Outsiders Offaly tore up the formbook to record a stunning 1-21 to 0-21 victory over Limerick at the Gaelic Grounds.

The losers, who have had their promotion hopes severely dented, played almost the entire match with 14 men after having full forward Shane Dowling sent off with a straight red card in the second minute.

The only goal of the game arrived ten minutes from the break courtesy of Emmet Nolan but the 14 men of Limerick rolled up their sleeves to lead by two at the break, 0-12 to 1-7, reeling off four unanswered points before the interval.

Seanie Tobin (2) and David Breen hit the first three points of the game for the hosts but four brilliant Shane Dooley frees got the winners back into the contest as they trailed by 0-5 to 0-4 after 20 minutes.

Offaly led by two with three minutes left before the short whistle, thanks to scores from Shane Kinsella and Dan Currams, but Donal O'Grady, Cian Lynch and Tobin all fired over important scores for the Treaty at the end of the opening period.

In an amazing start to the second half, the teams produced five scores in three minutes: Emmet Nolan and Shane Dooley tied the scores up before midfielder Paul Browne edged the Treaty back in front with his third point from play. Joe Bergin then fizzed an Offaly point inches over the bar. Tobin replied at the other end - 0-14 to 1-10.

When substitute Stephen Quirke levelled the scores, Tobin again restored the Limerick lead. A Declan Hannon score had the Munster county two ahead again, 0-16 to 1-11, and a fourth point from Browne saw that gap move out to three, 0-18 to 1-12.

Four successive points from the underdogs culminated in substitute Cillian Kiely firing them ahead on 55 minutes. The Faithful County now took complete control and hit eight points in total without reply, with Dooley (who finished the match with 0-10 - one point more than Limerick's Tobin), Bergin and Nolan all contributing vital scores: 1-20 to 0-18.

The 14 men never gave up but Brian Whelehan's men held on for a magnificent victory that Waterford and Wexford will have noted with more than a passing interest.

Offaly - J Dempsey; S Wynne, D Shortt, D King; C Parlon, E Murphy, C Egan; E Nolan (1-2), S Ryan; J Mulrooney, D Currams (0-1), S Cleary; S Kinsella (0-1), S Dooley (0-10, 6f, 1'65), B Carroll. Subs: J Bergin (0-3) for J Mulrooney, S Quirke (0-2) for B Carroll, D Mooney (0-1) for C Egan, C Kiely (0-1) for S Cleary.

Limerick - N Quaid; S Walsh, R McCarthy, S Hickey; C Allis, D Hannon (0-1f), D Morrissey; J Ryan (0-1), P Browne (0-4); D Breen (0-1), D O'Grady (0-2), C Lynch (0-1); J Fitzgibbon, S Dowling, S Tobin (0-9, 6f). Subs: S O'Brien (0-1) for S Hickey, D Reidy (0-1f) for J Fitzgibbon, A Breen for D O'Grady, T Morrissey for S Tobin.

Referee - S Cleere.

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