Welcome to Croke Park for the first of today’s All-Ireland senior football quarter-finals as Kildare face Cork. Kieran McGeeney’s side are currently out on the field warming up while Conor Counihan’s side have just emerged from the Cusack Stand tunnel as well.

We’ll have the teams for today’s game in a few moments but firstly, here’s all you need to know about this clash.

Here’s the Cork team for today’s match with one change from the Munster final as Graham Canty replaces Eoin Cotter in defence.

CORK: Alan Quirke (Valley Rovers); Ray Carey (Clyda Rovers), Michael Shields (St Finbarr’s), Eoin Cadogan (Douglas); Paudie Kissane (Clyda Rovers), Graham Canty (Bantry Blues), Noel O’Leary (Cill na Martra); Alan O’Connor (St Colum’s), Aidan Walsh (Kanturk); Fintan Goold (Macroom), Ciarán Sheehan (Éire Óg), Paul Kerrigan (Nemo Rangers); Colm O’Neill (Ballyclough), Donncha O’Connor (Ballydesmond), Nicholas Murphy (Carrigaline).

And here’s the Kildare team for the game.

KILDARE: Shane Connolly (St Laurence’s); Ollie Lyons (Celbridge), Peter Kelly (Two Mile House), Hugh McGrillen (Celbridge); Emmet Bolton (Eadestown), Morgan O’Flaherty (Carbury), Eoin Doyle (Naas); Michael Foley (Athy), Robert Kelly (Straffan); Eoghan O’Flaherty (Carbury), Mikey Conway (Nurney), John Doyle (Allenwood); Alan Smith (Sarsfields), Tomás O’Connor (Clane), James Kavanagh (Ballymore).

Both teams currently going through their paces on the pitch below our vantage point in the Hogan Stand. There’s a fine crowd streaming in despite the damp weather conditions. It’s a potentially cracking game. Can Cork cope with their long lay-off that has seen them inactive for much of this summer? Or can Kildare harness the momentum generated from three consecutive wins over Cavan, Limerick and Sligo in the qualifiers?

One late addition to the Kildare substitutes list sees Hughie Lynch included. Robert Eyres, Aindriu MacLochlainn, Ronan Sweeney, Padraig O’Neill, Gary White, Seanie Johnston, Padraig Fogarty, Eamonn Callaghan, Dermot Earley, Fionn Dowling and Daryl Flynn are the other Lilywhite replacements. The Cork subs are Ken O’Halloran, Daniel Goulding, Eoin Cotter, Mark Collins, Patrick Kelly, James Fitzpatrick, Pearse O’Neill, Denis O’Sullivan, Liam Shorten, Barry O’Driscoll and Jamie O’Sullivan.

We’re about to get underway with the players taking their positions. Kildare will play into the Hill 16 End for the first-half.

Kildare 0-1 Cork 0-0: 1 mins – Early score for Kildare when Tomas O’Connor is fouled by his marker Eoin Cadogan and Mikey Conway slots over the free. Other interesting match-ups sees Peter Kelly take on Donncha O’Connor while Michael Shields is on Alan Smith.

Kildare 0-2 Cork 0-0: 3 mins – And Kildare move further ahead with midfielder Robert Kelly getting on the end of a fine team move to point.

Kildare 0-2 Cork 0-1: 5 mins – Cork get off the mark when wing-back Paudie Kissane points but that all stemmed from Kildare losing possession after a wayward cross field pass by Robert Kelly.

Johnny Doyle and Mikey Conway miss chances to put Kildare further ahead. Alan Quirke’s early kick outs have gone astray for Cork.

Cork 0-2 Kildare 0-2: 10 mins – Colm O’Neill swings over a free with an excellent kick underneath the Hogan Stand to tie the game, having been fouled himself.

Kildare 0-3 Cork 0-2: 11 mins – Kildare go back in front with a superb score by Johnny Doyle after a good pass by Morgan O’Flaherty.

Cork 0-4 Kildare 0-3: 13 mins – Cork edge in front when first Aidan Walsh unusually is employed to take a long-range free and he kicks over from 50 yards. Then they win a ’45 which is converted by Donncha O’Connor.

