phelan; R Greenan, J Phelan, S Dillon; C Regan, P Flynn, G Foley; J Ward, C Carroll; A Rooney, A Fee, B Guckian; F McBrien (0-2), S Quinn, C McGlynn. Subs: P Farrell for B Guckian; A Charles (1-0) for C McGlynn; D McNulty for A Fee.

Referee: M Convery (Derry).