Cian O’Neill opts for temporary luxury of attacking mode

Kildare 1-22, Offaly 2-14: Cian O’Neill gave an insight into the shadow Dublin place over the Leinster Championship when explaining that the switch from having two sweepers to one was determined by not having the prospect of facing them next.

Kildare were significantly more offensive in this ding-dong derby tussle at St Conleth’s Park on Saturday night, although quite apart from the tactical approach, what was most notable was the speed and intensity of their play compared to the way they laboured in their two Leinster Championship games.

The atmosphere generated in a provincial ground contrasted with the sterility of a half-empty Croke Park that has been a factor in much of the poor showings produced there in recent years.