Offaly qualified for the quarter-finals of the Tailteann Cup with an easy win over Wicklow in Tullamore on Sunday afternoon.
With Wicklow having shown some good form in the championship and Tailteann Cup to date, Offaly expecte a tough challenge here but it never materialised.
Instead they controlled the game almost from start to the finish and the luxury of sauntering home in the closing quarter. John Maughan's charges are clearly keen to do well in the second tier competition and they gave a solid and very professional display.
Offaly led by 0-09 to 0-03 at half time after playing with a strong enough wind in the first half. It was a significant enough lead, though Offaly probably should have been further ahead at the break.
They took a few minutes to find their feet as Wicklow used the ball well early on. The visitors had got the first point from a Kevin Quinn mark but didn't manage to score from play in the first half as their other points came from another Quinn mark and a Mark Jackson free.
As the half wore on, Offaly became more dominant. Two fine Anton Sullivan points gave them a 0-04 to 0-01 lead after 15 minutes and they had chances to have been further ahead.
They were 0-05 to 0-02 ahead when Wicklow full back Patrick O'Keane received a debatable black card for a foul on Niall McNamee. The Rhode sharp shooter tapped over the free and Offaly added three further points before the interval while Wicklow's only reply was that second mark from Quinn.
For a brief few minutes in the second half, it looked like Wicklow might make it interesting. They got the first two points with Mark Kenny getting their first from play to bring it back to 0-09 to 0-05 but Offaly got the next two through a Niall McNamee free and Niall Darby. And so it went on.
Wicklow never got a run of scores or a sustained spell of pressure that would have brought them back into it. The most they could manage was two on the trot and Offaly's ability to keep the scoreboard ticking over was a telling factor in their win.
Offaly were 0-14 to 0-07 ahead when Cian Donoghue got a black card for a trip in the 54th minute but it did not change a lot.
Wicklow could only outscore Offaly by 0-02 to 0-01 with the extra man and Offaly finished well with the closing three points from Mark Abbott, Keith O'Neill and impressive sub, Morgan Tynan.
Offaly: Paddy Dunican; Lee Pearson, Declan Hogan, Niall Darby (0-01); Rory Egan, Johnny Moloney, Cian Donoghue; Conor McNamee, Jordan Hayes (0-01); Bill Carroll (0-01), Ruari McNamee (0-03), Anton Sullivan (0-02) ; Jack Bryant (0-02), Niall McNamee (0-05, 3f and 1m), Keith O'Neill (0-01). Subs - Morgan Tynan (0-01) for Conor McNamee (39m), Cathal Flynn for Sullivan (48m), Mark Abbott (0-01) for Bryant (57m), Kieran Dolan for Pearson, inj. (61m), Jack McEvoy for Hayes (69m)
Wicklow: Mark Jackson (0-03, 2f an 1 '45'); Malachy Stone, Patrick O'Keane, Tom Moran; Jack Kirwan, Zach Cullen, Oisin Cullen; Padraig O'Toole, John Paul Hurley; Rory Stokes, Dean Healy, Arran Murphy; Mark Kenny (0-02), Kevin Quinn (0-02, 2m), Eoin Darcy (0-03, 3f). Subs - Oisin McGraynor for Stokes (45m), Noel Mulhall for Stone (49m), Paul Cunningham for Kirwan (57m), Mark Cullen for O'Toole (69m).
Referee: Sean Lonergan (Tipperary).
