Kildare 1-15
Offaly 1-13

Eoghan O'Flaherty scored 1-7 as Kildare put last Sunday's crushing defeat by Dublin behind them to edge out Offaly in the first of the weekend's All-Ireland Round 2A football qualifiers in Tullamore.

In an outstanding display of marksmanship, the Carbury clubman shot five first half points as the visitors recovered from a slow start to lead by 0-10 to 0-6 at the interval. He added two more points in the second period before raising the game's first green flag in the 61st minute to give Jason Ryan's charges some breathing space after Offaly had reduced the deficit to the minimum.

Peter Cunningham pulled back a goal with three minutes remaining to set up a grandstand finish, but Kildare held on to make sure their name will be in the bowl for Monday morning's Round 3A qualifier draw.

With an attendance of 5,202 looking on, a pair of Willie Mulhall points gave the hosts the early advantage before Eoghan O'Flaherty halved the deficit. Conor McNamee and Alan Smith traded scores before efforts from Niall McNamee and Anton Sullivan pushed Division 4 champions Offaly into a 0-5 to 0-2 lead.

O'Flaherty left the minimum in it again before Gary White was black-carded and Mulhall converted the resultant free to leave the Faithful 0-6 to 0-4 in front.

But the remainder of the half belonged to Kildare who shot six unanswered points. Niall Kelly started the scoring sequence before Emmet Bolton - a late addition to the starting line-up - equalised. Cathal McNally then gave the Lilywhites the lead for the first time and Smith and O'Flaherty, with his fourth and fifth points, left them four clear at the break.

Offaly had wind advantage in the second half, but with Niall Smith forced off with an injury, they fell further behind as Smith and O'Flaherty found the target for Kildare. Pat Flanagan's men then enjoyed a dominant spell that yielded unanswered points from Peter Cunningham, Willie Mulhall, Nigel Dunne and Niall Darby to leave it a one-point game, 0-11 to 0-12, once again.

Eamonn Callaghan and Offaly sub Bernard Allen traded points before Bolton got his second. The visitors looked to have finally put the result beyond doubt when O'Flaherty's goal - after Callaghan had hit the post - made it 1-14 to 0-12.

But they were left hanging on after Niall Darby's second point was followed by a Cunningham major two minutes from the end.

Kildare - M Donnellan; M O'Grady, C Fitzpatrick, O Lyons; E Bolton (0-2), E Doyle, K Murnaghan; P Cribbin, G White; P O'Neill, E O'Flaherty (1-7, 0-4f), C McNally (0-1); E Callaghan (0-1), A Smith (0-3), N Kelly (0-1). Subs: T Moolick for G White (BC), F Dowling for C McNally, M Conway for N Kelly, H Lynch for F Dowling.

Offaly - A Mulhall; B Darby, P McConway, E Rigney; N Darby (0-2f), J Moloney, J O'Connor; C McNamee (0-1), N Smith; P Cunningham (1-1), G Guilfoyle, A Sullivan (0-2); N McNamee (0-1), N Dunne (0-1), W Mulhall (0-4, 3f). Subs: E Carroll for N Smith, B Allen (0-1) for N Dunne, J Evans for N McNamee, J Ledwith for W Mulhall, N Bracken for C McNamee.

Referee - C Lane.

Tweet

Most Read Stories