Walsh Cup (SH) Semi-finals/Offaly 1-12 Wexford 0-11:Offaly booked their place in the final of the Walsh Cup when they finished with four points to spare over Wexford in yesterday's semi-final at Tullamore.

Both sides' finishing was deplorably erratic, with more wides than scores being registered at either end. Offaly advanced to a final meeting with Antrim despite shooting 17 wides, while Wexford registered 15.

Although closely contested throughout, the game lacked real quality.

The visitors fared reasonably well, considering that they were reduced to 14 players for two-thirds of the game.

But the the 21st-minute dismissal on a straight red card of wing forward Michael Doyle for an alleged striking offence left them with an uphill task.

At the time of the incident the Slaneysiders trailed by only a point, despite the fact that they had been playing against the wind.

Offaly immediately benefited from the disparity in numbers by firing over four unanswered points, before late points by David O'Connor and Rory Jacob (free) cut the visitors' deficit to 0-8 to 0-5.

With the wind at their backs in the second half, Wexford wiped out their arrears within three minutes of the resumption.

But for the remainder of the game it was Offaly who were in control and, despite their wides tally, they made their ample possession tell in the end.

The decisive goal came in the 57th minute when veteran Ger Oakley burst through the centre to set up corner-forward Daniel Currams, who fired past Wexford goalkeeper Dermot Flynn.

OFFALY: S O'Connor; C Hernon, K Brady, D Franks; D Horan, J Bergin (0-1), D Kenny (0-1); C Mahon, B Teehan; S Dooley (0-3, two frees), G Oakley (0-1), B Carroll (0-2); D Currams (1-2), J Gorman, F Kerrigan (0-2). Subs: J Brady for Kerrigan (60 mins), J Rigney for Teehan (65 mins).

WEXFORD: D Flynn; K Rossiter, P Roche, M Travers; R Kehoe, D Stamp, J O'Connor (0-1); M Jacob, D Redmond; M Doyle, E Quigley (0-2), W Doran; D O'Connor (0-1), MJ Furlong (0-2), R Jacob (0-4, four frees). Subs: J Breen (0-1) for D O'Connor (61st), B Malone for J O'Connor (64 mins), J O'Connor for Malone (74 mins).

Referee: J McGrath (Westmeath).

Antrim 3-14 UCD 1-16:Michael Magill was given a chance to show his talents and he grabbed the opportunity with both hands to prove himself a match winner for Antrim in their semi-final clash with UCD at Belfield yesterday.

Magill was not in the original selection but was drafted into the attack before the start, and the man from Randaldstown showed his finishing powers with a goal in the opening minutes and another when the game was finely balanced in the second period.

Magill ended up with two goals and two points to match the total of ace marksman Liam Watson, who scored a total of 1-5, 1-4 from placed balls.

Antrim will now host next Sunday's final at Casement Park.

"Having the final at home is going to be a massive boost for our followers," said Antrim joint manager Dominic McKinley. "After beating Kilkenny last week it was important that we got our feet back on the ground, and what was very satisfying for us was the way the team battled back at a time when UCD put it up to us and Michael's goal gave us the confidence to go on a win it."

Magill's early goal helped Antrim establish a 1-7 to 0-4 lead, but a very useful students outfit had reduced that to 1-10 to 0-10 by half-time.

A goal from Tommy Fitzgerald early in the second half cut UCD's deficit to a point, but 10 minutes later, with the game up for grabs, up popped Magill to finish a centre from Watson to the net.

Frees from the impressive Stephen Nolan and Michael McGarry kept UCD in contention.

But a goal from a penalty by Watson sealed Antrim's victory.

ANTRIM: R McGarry; A Graffin, M McCambridge, S Delargy; C Herron (0-1), K McKeegan, K Elliott; N McManus (0-1), E McCloskey (0-1); S McCroy (0-1), L Watson (1-5, 0-4 frees, 1-0 pen), P McGill (0-2); K Stewart, C Donnelly (0-1), M Magill (2-2). Sub: D Hamill for McCroy.

UCD: J Maher; P Ormonde, T Brady, B Travers; E O'Shea, S Nolan (0-7, five frees, one '65'), D Fitzgerald; P J Nolan, J Walsh (0-2); C McBride, N Curran, C King; E Power, T Fitzgerald (1-1), M McGarry (0-6, four frees). Subs: D Lyng for McBride. L Ryan for King. D Langton for Travers.

Referee: D O'Donovan (Dublin).