Offaly got their first victory of the campaign with a battling 3-19 to 1-18 defeat of Dublin at Tullamore.

This win gives the midlanders an excellent chance of avoiding relegation, but comes as a bitter blow to Anthony Daly's Dublin side.

Shane Dooley was a thorn in the Metropolitans' side throughout, finishing the day with an impressive personal haul of 2-10.

It was all-square - Offaly 2-9, Dublin 1-12 - at the break after four unanswered Dublin points approaching the short whistle.

Midfielders John McCaffrey (5) and Shane Durcan (2) got seven of the Dubs' first-half points between them.

The losers also got four of the first five points of the second half and looked like they would go on to pull clear, but it was the Faithfuls who wanted it most and that amazing 2-10 return from Shane Dooley was decisive in firing them to their first win of the 2010 national hurling league.

Liam Rushe marked his return to the Dublin colours with a second-minute goal and Joe Bergin also notched an early major for the hosts in reply to leave the scores at 1-1 each after five minutes.

The Faithful County tagged on three more successive points via Shane Dooley (2) and Brian Carroll to move ahead.

Dooley then claimed the second Offaly goal with a tidy finish

McCaffrey's third point kept the Dubs in touch, 2-6 to 1-5, after 25 minutes and the second quarter was nip and tuck as the sides stood toe-to-toe in a real belter.

Three Alan McCrabbe frees gave Dublin the edge and they led 1-17 to 2-12 twelve minutes into the second half.

Dooley then eluded the Dublin full-back line, blazing to the net after getting on the end of a high ball, bringing his personal return to 2-6 and edging the midlanders back in front 16 minutes after the restart.

The irrepressible Dooley added a point and had a penalty saved as the Faithfuls threatened to finish the match as a contest. Ace finisher Dooley converted the resultant 65 to bring his tally for the afternoon to 2-8. The score now was 3-14 to 1-17.

Offaly tagged on three more points as the Dublin scoreless spell stretched to 20 minutes and Maurice O'Brien was sent off for a second bookable offence. Tweet

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