Hurling League Division 1B: Antrim lose heavily to Offaly

Antrim were well beaten 5-27 to 4-09 by Offaly in Sunday's Hurling Division 1B 'dead rubber' at O'Connor Park.

It was never a contest as Brian Whelehan's team coasted to a meaningless victory by 21 points.

Offaly were 5-16 to 1-03 up at half-time, Nigel Elliott scoring the Saffrons goal in the 13th minute.

Ciaran Slevin and Sean Cleary got early goals for Offaly and they were home and dry before PJ O'Connell's goals for the visitors after the break.

The Tullamore result did not really matter as it was already known that Offaly and Antrim would occupy the bottom two positions in Division 1B.

Antrim finish bottom of the table with no points, while Offaly move on to three after their only victory of the campaign.

The counties will meet again at Ballycastle next Sunday, 30 March, in the relegation play-off and Antrim will be expected to take matters more seriously for that one.

The losers could still survive in Division 1B by beating the winners of the 2A final between Kerry and Carlow.

Cork have finished top of Division 1B to secure an immediate return to the top division, a year after being relegated after losing to Clare in the play-off.

Clare have finished on top of Division 1A and are joined in the quarter-finals by Kilkenny, Galway and Tipperary while Dublin and Waterford must contest the relegation play-off.

HURLING LEAGUE RESULTS

SATURDAY

Division 3B

Liatroim 0-15 1-11 Warwickshire

SUNDAY

Division 1A

Kilkenny 4-22 0-14 Waterford

Tipperary 1-19 0-19 Dublin

Clare 0-18 1-15 Galway

Division 1B

Laois 1-13 1-17 Limerick

Cork 2-24 1-20 Wexford

Offaly 5-27 4-09 Antrim

Division 2A

Carlow 2-21 0-13 Westmeath

London 1-18 2-17 Kerry

Kildare 3-17 4-14 Derry

Division 2B

Down 2-08 0-11 Meath

Wicklow 3-32 2-08 Fingal

Armagh 1-11 1-19 Mayo

Division 3A

Roscommon 3-14 0-10 Longford

Monaghan 1-11 2-15 Fermanagh

Louth 1-15 2-15 Donegal

Division 3B

Sligo 1-10 2-16 Tyrone