Offaly 2-14  Dublin 0-15

For as much as 50 minutes of this game, Dublin dominated or at least matched their opponents but in a crucial 10 minutes before half-time Offaly clocked up 1-7 to a single reply to lead by 12 points at the break.

At the finish 7 points separated the sides and Dublin will look back on 11 wides, a missed penalty and two or three free scoring chances and see how close they came to winning this game.

But if and buts don't win matches and Offaly who shot only 2 wides over the game took their chances when presented and held on for a merited first Senior championship win in their history.

Dublin played with the aid of a stiff breeze and should have had two scores on the board within a minute.  However it was the visitors who opened the scoring with points from Arlene Watkins and Siobhan Flannery.

Good work by Tara Corrigan and Mairi Moynihan set up Ciara Durkan for Dublin's first point in the 4th minute and the first of Ali Maguire's eight points from placed balls levelled the game three minutes later.

Amy Murphy gave Dublin the lead in the 10th minute for the only time in the game with a great point from a pass by Áine Fanning.  Dublin were defending well with Elaine O'Meara in fine form and well supported by Tara Corrigan and Sarah Ryan in the full-back line.

But the whole line got caught out in the 11th minute when the ball when over the heads of everyone for Arlene Watkins to run on to and score from close range despite a great attempted save by Helen Cosgrave.

The score shook Dublin and gave Offaly the impetus to add two points from Siobhan Flannery and Elaine Dermody.

Mairi Moynihan was working hard at centre-forward and helped set up Miriam Twomey for a neat point but Elaine Dermody cancelled this with her second pointed free in the 17th minute.

Dublin's forwards were showing great promise from hard-earned possesion won by Ciara Burgess and Emer McCarthy and with Ali Maguire in fine form off frees they were keeping the gap between the sides to a manageable three points.

However a second goal from Arlene Watkins opened the floodgates in the 20th minute and from their to the break Offaly added points from Flannery, Linda Sullivan, Tina Hannon and three from the stick of Elaine Dermody the captain.  Dublin's solitary point was a fine effort from Amy Murphy.

With the aid of the breeze in the second half, Dublin's case was not a lost cause but had the margin been kept to six or seven points, it would have been within their compass to retrieve the game.

However Offaly is an ever improving team and while the were pinned in their half for most of the second period, Dublin's inability to create goal chances severely limited their chances.

Four points in the opening 6 minutes after the restart by Ali Maguire (2), Ciara Burgess and Áine Fanning gave a lifeline to Dublin.  But for the next 21 minutes Dublin failed to add to their tally.  Their best chance of a goal came from a penalty but Tara Corrigan's shot was saved by Offaly keeper Pamela Nugent.  Dublin totted up 6 wides in the half as Offaly found the range with two points from the excellent Siobhan Flannery and Elaine Dermody (free).

Dublin showed commendable fighting spirit as Ciara Durkan, Catriona Power, Danielle Smith and the excellent Aoife Kelly drove their side forward.  Substitutes Elaine Gallery, Aisling Carolan and Ali Twomey also gave of their best.  In the closing five minutes Ali Maguire pointed four 45s on the trot to cut the gap to 7 points but Dublin needed goals and Offaly showed no signs of conceding any.

Despite the disappointment, Dublin will take heart from much of their display - their commitment was first class, the striking is improving no end and the teamwork is also an encourging feature.  Mistakes are clinically punished at this level and Dublin made a few but the number is reducing and hence the team is competing much better.

Website Player of the Match:  Elaine O'Meara

Helen Cosgrave, Elaine O'Meara, Tara Corrigan, Sarah Ryan, Danielle Smith, Ali Maguire (0-8, 4f, 4 45s), Catriona Power, Emer McCarthy, Ciara Burgess (0-1), Ciara Durkan (0-1), Mairi Moynihan, Aoife Kelly, Áine Fanning (0-1), Amy Murphy (0-2), Miriam Twomey (0-1)

Subs: Elaine Gallery, Aisling Carolan, Ali Twomey

Offaly Scorers:  Elaine Dermody (0-8f),Arlene Watkins (2-1), Siobhan Flannery (0-4), Tina Hannon (0-1), Linda Sullivan (0-1)

Ref:  Alan Lagrue (Kildare)