TO SECURE SURVIVAL in Division 3 yesterday, Offaly needed an away win over Sligo in addition to a Laois victory against Carlow.
Laois did their neighbours a favour with a three-point win but the Faithful looked on the verge of relegation when they were deadlocked at 1-10 apiece with Sligo in injury-time.
Then substitute Mark Abbott kicked a vital 72nd-minute point to edge Offaly ahead.
When Sligo goalkeeper Eamon Kilgallon lined up his kick-out as they chased an equaliser, another of John Maughan’s substitutes Shane Tierney smashed the ball off his tee into the corner.
It helped run down the clock and not long after the ball was eventually kicked out, the final whistle confirmed Offaly’s victory and place in the third tier for 2020.
This ones for the boys #Athycartel pic.twitter.com/VoeT5Lf6lb
— @Shane Tierney (@TierneyShane) March 25, 2019
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