Free-scoring Offaly defeated Longford by 2-21 to 2-13 at Tullamore to register their first win in Leinster since 2007.

The defining period of this game was the second quarter, wherein the winners outscored their guests by eight points to no score. Two further Offaly points upon the resumption left the losers with a mountain to climb as 5,032 spectators looked on in the dazzling midlands sunshine.

Eleven different Offaly men raised flags, with Graham Guilfoyle and Niall Smith netting in either half and Niall McNamee (0-4) delivering a vintage attacking display. The prize for the winners is a quarter-final date with Westmeath in Mullingar on June 12^th, while Longford slip into the Qualifiers.

Having trailed by two points at the midway stage in the first half, Pat Flanagan's charges bossed the second quarter and reeled off those eight points without reply to lead by 1-12 to 1-6 at the interval.

Interest in this midlands derby was so keen that throw-in had to be delayed by ten minutes to allow the huge crowd time to safely access the venue. This was the third successive year that these teams met in the provincial championship and the seventh Offaly-Longford game in just three years, so there was no shortage of familiarity.

Bernard Allen (free) opened the scoring inside the opening minute and a nicely-struck Nigel Dunne '45' doubled Offaly's advantage in the fourth minute. Dunne and Allen would both go on to match McNamee's personal tally of four points. Robbie Smyth got Longford up and running but Eoin Carroll replied immediately. The lead changed hands in the seventh minute and it was something of a disaster for home custodian Alan Mulhall when Barry McKeon's shot bounced off the hard sod over his head to the back of an empty net, 1-1 to 0-3.

James McGivney doubled Longford's lead but the Faithful County hit back with a brilliant Guilfoyle solo goal, finsihed to the bottom right corner on ten minutes.  McNamee restored the hosts' lead after a Smyth free had drawn the visitors level.

Three rapid points from Dessie Reynolds, Diarmuid Masterson and Smyth had Denis Connerton's side ahead by 1-6 to 1-4 at the midway stage in the first half. Allen halved the deficit after Brian Kavanagh had missed a presentable Longford free and the Faithfuls were level by the 22^nd minute thanks to Niall Smith. An Allen brace increased the gap to two as the home side registered three calming points in a key period of the contest.

Peter Cunningham and McNamee added further scores and Dunne drilled over the seventh successive Offaly score on 30 minutes to make it 1-11 to 1-6. McNamee then had the freedom of O'Connor Park as he ran unopposed for some 30 yards before closing the first-half scoring with a classy point.

Mickey Brazil and Dunne (free) brought the winners' scoring sequence to ten with the first two points of the second half and Mulhall made amends for his first-half error when he diverted Kavanagh's penalty onto the post before McGivney mustered the visitors' first score in 28 minutes. After McKeon reduced the arrears to six, McNamee replied with a fine Offaly effort - 1-15 to 1-8 after 50 minutes.

Substitute Colm P Smyth and McGivney - who blazed a goal effort inches over the bar - reduced the gap to a manageable five - but the Faithful County finished like the proverbial house on fire: midfielder Smith lifted the ball over Paddy Collum at the end of a sweeping move for his side's second major on 56 minutes and quickfire points from Johnny Moloney and Dunne meant the gap was ten approaching the hour mark.

When Robbie Smyth plundered a consolation goal ten minutes from time, the home team replied with a pair of stunning points from substitute Anton Sullivan off the outside of his foot and one from Cunningham. McGivney, Smyth and Michael Quinn pulled back Longford scores but wing back Joey O'Connor hit back in stoppage time for the winners.

Offaly - A Mulhall; B Darby, E Rigney, S Pender; N Darby, P Cunningham (0-2), J O'Connor (0-1); E Carroll (0-1), N Smith (1-1); J Moloney (0-1), N Dunne (0-4, 1f, 1'45), M Brazil (0-1); B Allen (0-4, 2f), N McNamee (0-4), G Guilfoyle (1-0). Subs: A Sullivan (0-2) for M Brazil, S Doyle for B Allen, N Bracken for N Dunne, C Donohue for B Darby, J Gethings for G Guilfoyle.

Longford - P Collum; D Brady, B Gilleran, A Farrell; D Gallagher (0-1), D McElligott, B O'Farrell; D Masterson, M Quinn (0-1'45); D Reynolds, J McGivney (0-4), B McKeon (1-1); P McKeon B Kavanagh, R Smyth (1-5, 0-2f). Subs: P McGee for A Farrell, M Brady for P McKeon, C P Smyth (0-1) for D Reynolds, R Connor for D Gallagher, M Hughes for B Kavanagh, B Farrell for B O'Farrell.

Referee - A Nolan.

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