Offaly collected two very important league points when they edged out Fermanagh in Tullamore.
After a shocking first half, the game sprung to life in the second half and substitute Cian Farrell booted over the winning point with the four minutes of injury-time just up.
It was a devastating defeat for Fermanagh who struggled badly in the first half but were much improved in the second.
Bernard Allen was the key player for Offaly. A second-half sub, he had a major point to prove after falling out of favour with John Maughan last year and then leaving the panel. The Tubber man got five delightful points as Offaly managed to turn it around, even though a draw would have been a fair result.
The first half was a dire affair as both sides played very cagey and found it difficult to break the line.
The sides were tied at half time, 1-01 apiece, and that was a fair reflection of the way the game went. Offaly should have been ahead. They kicked nine wides compared to six for Fermanagh and really should have converted a few of them.
Both teams were equally culpable when it came to playing their cards close to the chest. Ruari McNamee got in for a seventh-minute goal after a Jack McEvoy '45 hit the post. It was 23 minutes before they got their next point, an excellent score from the best player in the first half, Peter Cunningham.
Fermanagh's only reward up to that stage was a Ryan Jones point and the visitors should have got in for a goal on 18 minutes when Ian Duffy made a great save from Josh Largo Ellis.
Duffy was at least partly to blame when Fermanagh levelled it up with a 25th-minute goal – Largo Ellis punched to the net after Duffy came unconvincingly for a Luke Flanagan ball.
There was no be no further score in the first half as both kicked a succession of wides. Some of Offaly's misses drew groans from the home supporters while Fermanagh also should have done better with their chances.
Neither side was as wasteful in the second half, though they continued to play it safe. However, scores came more regularly with Fermanagh replacement Garvan Jones also making his presence felt, scoring three points.
Allen's opportunism took the breath away for Offaly and the sides were level six times before that decisive late kick by Farrell, moments after Jack Bryant had a bad wide from a kickable free.
Offaly: Ian Duffy; Ciaran Donnelly, Declan Hogan, David Dempsey; Rory Egan, Peter Cunningham (0-01), Lee Pearson; Jack McEvoy, Conor McNamee; Joe Maher, Ruari McNamee (1-00), Bill Carroll (0-01); Nigel Dunne, Anton Sullivan (0-01), Dylan Hyland.
Subs: Bernard Allen (0-05) for Maher (42), Cian Farrell (0-01) for Dunne (55), Jack Bryant for R McNamee (62), Luke Egan for Carroll (71).
Fermanagh: Sean McNally; Luke Flanagan, Garrett Cavanagh, Cian McManus; Ronan McCaffrey, Jonathan Cassidy, Shane McGullion; Ryan Jones (0-02), Brandon Horan; Josh Largo Ellis (1-00), Ryan Lyons (0-01), Darragh McGurn; Sean Cassidy, Ultan Kelm (0-01), Sean Quigley (0-01f).
Subs: Tommy McCaffrey for Cassidy (HT), Garvan Jones (0-03, 1m) for McGurn (45), Declan McCusker for Cavanagh (52), Ciaran Corrigan for Kelm (62).
Referee: Thomas Murphy (Galway).
