LEINSTER MHC Offaly 1-10 Dublin 1-10:OFFALY SUCCEEDED in holding defending champions Dublin to a draw in Mountbolus yesterday.

Indeed it was the hotly-fancied Dublin side who were last to equalise, Niall McMorrow's pointed free ensuring a draw.

Whereas Dublin were having their first game in this round-robin style championship, Offaly were on a retrieving mission, having been soundly defeated by Carlow in the first round.

Dublin got off to a flying start, and led by 1-6 to 1-3 at half-time,Aodhan Kealey getting Offaly's goal and Ciarán Dorney scoring the visitors'.

With 10 minutes remaining Offaly led by 1-9 to 1-7, but the holders finished strongly to salvage a point.

OFFALY:M Mulrooney; B Mulrooney, S Coughlan, C McDonald; E Quinlan (0-1), E Murphy, J Sullivan; G Spollen (0-1), C Duffy; M Ryan, A Kealey (1-1), K Connolly 0-1); D Ryan, B Harding (0-1), T Carroll (0-3). Subs: J Roddy (0-2) for M Ryan, T Spain for Duffy, T Bolger for Carroll.

DUBLIN:E Young; B O'Carroll, D Kelly, S Timlin; D Curran (0-1), C O'Farrell (0-1), M Quilty); L Rush (0-1), J Keogh, J O'Callaghan (0-1), K O'Loughlin (0-1), N McMorrow (0-4), C Dorney (1-0). Subs: D Plunkett (0-1) for Keogh, S O'Connor for Bonfil, D Sutcliffe for O'Loughlin.

Referee:F Devereux (Kildare).