Offaly were forced to play the majority of the second half with just 14 players after Seán Cleary was sent off in the 44th minute.

This didn't deter Offaly who ran out 14-point winners in the end.

Kerry, with the wind at their backs, started superbly and registered seven unanswered points within nine minutes of the throw-in.

Wing forward Shane Nolan, who finished the day with eight points, scored four of those seven as Eamonn Kelly side looked to upset the odds and gain promotion to Division 1B.

Offaly rallied though, as Brian Carroll and Conor Mahon found their range with a number of well-taken scores.

The crucial score came two minutes from half time as captain Joe Bergin rattled the Kerry net.

The Seir Kieran clubman beat Bryan Murphy to Conor Mahon's delivery before rifling past Kerry custodian Tadhg Flynn, who had denied Bergin a goal just a minute earlier.

Shane Nolan notched a last minute free to make it 1-8 to 0-11 at half time.

With the game tied at 1-10 to 0-13 in the 44th minute, Offaly suffered a blow as full forward Seán Cleary was sent off by referee Johnny Ryan.

Despite their numerical disadvantage, Offaly scored their second goal after 52 minutes.

Stephen Quirke was played in by Mahon and the St Rynagh's man finished past Flynn in the Kerry goal.

Shane Nolan scored a 65 for Kerry in the 59th minute and this proved to be their last score of the game as Offaly scored a further 1-6 in the closing stages with Quirke grabbing their third goal in the 64th minute.

Brian Carroll scored three points of that 1-6 to finish with an impressive personal tally of eight points.

Scorers:

Offaly: S Quirke 2-1, J Bergin 1-1, B Carroll 0-8 (0-5 f), C Mahon & S Dooley 0-2 each, C Egan, K Connolly, D Currams, S Cleary, T Geraghty 0-1 each

Kerry: S Nolan 0-8 (0-3 f, 0-1 '65), C Harty 0-2, D O'Connell, B O'Leary & P Boyle, B Brosnan 0-1 each.

Offaly: Conor Slevin; N Wynne, G Healion, J Rigney; B Harding, C Egan, C Parlon; K Connolly, Ciarán Slevin; B Carroll, D Currams, C Mahon; S Quirke, S Cleary, J Bergin.

Subs: P Geraghty for Ciarán Slevin (29), C McDonald for Healion (50), S Dooley (0-2) for Bergin (51), T Geraghty for Quirke (65), K Brady for Connolly(70).

Kerry: T Flynn; B Murphy, T Murnane, T Casey; S Weir, D Dinneen, D O'Connell; J Griffin, C Harty; B O'Leary, D Collins, S Nolan; K Carmody, P Boyle, J Egan.

Subs: B Brosnan for Carmody (28), P O'Connor for Brosnan (51), J Leahy for O'Leary (54), P Lucid for Boyle (63).

Attendance: 660.

Referee: Johnny Ryan (Tipperary)