Galway goalkeeper Nigel Murray yesterday proved that mascots sometimes do grow up and star for the team they have led out as children.

Until this rain-sodden but passionate tie at Duggan Park, Ballinasloe, yesterday Murray's biggest day on a pitch was walking alongside Conor Hayes as Galway's mascot on memorable All-Ireland hurling final days in 1987 and '88.

But now Murray will also cherish his National Hurling League debut as he played a major role in denying Offaly with saves from the top drawer yesterday.

His Offaly counterpart, Stephen Byrne, was equally impressive but had to retire injured in the second half. He was replaced by Liam Bergin, who appeared with a plaster over one eye because he was butted by one of his cattle earlier in the day. At the other end Murray began a sequence of spectacular stops when he made a tip-over save from Conor Gath in the second quarter. He also denied Brendan Murphy after the flying Offaly winger was set up by a Johnny Dooley-Michael Duignan move.

But to describe the Galway performance as a one-man show would be to distort the facts. The Galway full-back line was outstanding. Liam Hodgins, Michael Healy and Cathal Moore were courageous, skilful and brave in the face of Offaly attacks, although some alarming gaps did appear in the second half.

A see-saw battle in poor and, later in the game, atrocious weather conditions was nonetheless full of some exceptional hurling. The scoring was always close before Ollie Canning put daylight between the teams with a goal in the final minute.

Conditions at this stage were so bad that the Portumna man had to take three swipes at the sliotar before sending it flashing by Bergin.

Hurleys were difficult to hold and referee Willie Barrett had a narrow escape when feeling the sting of one flying stick.

Offaly, playing with the wind in the first half, were slow to build the sort of lead that was going to be necessary if they were to outgun a smooth and fast-moving Galway team. Alan Kerins goaled for the home team in the seventh minute when he connected with a tentative lob by Canning.

From that moment the pressure on Offaly increased. The Galway defence was generally holding firm and after an impressive pointed free from half way, Johnny Dooley's free-taking went off the boil.

Gath, who had shot Offaly into the lead in the 40th second with a point, restored the lead for the visitors with a 26th minute goal after a lob from left corner-back Colm Cassidy, who had a fine game. The sides were level at the break 1-8 apiece: Offaly had done themselves no favours with eight wides against two for Galway.

John Troy gave Offaly real hope when he moved centre stage in the third quarter. Rory Gantley had just failed to give Galway a three-point advantage when his 60-yard free swerved to the right and wide. Almost immediately, Troy gave Murray no chance from close in on the left.

Johnny Dooley added two points from frees to give the visitors a clear one-goal advantage. But Offaly could not register a score in the final quarter and this barren spell proved their undoing as Canning, Kevin Broderick and Mark Kerins made hay at the other end.

Yet the Offaly manager Pat Fluery was justified in thanking his team for a full-blooded second-half display against the wind. "But," he added, "a win was there for the taking. You could have smelt it with 10 minutes to go."

His Galway counterpart, Mattie Murphy said: "That's the best Offaly League team for a good while."

Neither Birr nor Athenry players figured in a relentlessly competitive game which gave Galway a sixth win in the sides' last seven League meetings.

Galway: N Murray; L Hodgins, M Healy, C Moore; P Walsh (0-1 free), N Larkin, V Maher; A Kerins (1-0), N Shaughnessy; M Kerins (0-1), R Gantley (0-2), K Broderick (0-2); O Canning (1- 4), O Fahy (0-3), F Healy (0-2). Subs: J Cooney for Gantley (51 mins); D Tierney for Walsh (51 mins); D O'Brien for Shaughhnessy (70 mins).

Offaly: S Byrne; M O'Hara, K Kinahan, C Cassidy; A Mannion, H Rigney, D Kelly; D Kealy, M Duignan (0-1); J Dooley (0-4, frees), P Mulhaire (0-1), B Murphy (0-1); C Gath (1-3), J Ryan (0- 1), J Troy (1-0). Subs: L Bergin for Byrne (44 mins); D Franks for Kealy (52 mins); N Murphy for Mulhaire (67 mins).

Referee: B Barrett (Tipperary).

UCC won their 28th Ashbourne Cup by beating UCD by 2-3 to 1-5 at Dangan Sports Grounds, Galway, yesterday. UCC's opening goal came after a minute from full forward Una O'Donoghue and Siobhan Sexton added a second.