Cork 1-5 Kildare 0-3: 16 mins – Cork raise the game’s first green flag and it’s a decisive breakthrough. Paul Kerrigan tears through the middle and fires in a shot that is blocked by goalkeeper Shane Connolly but the ball rebounds off defender Eoin Doyle and goes into the net. A bad stroke of luck for Kildare but Cork will be glad of that element of fortune and Donncha O’Connor has just tapped over another free to stretch their lead.

Cork 2-5 Kildare 0-3: 18 mins – Another goal for Cork! A sideline ball is controversially awarded on the Cusack Stand side for Cork, the ball is pumped in where Colm O’Neill races onto it, flicks the ball to Donncha O’Connor and gets the return to palm the ball into the net.

Whatever concerns there might have been how Cork would cope with the layoff seem to have been eradicated. They have started excellently and an eight-point advantage after 20 minutes is a sizable lead. Kildare have reacted with Daryl Flynn coming in at midfield for Robert Kelly.

Kildare look rattled by the concession of those two goals. They need a score to settle themselves.

Cork 2-5 Kildare 0-4: 23 mins – That will help them a little as Alan Smith pops over a point off his left foot.

Cork’s midfield superiority is giving them a platform on which to build but they probably should be getting more points on the board to reflect that control.

Cork 2-5 Kildare 0-5: 28 mins – Eoghan O’Flaherty nails a free for Kildare to cut the margin to six points. Cork have not built on that second goal and have not scored in the last ten minutes.

Cork 2-5 Kildare 0-6: 30 mins – And Kildare look to have recovered with Alan Smith firing over a point after their big full-forward Tomas O’Connor caught a great delivery by James Kavanagh and then offloaded.

Cork 2-5 Kildare 0-7: 32 mins – Now the gap is down to four with Kildare displaying patience in their build-up and their move capped off with a fine point by Johnny Doyle. This game is becoming extremely interesting.

Cork 2-5 Kildare 0-8: 33 mins – Corner-back Hugh McGrillen becomes the latest Kildare player to point as they raise their fifth consecutive white flag. Cork shake up their attack by bringing in Patrick Kelly for Ciaran Sheehan.

Kelly receives a yellow card, moments after coming on for Cork. We’re in injury-time.

HALF-TIME: Cork 2-5 Kildare 0-8: The half ends with Cork three points to the good. But at one stage they lead by eight points after goals from an Ollie Lyons og and a strike by Colm O’Neill. Kildare responded by scoring the last five points of the half and Cork have failed to score since the 18th minute. It’s set up nicely for the second-half.

Here are the scorers from the first-half of today’s match.

CORK: Colm O’Neill 1-1 (0-1f), Ollie Lyons og 1-0, Donncha O’Connor 0-2 (0-1 ’45, 0-1f), Aidan Walsh (0-1f), Paudie Kissane 0-1.
KILDARE: Alan Smith, Johnny Doyle 0-2 each, Hugh McGrillen, Robert Kelly, Eoghan O’Flaherty (0-1f), Mikey Conway (0-1f) 0-1 each.

We’ll be back shortly with the second-half action.

Second-half about to get underway between Cork and Kildare.

No changes to report on either side.

Early yellow card for Cork’s Alan O’Connor for a challenge on Michael Foley.

Cork substitution with Pearse O’Neill coming in for Alan O’Connor. Eoghan O’Flaherty sees an attempt from a free for Kildare hit the upright and Alan Smith fires the rebound wide.

Daryl Flynn wide for Kildare with a shot. Daniel Goulding is coming on for Cork where he will replace Nicholas Murphy.

Cork 2-6 Kildare 0-8: 42 mins – And Goulding makes an immediate impact in firing over the first point of the second-half after Graham Canty made a terrific run forward for Cork. The Rebels first score since the 18th minute and an important one it was.

Cork 2-7 Kildare 0-8: 44 mins – Cork’s substitutes are starting to make an impact. Excellent work by Patrick Kelly plays in Donncha O’Connor who hooks over a left-footed point.

Cork 2-8 Kildare 0-8: 45 mins – Donncha O’Connor converts a ’45 for Cork that was awarded after Paul Kerrigan came desperately close to notching their third goal but is denied by a fantastic save by Shane Connolly. Cork have upped the tempo and starting to exert their authority.

Substitutions on both sides with Padraig O’Neill and Fionn Dowling into the Kildare team for Michael Foley and Mikey Conway. Jamie O’Sullivan replaces Ray Carey in the Cork defence.

