A Good Win For The Overpowering Lillywhites

Leinster SFC Quarter-Final
Kildare 1-16 Offaly 1-10

By Denis O'Brien

A top-class first-half display by Kildare was all that was needed to set the stage for their Leinster SFC Quarterfinal win over a second-best Offaly outfit who, despite a late surge, never really troubled the powerful Lillywhite side.

Kildare were well in control of the game by the end of the first-half after putting up an impressive 1-8 to Offaly's meager 0-2.

Offaly's defense was dreadful in that first period and it was a simple shooting practice for the more physically-imposing and skilful Kildare side.

The Lillywhites managed to maintain their nine-point advantage until eight minutes from the end of time when an Offaly surge bagged a quick 1-1 but it was largely window dressing as the Faithful had no answer for the men in white when it mattered most.

Kildare had knocked shreds out of Offaly by the end of the opening quarter after landing a whopping 1-7 to just the single point for the Faithful.

James Kavanagh and Ken Casey had swapped early points before Kildare struck for their only major when an intelligent pass from the effortless, John Doyle, put through Alan Smith who fumbled after coming under pressure from Karl Slattery.

The ball slid from his hands but Smith let fly off the ground and it found the left corner for a fine goal.

Kildare were full of invention and running with brilliant support play a feature. Points from Doyle (0-3), Ronan Sweeney, James Kavanagh and influential midfielder, Dermot Earley saw Kildare in command.

Center forward, Niall McNamee, who was Offaly's only ray of hope upfront, got his side's second point after 19 minutes but they would need much more than this if they were to stand any chance in this one-sided game.

Offaly did better after the break and had reduced the margin to six in the opening ten minutes with John Reynolds and McNamee to the fore.

However, points from Dermot Early and Doyle (0-2 frees) restored Kildare's comfortable nine-point margin. They could now afford the luxury of substitutes that included talisman, Earley at midfield.

Offaly never gave up trying though and were rewarded when Sean Ryan scored a good goal when lashing a low, hard shot into the left corner of the Kildare net for a late consolation strike.

On this showing Kildare are ones to be reckoned with and will test any opposition that stand in their way.

They have a balanced squad with quality footballers throughout and while often guilty of having only the one forward in John Doyle, they now can call on the likes of impressive attackers, Alan Smith and James Kavanagh.