Offaly 4-13 Fermanagh 2-12: Fermanagh management were left speechless after this display, possibly their worst in the league, although Offaly fully deserved their victory in Enniskillen.

The ease with which they scored their three first-half goals stung the home crowd into silence. Ten points separated the teams at the break (3-6 to 0-5), and despite a mini-revival, the Fermanagh fans had little to cheer about in the second half apart from two sparkling goals, the first from Eamonn Maguire 15 minutes into the half, the second from Ryan Keenan a minute from full time.

Maguire, Mark Little and, in particular, Shaun Doherty were the only Fermanagh stars on a day when their usually reliable defence was all at sea.

Fittingly, it was left to the injured Kilmacud player Liam McBarron, whose place in midfield was taken by Martin McGrath, to voice some reaction.

"We took our eye off the ball. We didn't perform. The hunger wasn't there and if the hunger isn't there you're not going to achieve. It is important to have a winning attitude, to always try in every game no matter how unimportant. Even if it's tiddlywinks you want to win it."

Offaly captain Karl Slattery was somewhat more sympathetic: "It was a meaningless game for them and it was probably the reason they didn't play well."

Those three first-half Offaly goals were scored in the 11th, 27th and 29th minutes by Pascal Kellaghan, Neville Coughlan and corner forward Niall McNamee. All three must have been startled by the amount of freedom they had when they received the final pass.

Fermanagh had led prior to the first Offaly goal with points from the impressive Mark Little (two) and Shaun Doherty. Their second-half rally, however, was somewhat delayed by two early points for Offaly by Colm Quinn. That left Offaly in front by 3-8 to 0-5.

When the Fermanagh revival did arrive it produced a goal from Maguire and four points to leave five points between the teams (3-8 to 1-9).

Offaly, however, rediscovered their earlier form and their final goal from captain Karl Slattery five minutes from time ensured that Keenan's goal a minute from time was small consolation.

OFFALY: K Meehan; G Rafferty, S Sullivan, S Casey; P McConway, S Brady, N Grennan; A McNamee (0-2), C McManus (0-1 free); J Reynolds, N Coughlan (1-1), K Slattery (1-0); C Quinn (0-4, two frees), P Kellaghan (1-1), N McNamee (1-4, one free). Subs: J Coughlan for Kellaghan (34 mins): T Phelan for Reynolds (62 mins).

FERMANAGH: D Murphy; N Bogue, B Owens, S Goan; D O'Reilly, S McDermott, P Sherry; M Murphy, M McGrath (0-1); M Little (0-4, two frees), S Doherty (0-1), T Brewster; E Maguire (1-1), J McGurn (0-3, one free), A Little (0-1 free). Subs: H Brady for Brewster (injured, 19 mins); R Keenan (1-1, one free) for Bogue (22 mins); S Burns for O'Reilly (48 mins); C Bradley for A Little (66 mins).

Referee: M Duffy (Sligo).