McManus inspirational as Offaly keep nerve

Offaly 1-10 Down 1-8

The Leinster side called on five veterans from the 1998 Division One winning side. Compare that to Down, for whom only Gregory McCartan had seen senior action at the famous ground before, and Offaly’s calmer constitution wasn’t all that surprising.

But Down also suffered the cruellest of early blows, when captain Sean Ward fell awkwardly after fielding a catch just three minutes in and was stretchered off with an ankle injury. Cavan in the championship is now touch and go for The Burren half-back and that will hurt manager Paddy O’Rourke more than the defeat itself.