Offaly manager Eamonn Kelly has admitted his side needed to be at their very best to overcome Kerry and secure a place in the quarter-finals of the Leinster SHC.
The Faithful were heavily defeated by Westmeath in their opening match of the round robin series, meaning they had to secure back-to-back wins in order to ensure their progress.
They overcame Carlow by three points at O'Connor Park last weekend to set up a do or die showdown with Kerry at the same venue.
Speaking after the game, Kelly said "Kerry are a top class side and they've had a fantastic year."
So fantastic, in fact, that Kerry had triumphed in Birr in Division 1B, something that Kelly knew all too well.
"We knew that unless we were better than we were the year to date we weren’t going to come out of this with a result."
Kerry led for much of the first half before a Shane Dooley goal gave Offaly a one point lead at the interval, and Dooley's accuracy from placed balls was also crucial to their success, scoring 10 points from set pieces.
While Dooley shot the lights out, Kelly said it was a team effort.
"We prepared for this one as if it was an All Ireland because that's the respect we have for Kerry."
"Shane's a fantastic free-taker but its the guys who earn these frees that deserve the credit as well."
He added that the strength of the Offaly squad stood to them as they pulled away in the second half, thanks in large part to two goals from Joe Bergin, to earn a scoreline Kelly admitted "flattered" the Midlanders.
"We've a pretty good squad, we've a very even squad. We probably have 20 fellas of which any 15 could start and I think that stood to us with the subs that came on. They were all fresh and could add something."
Offaly supporters have endured a tough time in recent years, but following their footballer's comprehensive victory over Longford, things may be looking up.
"It's been a barren enough time here and it's great, you could see the buzz last week with the footballers winning and hopefully today will give us a lift. It'd be great to get a good turnout here in two weeks time."
Offaly will welcome neighbours Laois to Tullamore in a fortnight, hoping to gain revenge for a 0-29 to 0-21 defeat at this stage last year.
However, Kelly claims his side hadn't looked that far ahead due to the strength of the Kerry challenge.
"They're a serious side and were very unlucky not to have Mikey Boyle here today, he was a harsh enough sending off the last day.
"Colm Harty was also missing and I know these fellas, they're good enough to hurl for any county.
"We prepared for this one as if it was an All-Ireland because that's the respect we have for Kerry."
Following the win, Offaly's All-Ireland dreams, however slender, remain alive.
Next up are the O'Moore men, and as Kelly says, "we'll work on that this evening and see where we go from there".
