Favourites Kildare advanced to meet Meath in the semi-final of the Leinster U21 championship thanks to an easy 3-12 to 0-9 quarter-final victory over Offaly at O'Moore Park, Portlaoise tonight.

The losers were first off the mark with a Joe Maher free but Kildare gradually gained a firm grip on proceedings and a Mark Sherry goal edged the Lilies into a 1-8 to 0-4 half time lead.

The Faithful enjoyed their best moments upon the restart as four quick points left the score standing at 1-8 to 0-8.

However Sherry struck again, this time setting up Declan Flaherty for Kildare's second goal and giving the winners a 2-8 over 0-8 breathing space.

Thereafter matters became a stroll for Kildare and a late Niall Flynn goal put the icing on the cake.

Offaly were not helped by the fact that wing defender Conor McNamee received a black card in the opening half while Sean Moriarty obtained a straight red in the second period.

Kildare - C Heeney; B Byrne, D Maguire, P Mescal; R Houlihan, P Connell, D Hyland; R Moore (0-2), D Fitzpatrick; C Fenner (0-1), M Sherry (1-0), N Kelly (0-5, 1f); N Flynn (1-1, 0-1f), D Flaherty (1-1), C McMonagle (0-1). Subs: C Healy for D Flaherty, T Gibbons for C McMonagle, S O'Hagan for D Maguire, D Duke for P Connell, W Fitzpatrick (0-1) for C Fenner.

Offaly - J Colgan; J Hendy, J Lalor, A Whelan; D Corbett, O Cusack, C McNamee; E Carroll (0-1), D Byrne; J Evans, P Cunningham (0-1), S Moriarty (0-1); R McNamee, J Maher (0-4, 2f), L Kelly (0-2f). Subs: J Kinahan for C McNamee (BC), S Tierney for R McNamee, J Kavanagh for D Byrne, A Shelley for L Kelly.

Referee - P Maguire.

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