Leinster SHC- All square as Kilkenny and Offaly play out dramatic draw

There was late drama in Tullamore as Kilkenny and Offaly played out a pulsating draw in Round 3 of the Leinster Championship earlier this afternoon.

Played in front of 6,066 spectators at Glenisk O'Connor Park, Kilkenny struggled to ever find their groove but they still looked like they had done enough to secure the win but a contentious 65 saw Eoghan Cahill level the contest with the last puck of the game.

That last gaspo chance for Offaly saw a flicked Oisin Kelly effort go narrowly wide of the goal but after Johnny Murphy consulted his umpires the match levelling 65 was awarded.

Kilkenny could never get away from their opponents throughout the contest with the two teams deadlocked on 13 occasions in total and with TJ Reid being substituted and having a real off day on the frees, the Cats will have been glad to get something out of the game.

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Playing with the aid of a strong breeze in the first half, Kilkenny wasted a number of chances as they hit 12 wides in total and while Mikey Carey grabbed his first championship goal, Derek Lyng's men still only led by a solitary point at the interval (1-9 to 0-11).

Despite Offaly being shorn of star man Adam Screeney in attack, the Faithful county very much brought the fight to the visitors with Eoghan Cahill scoring 14 points of which included all but two from placed balls.

Offaly led for the majority of the second half and a first win over the Cats in the championship since the 1998 All-Ireland Final looked to be on when they led by three points but despite being way off their best form, Kilkenny kept plugging away with Cian Kenny and Mossy Keoghan showing well from play with subs Stephen Donnelly and Fionan Mackessy also having an impact.

Back to back stoppage time efforts from Killian Doyle and Cian Kenny looked to have snatched victory for the Noresiders before the dramatic conclusion to the game.

Kilkenny now move onto three points after three games and the pressure is very much on ahead of games with Kildare and Dublin as they look to keep their Leinster title hopes alive.

Teams and Scorers

Kilkenny: Cian Kenny (0-7, 2fs); Mikey Carey (1-0); Martin Keoghan (0-3); TJ Reid (0-2, 1f); Killian Doyle, Tom Phelan (0-2 each); Darragh Corcoran, Liam Moore, , Eoin Cody, Fionan Mackessy, Stephen Donnelly (0-1 each)

Offaly: Eoghan Cahill (0-14, 11fs and 1 '65); Daniel Bourke (0-3); Brian Duignan (0-2); Ter Guinan, Conor Doyle, Shane Rigney, Charlie Mitchell (0-1 each)

Kilkenny: Eoin Murphy; Mikey Butler, Mikey Carey, Ivan Bolger; David Blanchfield, Darragh Corcoran, Paddy Deegan; Killian Doyle, Jordan Molloy; Liam Moore, Cian Kenny, Tom Phelan; Martin Keoghan, TJ Reid, Eoin Cody.

Subs: Stephen Donnelly for Reid, 49 mins; Fionan Mackessy for Moore, 53 mins; Timmy Clifford for Phelan, 59 mins; Richie Reid for Molloy, 68 mins. 

Offaly: Liam Hoare; Ciaran Burke, Ben Conneely, Patrick Taaffe; Ross Ravenhill, Killian Sampson, Ter Guinan; Colin Spain, Luke Watkins; Daniel Bourke, Conor Doyle, Shane Rigney; Eoghan Cahill, Charlie Mitchell, Brian Duignan.

Subs: Cathal King for Watkins, 53 mins; Dan Ravenhill for Spain, 53 mins; Oisin Kelly for Doyle, 66 mins.

Referee: Johnny Murphy (Limerick)