Offaly had five points to spare as they defeated neighbours Laois at O'Connor Park this afternoon, 1-21 to 1-16.

Both sides were seeking their second win of the campaign and it was the Faithful County who added to their opening-day victory over Dublin to move into third place on the table and secure a quarter-final berth.

Tommy Geraghty's point just before the short whistle had the hosts ahead by the narrowest of margins at the break, 0-11 to 1-7, with the aid of the stiff breeze still to come.

Midfielder Paddy Purcell had netted the O'Moore men's major after the first four points of the match were shared. But Joe Bergin drew the Faithfuls level at 0-5 to 1-2 and points were traded by Cillian Kiely and Willie Dunphy as exchanges remained tight

Captain Ross King had the visitors level when the action resumed but Offaly took control and Bergin's superb three-pointer (as he rose, caught, turned and dispatched) propelled them six clear, 1-15 to 1-9 after 43 minutes, and they were never troubled from there to the final whistle.

Offaly - E Cahill; T Spain, S Gardiner, B Conneely; P Camon, D O'Toole (0-1), P Delaney (0-1); D King (0-1), T Geraghty (0-2); C Mahon, C Kiely (0-1), C Egan; D Currams (0-1), S Dooley (0-10, 6f, 1'65), J Bergin (1-4). Subs: O Kelly for C Kiely, D Egan for C Egan, J Gorman for D Currams, D Shortt for T Geraghty, P Rigney for P Delaney.

Laois - E Rowland (0-1f); D Hartnett, L Bergin, L Cleere; P Lawlor (0-1), M Whelan, E Killeen; J Ryan, P Purcell (1-3); B Conroy, C Dwyer (0-1), W Dunphy (0-2); R King (0-5, 4f), N Foyle (0-1), C Comerford. Subs: C Stapleton for D Hartnett, M Kavanagh (0-2, 1sl), for C Comerford, C Quinlan for E Killeen, C Taylor for W Dunphy, P McKane for N Foyle.

Referee - J Heffernan.

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