Kildare progress to qualifiers after victory over Offaly

By Daragh Ó Conchúir

Kildare 1-15 Offaly 1-13

Kildare are through to the third round of Qualifiers but it was grit and determination rather than flowing football that got them over the line.

Coming off the 19-point hammering by Dublin and after a League campaign that saw them relegated to Division 3, they were vulnerable and Offaly were sniffing blood.

Nigel Dunne, Offaly, in action against Ciarán Fitzpatrick, Kildare. GAA Football All-Ireland Senior Championship, Round 2A, Offaly v Kildare. O'Connor Park, Tullamore, Co. Offaly.

In the end, the outstanding Eoghan O’Flaherty pounced for a 61st minute goal to give his side enough in hand to hold off Offaly.

O’Flaherty contributed 1-7 to Kildare’s tally and 1-3 of that came from play. The goal came after good work by Mikey Conway and Emmet Bolton, who prospered in a very advanced role in the final quarter.

Eamonn Callaghan’s low shot bounced off the butt of the upright and O’Flaherty was quickest to respond, punching the ball to the net.

They stuttered for most of the first half but six points from the 32nd minute had them 0-10 to 0-6 in front at the interval.

Niall Darby also cleared Alan Smith’s shot off the line in that period, with Alan Mulhall having gotten enough on the ball to slow it down sufficiently for his colleague to get back.

Offaly had been very good value for their two-point lead until that juncture and should really have been further ahead, showing much more cohesiveness.

Anton O’Sullivan wasted a gilt-edged goal chance when blasting over from close range after taking possession from Niall McNamee’s quick free.

The dominated the middle for most of that period but Tommy Moolick’s introduction in place of the black-carded Gary White prompted a significant improvement in that sector for the Lilywhites.

While Kildare started the second half well and were five clear by the 40th minute, some terrible wides continued to give the hosts hope and it was a one-point game just short of the hour.

Nigel Dunne and Anton Sullivan kicked two fantastic points as Offaly chipped away at the deficit and substitute Bernard Allen availed of the advantage provided by Conor Lane to make it a one-point affair.

Then came O’Flaherty’s goal but again, Kildare should have added a couple of more scores to their tally to give themselves more comfort.

Peter Cunningham capitalised on a Kevin Murnaghan mistake brilliantly for a 68th minute goal for Offaly and it was a case of all hands on deck once more.

They had done enough however.

Scorers – Kildare: E O’Flaherty 1-7(0-4fs); A Smith 0-3; E Bolton 0-2; C McNally 0-1; E Callaghan 0-1; N Kelly 0-1

Offaly: W Mulhall 0-4(3fs); P Cunningham 1-1; N Darby 0-2(fs); A Sullivan 0-2; C McNamee 0-1; B Allen 0-1; N Dunne 0-1; N McNamee 0-1

Kildare: M Donnellan, M O’Grady, c Fitzpatrick, O Lyons, E Bolton, E Doyle, K Murnaghan, G White, P Cribbin, P O’Neill, E O’Flaherty, C McNally, E Callaghan, A Smith, N Kelly. Subs: T Moolick for White BC (28), F Dowling for McNally (48), M Conway for Kelly (60)

Offaly: A Mulhall, B Darby, P McConway, E Rigney, N Darby, J Moloney, J O’Connor , C McNamee, N Smith, P Cunningham, G Guilfoyle, A Sullivan, N McNamee, N Dunne, W Mulhall. Subs: E Carroll for Smith inj (ht), B Allen for Dunne (53), J Evans for N McNamee (56), J Ledwith for Mulhall (66), N Bracken for C McNamee (70+2)