Last year’s beaten Semi Finalist Offaly opened their Tailteann Cup campaign with a nine victory over London in Tullamore.

A blistering opening period for the hosts put the game out of reach as they used the wind to their advantage in the first half to stretch out a ten-point lead before the first London score of the day.

Cian Farrell’s 2-04 was the outstanding performance of the afternoon with two well-taken goals capping off a comfortable afternoon for the hosts. 

London face another huge task next weekend when they host Cavan whilst Offaly travel to Laois.

Cian Farrell opened the scoring for the hosts within the opening minute of the game shortly followed by a Hyland mark and a free to leave the Faithful County three up before the 10 minute mark.

London made five changes to their team pre kickoff, as they looked to match Offaly. One of which was Cahir Healy coming in named at corner forward but playing cornerback. The Ruislip side were set up extremely defensively in the opening phases but to no real effect early on. 

Cian Farrell caught the ball inside but decided against the mark with time and space to take his point with Dylan Hyland tagging on his third of the day a minute later from way out the field left Offaly with a comfortable six point lead at this point. 

The first green flag of the game came just on the 20 minute mark, a poor mistake from the London keeper lead to a turnover and Cian Farrell made no mistake from eight yards burying the ball into the corner. 

It took until five minutes before the break before Josh Obahor opened the London tally with a point from range.  McEvoy and Gavaghan exchanged scores before McLaughlin got another back for the away side in added time cutting the Offaly lead to nine at the half.

Farrell and McLaughlin exchanged the opening scores of the second half as the game began to pick up an edge with tempers fraying slightly. London were playing with the breeze in the second half which would be more of a hindrance for the Offaly kicking than a London advantage. 

Lee Pearson had a big chance to net the second Offaly goal of the day after Maher set him in not taking his mark but Andrew Walsh was equal to the effort to keep the game alive from a London perspective. 

With ten to go it was still a nine point advantage for hosts as Liam Gavaghan who got three of the six points for London to this point made way with a big clash at home awaiting next week. 

Cian Farrell brought his tally to 2-04 with a superb free from the turf before a classy finish into the bottom right corner to cap off an excellent performance from the Edenderry man. 

London did end up picking up the last four scores of the game, with Gallagher pointing twice after Obahor picked up his second of the game with a couple mins left on the clock. Joseph McGill pointed from a free for the final score of the game as the game ended with the same margin as it was at the break with Offaly victorious by nine points.