Offaly 3-19
Kerry 0-14

Offaly recovered from a disastrous start and a bizarre sending off to eventually overhaul Kerry in this evening's Allianz Hurling Division 1B relegation / promotion playoff at Semple Stadium.

A major upset looked to be on the cards when newly-crowned Division 2A champions Kerry raced into a seven-point lead inside the first 10 minutes, but Brian Whelahan's men fought back to go into the break on level terms, 1-8 to 0-11.

The sides were still level on 1-10 to 0-13 when Offaly's Sean Cleary was sent off in the 45th minute for lashing out at an opponent as he made his way off the field after being substituted. Cleary's moment of madness meant that Shane Dooley - who had replaced him - had to come back off and a close-in free for the Faithful was also forfeited.

But as so often proves to be the case, the 14 men lifted their game and went on to secure their Division 1B status thanks to a brace of goals from Stephen Quirke.

The Kingdom, who will feel hard done by at missing out on promotion after winning all six of their games in Division 2A, had wind advantage in the first half and flew out of the starting blocks to lead by 0-7 to 0-0 after 10 minutes.

Shane Nolan's fourth point had them 0-8 to 0-1 ahead before Offaly gradually felt their way back into the game and they briefly took the lead just before half-time when Joe Bergin netted. However, Nolan's third point from a free ensured the underdogs of parity at the break.

Offaly looked to be in big trouble when going down to 14 men in bizarre circumstances but, to their credit, they stepped it up after that and Quirke's first goal in the 53rd minute gave them some breathing space for the first time, 2-12 to 0-13.

And it was all over bar the shouting when the St. Rynagh's man struck again 10 minutes later to make it 3-14 to 0-14.

Offaly - Conor Slevin; N Wynne, G Healion, J Rigney; B Harding, C Egan (0-1), C Parlon; K Connolly (0-1), Ciaran Slevin; B Carroll (0-8, 5f), D Currams (0-1), C Mahon (0-2); S Quirke (2-1), S Cleary (0-1), J Bergin (1-1). Subs: P Geraghty for Ciaran Slevin, C McDonald for G Healion, S Dooley (0-2) for J Bergin, T Geraghty (0-1) for S Quirke, K Brady for K Connolly.

Kerry - T Flynn; B Murphy, T Murnane, T Casey; S Weir, D Dinneen, D O'Connell (0-1); J Griffin, C Harty (0-2); B O'Leary (0-1), D Collins, S Nolan (0-8, 3f, 1'65); K Carmody, P Boyle (0-1), J Egan. Subs: B Brosnan (0-1) for K Carmody, P O'Connor for B Brosnan, J Leahy for B O'Leary, P Lucid for P Boyle.

Referee - J Ryan. Tweet

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