NFL DIVISION THREE Wexford 1-12 Offaly 0-11:WEXFORD HAD to withstand a late Offaly rally before securing their second victory of the campaign in Tullamore yesterday.

When midfielder Rory Quinlan booted the ball to the net to put Wexford 1-11 to 0-6 ahead with 19 minutes left, they looked set to coast to a comfortable win.

Instead, Offaly found form and five unanswered points had the gap back to a goal with just two minutes left. But a point from Aindreas Doyle in injury-time ended Offaly’s resistance.

With the wind at their backs, Wexford dominated the first half, scoring seven points without reply before Bernard Allen got Offaly’s first point from a 27th-minute free. The home side took a 0-8 to 0-2 lead into the break.

Wexford continued to dominate on the resumption, extending their lead to eight points before Offaly staged a fightback, with Niall McNamee scorer-in-chief. However, Quinlan’s goal and Doyle’s late point proved decisive.

WEXFORD: A Masterson; J Wadding, G Molloy, N Murphy; B Malone (0-1), D Murphy, A Doyle (0-3); R Quinlan (1-0), D Waters; S O'Neill (0-1), R Barry, G Sunderland; C Lyng (0-2, free, 45), S Roche (0-1), B Brosnan (0-4, two frees). Subs: C Morris for Sunderland (47 mins), S McLoughlin for Roche (65 mins).

OFFALY: A Mulhall; B Darby, S Brady, S Pender; J Keane, J Quinn, S Lonergan; R Dalton, J Coughlan; G Guilfoyle, C McManus, N Smith; B Allen (0-3, frees), D Egan, N McNamee (0-7, three frees, 45). Subs: K Casey for Egan (22 mins), S Sullivan for Quinn (27m mins), T Deehan for Coughlan (half-time), S Ryan for Keane (57 mins), J Reynolds (0-1) for Guilfoyle (62 mins).

Referee: D Fahy(Longford).