Kildare 1-15
Offaly 1-13
Daragh Ó Conchúir reports from O’Connor Park
EOGHAN O’FLAHERTY RESCUED Kildare with a 61st minute goal that topped off a tremendous personal contribution and also gave his side enough in hand to hold off Offaly this afternoon.
Neither side was at its best in a tense game, where Kildare in particular were clearly lacking in confidence.
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.
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Emmet Bolton thundered into proceedings in the final quarter and he pointed for Kildare before being involved in the move that ended with O’Flaherty punching a rebound to the net after Eamonn Callaghan’s shot rebounded off the upright.
Peter Cunningham did capitalise on a Kevin Murnaghan mistake brilliantly for a 68th minute goal for Offaly but Kildare held out.
Scorers for Kildare: Eoghan O’Flaherty 1-7 (0-4f), Alan Smith 0-3, Emmet Bolton 0-2, Cathal McNally, Eamonn Callaghan, Niall Kelly 0-1 each.
Scorers for Offaly: Willie Mulhall 0-4 (0-3f), Peter Cunningham 1-1, Niall Darby (0-2f), Anton Sullivan 0-2 each, Conor McNamee, Bernard Allen, Nigel Dunne, Niall McNamee 0-1 each
Kildare
1. Mark Donnellan
3. Mick O’Grady
2. Ciaran Fitzpatrick
4. Ollie Lyons
21. Emmet Bolton
6. Fergal Conway
5. Kevin Murnaghan
8. Gary White
7. Paul Cribbin
9. Padraig O’Neill
10. Eoghan O’Flaherty
12. Cathal McNally
13. Eamonn Callaghan
14. Alan Smith
11. Niall Kelly
Subs
23. Tommy Moolick for White BC (28)
26. Fionn Dowling for McNally (48)
24. Mikey Conway for Kelly (60)
22. Hugh Lynch for Dowling (68)
Offaly
1. Alan Mulhall
2. Brian Darby
3. Paul McConway
19. Eoin Rigney
5. Niall Darby
6. John Moloney
7. Joey O’Connor
8. Conor McNamee
9. Niall Smith
10. Peter Cunningham
11. Graham Guilfoyle
12. Anton Sullivan
22. Niall McNamee
14. Nigel Dunne
15. Willie Mulhall
Subs
23. Eoin Carroll for Smith inj (ht)
13. Bernard Allen for Dunne (53)
24. Jamie Evans for Niall McNamee (56)
17. John Ledwith for Willie Mulhall (66)
25. Nigel Bracken for Conor McNamee (70+2)
Referee: Conor Lane (Cork)