GROWING confidence and a relaxed attitude have been the two key ingredients to Kildare’s progression to the quarter-finals of the All-Ireland championship.

All-Ireland SFC Qualifier Round 4

SATURDAY was a very satisfying day for Kieran McGeeney.

All-Ireland SFC Round 3 Qualifier

FUMING Liam Bradley slammed his Antrim players for bottling it when the going got tough against Kildare on Saturday night.

Antrim 0-9 Kildare 1-15

WAS there ever an occasion like this in the history of the GAA?

Kildare 0-15 Antrim 0-15 aet

THERE was good news for Kildare supporters as Dermot Earley came on as a second half substitute as the Lilywhites drew with Sligo in a challenge at Stephen O’Rourke Memorial Park yesterday.

Meath 1-15 Kildare 0-13

Laois 0-13 Kildare 0-9

KILKENNY welcome back James ‘Cha’ Fitzpatrick and TJ Reid from the All-Ireland Club champions Ballyhale Shamrocks for the Allianz NHL Division One clash with Galway at Nowlan Park tomorrow.

NFL DIVISION 2:

GALWAY may have their work cut out with Colm Cooper at Pearse Stadium tomorrow, but Joe Kernan’s side will have another dangerous Dr Crokes corner-forward to contend with too.

THE three-week sabbatical had startlingly different effects on these two sides, with Kildare looking much like their old selves and Donegal but a pale shadow of the team that steamrolled Laois last time out.

Kildare 1-17 Donegal 1-9

AS Kerry last night named their side for tomorrow’s vital Allianz NFL Division 1 clash with Derry at Fitzgerald Stadium (2.30pm), the Kerry County Board confirmed the news that former Kingdom great John Egan is being treated at Cork University Hospital following a recent accident at his home in Cork.

KILDARE boss Kieran McGeeney described midfielder Daryl Flynn’s performance as “immense” at Semple Stadium on Saturday night.

Kildare 1-16 Tipperary 0-8

KILDARE overcame the 36th-minute dismissal of All Star midfielder Dermot Earley to edge past UCD in the opening round of the O’Byrne Cup at Newbridge yesterday.

Tyrone 0-16 Kildare 1-11

Kildare manager Kieran McGeeney has opted to stick with the same side which lost this year's Leinster final to Dublin, naming an unchanged line-up for Saturday's All-Ireland SFC fourth round qualifier against Wicklow at O'Moore Park (throw-in 7pm).

Dublin 2-15 Kildare 0-18

IT WAS a good night at the office for Kildare at Dr Cullen Park as they cruised to the Leinster SFC semi-final with a comfortable dismissal of last year’s All-Ireland semi-finalists Wexford on Saturday.

DARRAGH Ó SÉ is included in the Kerry squad for the first time this season for tomorrow’s National Football League game against Galway (Austin Stack Park, Tralee, 2.30pm).

HENRY SHEFFLIN returns to the Kilkenny side for his first appearance of the year in tomorrow’s NHL showdown against Tipperary. Shefflin comes in at centre-forward in place of Willie O’Dwyer, while Ballyhale Shamrocks clubmates TJ Reid and Michael Fennelly are also drafted into the team.

ALL STAR Eddie Brennan has been included on the Kilkenny team to play Galway in the NHL clash on Sunday following his successful appeal against his dismissal against Waterford last weekend.

KILDARE 0-14 CORK 0-14

Cork 2-11 Kildare 1-11

Despite doubts over their fitness, Padraig Browne and Stephen Kelly have both been named in the Limerick team for tomorrow evening's GAA Football All-Ireland qualifier clash with Kildare (Gaelic Grounds, throw-in 7pm).

NOT for the first time, Michael Meehan was the difference between victory and defeat for Galway who made it two wins from two in the NFL at St Conleth’s Park yesterday.

THE advantage of a seeded draw in the Munster SFC is it ensures the final is ‘generally’ contested by the two best teams, states departing Council Secretary Simon Moroney in his report to next weekend’s annual convention in Ennis.

Enda Murphy has been recalled to the Kildare side for Sunday's NFL Division 1 meeting with Galway at Newbridge, throw-in 1.30pm.

Kildare manager John Crofton has named an unchanged team for Saturday's All-Ireland SFC second round qualifier against Louth in Newbridge (throw-in 7pm).

Roscommon manager John Maughan has made one change to his team for Saturday's All-Ireland SFC first round qualifier against Kildare (Dr. Hyde Park, throw-in 3pm).

Meath rekindled some of their form from days gone by at Croke Park this afternoon, putting in a determined display against Kildare to book themselves a mouthwatering Leinster quarter-final clash against defending champions Dublin.

Kildare manager John Crofton has named Kevin O'Neill and Ross Glavin as his midfield pairing for Sunday's Leinster SFC first round clash with Meath (Croke Park, throw-in 4pm).

Na Fianna 1-10 St Jude’s 0-10

Fermanagh manager Charlie Mulgrew has been forced to ring the changes ahead of tomorrow evening's Tommy Murphy Cup opener against Carlow in Enniskillen.

Kilmacud Crokes1-10 Na Fianna1-4

NUIG 0-18 UL 1-5

Last season's Leinster football finalists Kildare have included three new faces in an experimental lineup for Sunday's O'Byrne Cup clash with Westmeath in Mullingar.

WITH John Whyte and Francie Grehan passing fitness tests Roscommon have announced an unchanged side to meet Kerry in the Bank of Ireland, All-Ireland SFC quarter final at Croke Park on Monday next.