NFL DIVISION THREE: Offaly 2-8 Louth 1-10:THE FACT Offaly registered their first victory under new manager Tom Cribbin is only the bones of the story from Tullamore.

The real flesh was added in the dying minutes of a tense encounter yesterday during which drama was piled upon drama.

For most the game Offaly held the upper hand. Having availed of wind advantage to build an interval lead of 1-4 to 0-1, they added a further 1-1 without reply within nine minutes of the resumption.

Then, just as the home side appeared to be cruising, Louth picked off an unbroken sequence of seven points. Points by Seán Ryan and substitute Thomas Deehan gave the home side a five-point cushion, but Darren Clarke and Ronan Carroll replied in kind as the pressure on the home defence intensified.

The game was four minutes into injury time when Darren Clarke got the finishing touch to a fine centre from Derek Crilly for a goal that left the sides deadlocked.

However, the game had one final twist a minute later when substitute Rory Guinan pointed a free to snatch a home win that lifts Offaly from the bottom rung of the divisional table.

OFFALY:P Kelly; G Rafferty, C Evans, S Sullivan; S Lonergan, J Quinn, K Slattery; A McNamee, C Carroll; N Darby (0-2, one free), S Ryan (0-1), B Darby; J Reynolds (1-0), N Smith (0-1), N McNamee (0-1). Subs: T Deehan (1-2) for Smith yellow card (24 mins), M Mitchell for B Darby (57 mins), P Sullivan for Ryan (66 mins), R Guinan (0-1, free) for N McNamee (68 mins), E Kavanagh for N Darby (73 mins).

LOUTH:S Reynolds; D Finnegan, C Goss, J O'Brien; P Rath, M Fanning, G Hoey; R Carroll (0-3), B White (0-2, one 45), P Keenan, A Hoey; JP Rooney (0-2), S Lennon, P Smith (0-1). Subs: D Clarke (1-2) for Lennon yellow card, (28 mins), A Reid for R Finnegan (46 mins), D Crilly for Hoey (49 mins), D Reid for Keenan (66 mins).

Referee:V Neary (Mayo).