Offaly 3-19

Kerry 0-20

Goals proved the difference this afternoon in Tullamore as Offaly edged past Kerry and into the quarter-finals of the Leinster senior hurling championship.

Majors from ace attackers Joe Bergin (2) and Shane Dooley were the winning of the game for Eamonn Kelly's charges, who now face Laois in the last eight of the province.

Dooley's late strike in the first-half gave the Faithful men a slender 1-9 to 0-11 lead at the halfway stage before the visitors rallied at the start of the second-half to move in front with Shane Nolan to the fore for them.

However, Bergin's first goal arrived soon afterwards to swing things back in the favour of the Midlanders and when Podge Guinan and Dooley combined for a late chance in injury-time it was the Seir Kieran star that settled the issue, setting-up a last eight clash with Seamus 'Cheddar' Plunkett's side next month.

Kerry had made the better start via early points from Jason Diggins and John Egan before Dooley had the would-be winners off the mark on four minutes. Daniel Collins and John Griffin kept the scoreboard ticking over for the Munster men but through Dooley's frees the games was tied up on 0-5 each by the start of the second quarter.

The Tullamore dual star handed the hosts their first lead on 20 minutes and upped it to three ahead of a brace from Nolan at the other end.

Kerry regained their lead in the closing stages of the half ahead of James Mulrooney putting the imperious Dooley through for the game's first goal minutes from the interval, but Kerry's purposeful restart saw them quickly regain the advantage after the second-half throw-in.

Dooley brought the game level ahead of Bergin putting some daylight between the teams with a three-pointer major and from there Offaly hit some rhythm with Mulrooney, Dooley and Guinan steering them five in front. The latter two put Bergin through for the game-clinching goal towards the end ahead of Liam Langton firing over his first championship score for the victors.

Egan landed a consolation score for Ciaran Carey's men late on, but Offaly's berth in the quarter-finals was already secured by that stage.

Offaly - J Dempsey; C McDonald, D Shortt, P Rigney; D King, S Gardiner, D Mooney; S Ryan, P Camon; C Kiely (0-1), S Kinsella (0-1), P Murphy; S Dooley (1-10, 0-8f, 0-1'65, 0-1sl), J Mulrooney (0-1), J Bergin (2-2). Subs: K Connolly (0-2) for P Camon, B Conneelly for D Mooney, P Guinan (0-1) for S Kinsella, L Langton (0-1) for P Murphy, S Cleary for C Kiely.

Kerry - A McCabe; B Murphy, P Kelly, K Carmody; J Diggins (0-1), D Dineen, T Murnane; D Collins (0-2), J Griffin (0-2); B Barrett (0-3), P Lucid, S Nolan (0-8, 6f); J Conway, J Egan (0-3), J Goulding. Subs: M O'Leary for P Lucid, D Fitzell for B Murphy, B O'Leary for J Conway, T Casey (0-1) for D Collins.

Referee - P O'Dywer.

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