Offaly 1-13 Cork 2-10: Neither Offaly nor Cork could afford to lose in Tullamore yesterday and neither did, although whether either will be satisfied with having shared the points in a draw is open to question.

In the end Offaly were probably unlucky not to have finished outright winners, for James Coughlan's equalising point from point-blank range in injury-time could, and perhaps should, have been a goal. In addition a late effort by Scott Brady was waved wide by the umpire - a decision that was hotly disputed by the home camp.

Offaly started the more impressive side and Kevin Murphy in the Cork goal had to come off his line swiftly to deny Niall McNamee. Although facing into a strong wind it was the home side who put early scores on the board with points by Ciarán McManus from a '45 and Niall McNamee. Twenty-five minutes elapsed before Cork opened their account, through James Masters.

By half-time, however, the visitors had forged a 0-5 to 0-4 lead after shooting six wides, and such a slender advantage seemed inadequate to sustain them against the wind.

The second half developed into a real ding-dong battle as Cork started impressively with a 1-1 contribution from corner forward Kevin O'Sullivan. The loss of influential midfielder McManus who was yellow-carded six minutes into the second half, spurred Offaly to greater effort, and four points in seven minutes left them only a point adrift.

Cork hit back strongly and a second goal, netted by Masters, gave them a six-point lead midway through the half. Again the game took a dramatic turn with the lead reverting to the home side when a sequence of four points on the trot was followed by a cracking 61st-minute goal by Neville Coughlan.

In further tense exchanges Cork had both Nicholas Murphy and substitute Dermot Hurley yellow-carded and the woodwork foiled Offaly's Colm Quinn before James Coughlan's injury-time equaliser snatched a valuable point.

OFFALY: P Kelly; C Daly, C Evans, S Sullivan; B Mooney (0-1), S Brady, K Slattery; C McManus (0-1, from '45), A McNamee; J Reynolds (0-1), M Daly, N Coughlan (1-1); C Quinn (0-1), N McNamee (0-3), J Coughlan (0-5, four frees). Subs: R Malone for Daly (27 mins), J Grennan for McManus, yellow card (41 mins), J Keane for Malone (66 mins).

CORK: K Murphy; N Geary, M Cronin, G Murphy; K O'Connor (0-1), S Levis (0-1), O Sexton; N Murphy (0-1), D Kavanagh; J Masters (1-2, one point from free), BJ O'Sullivan (0-2), C McCarthy; A Cronin (0-1), F Gould, K O'Sullivan (1-1). Subs: D Hurley for N Murphy, yellow card (55 mins), M Cronin (0-1, free) for K O'Sullivan (56 mins), P Clifford for Gould (64 mins).

YELLOW CARDS: Offaly: C McManus (41 mins); Cork: N Murphy (55 mins), D Hurley (69 mins).

Referee: M Duffy (Sligo).