Cork 2-9 Kildare 0-8: 49 mins – Again Cork come close to their third goal of the match. Aidan Walsh makes a lung-bursting run from deep after being fed by Graham Canty, cuts through the entire Kildare defence but blazes over as Shane Connolly advances. Seanie Johnston is into the Kildare attack for Eoghan O’Flaherty.

Cork have regained their strong form of the opening stages of the first-half and enjoy a seven-point lead with 20 minutes remaining.

Cork 2-10 Kildare 0-8: 53 mins – Cork are punching holes in the Kildare defence and reaping a dividend in terms of scores. Fintan Goold is the latest to grab a point with a classy shot off his left. And to compound matters Kildare’s Eoin Doyle has been dismissed for a second yellow card. It’s difficult to see Cork being stopped now.

Cork 2-12 Kildare 0-8: 55 mins – The game may have been delicately poised at half-time but it’s a different situation now. Aidan Walsh and Pearse O’Neill notch Cork’s latest points and they have now outscored Kildare by 0-7 to 0-0 in the second-half.

Kildare are bringing in Dermot Earley for Tomas O’Connor which is a reflection of the excellent defensive job Eoin Cadogan has done on O’Connor today.

Cork 2-13 Kildare 0-8: 58 mins – Paul Kerrigan grabs his first point of the game. He’s played well and has now a score to show for his efforts as he utilizes his pace to break through the Lilywhites rearguard.

Cork 2-14 Kildare 0-8: 59 mins – This is developing into a hugely one-sided match with Paudie Kissane firing over Cork’s latest point.

Cork 2-15 Kildare 0-8: 60 mins – And that’s ten points without reply in the second-half for Cork as Colm O’Neill fists the ball over the bar.

Cork 2-15 Kildare 0-9: 61 mins – Kildare finally get off the mark when Johnny Doyle taps over a free but it looks immaterial at this stage. Cork captain Graham Canty has been withdrawn for Denis O’Sullivan.

Cork 2-15 Kildare 0-10: 63 mins – Kildare reach double figures with Alan Smith, who has been starved of possession in the second-half, stepping in from the right wing to swing over a fine left-footed point.

Cork 2-16 Kildare 0-10: 65 mins – This match has been put to bed at this stage with Pearse O’Neill registering another point for Cork.

Cork 2-17 Kildare 0-11: 66 mins – The gaps in the Kildare defence have been alarming in the second-half as they have been ripped apart constantly. Daniel Goulding seizes on another one to fire over a point although Dermot Earley does grab a consolation score in response for Kildare.

Cork 2-18 Kildare 0-11: 67 mins – Another point for Cork, this time from Paul Kerrigan. This has been a rout.

Cork 2-18 Kildare 0-12: 69 mins – Alan Smith notches a free for Kildare but this game is petering to its inevitable conclusion.

FULL-TIME: Cork 2-19 Kildare 0-12: It was extremely comfortable for Cork in the end with Colm O’Neill applying the finishing touches to their performance when he curled over a late free. A superbly dominant second-half performance by Conor Counihan’s men saw them canter into the All-Ireland semi-final on August 26th where they will meet either Kerry or Donegal.

It was forecast to be a tight affair but it ended up as a lopsided contest with Cork proving far too strong and running out winners by a 13-point margin. Kildare bow out of the championship on a low note, their challenge collapsed in the second-half from a promising situation at half-time and once Eoin Doyle was dismissed, Cork were able to fully exploit the advantage of the extra man.

Here’s the scorers from today’s game.

CORK: Colm O’Neill 1-3 (0-2f), Ollie Lyons og 1-0, Donncha O’Connor 0-4 (0-2 ’45, 0-1f), Aidan Walsh 0-3 (0-1f) each, Paudie Kissane, Paul Kerrigan, Pearse O’Neill, Daniel Goulding 0-2 each, Fintan Goold 0-1.
KILDARE: Alan Smith 0-4 (0-1f), Johnny Doyle 0-3 (0-1f), Hugh McGrillen, Robert Kelly, Eoghan O’Flaherty (0-1f), Mikey Conway (0-1f), Dermot Earley 0-1 each.

Thanks for joining us today and for all your comments, we’ll be back shortly with the build-up to the clash between Kerry and Donegal.