Kildare 2-18 Laois 0-9 Classy Kildare showed that they're the real deal as they crushed lacklustre Laois in their Leinster semi-final at Tullamore. On the evidence of this performance, the Lilywhites - who started tentatively before cranking into gear - are real contenders for this year's Leinster crown. In the final, they'll face the winners of Sunday's second semi-final between holders Dublin and Westmeath. The throw-in was delayed by over 20 minutes after the Dublin-Offaly minor semi-final went to extra time (with the Dubs eventually prevailing) and the losers started confidently to lead by two points at the end of the first quarter. However - like a diesel engine - Kildare gradually started to tick and knocked over nine unanswered points in the second quarter to assume a commanding 1-10 to 0-6 half-time lead. They would outscore their demoralised opponents by 1-8 to 0-3 after the restart to win by 15 points when the tallies were totted up. A good day at the office! Laois began well with points from Donie Kingston (free) and Brian 'Bruno' McCormack, but Mikey Conway replied for Kildare with an excellent score from play. Michael John Tierney took a couple of impressive frees for the O'Moore men, who had started best, but the Lilywhites got back into the game when goal-scoring specialist Alan Smith nicked a great opportunist major to level the scores after picking the ball up in the corner, 1-1 to 0-4. Padraig Clancy got the next score for the Laois men and Kingston tapped over another free to make it 0-6 to 1-1 at the end of the first quarter. Up-for-it-early-on Laois were clearly the better team during those opening exchanges and they could consider themselves a little unfortunate not to have been further ahead. Then came nine successive Kildare points to turn a two-point deficit into a seven-point cushion Ronan Sweeney took a great Kildare point to bring the margin back to the minimum and Lilywhite captain Johnny Doyle opened his account to draw the sides level with a lovely free on 20 minutes. The biggest roar of the day went up when Dermot Earley boomed over a magnificent right-footed score to put the Short Grass County in front for the first time. Eamonn O'Callaghan followed up with another point within a minute and Kildare now led by 1-5 to 0-6. The favourites had the bit between their teeth and Sweeney was on hand to take a really impressive point from the wing and make it a three-point game. Kildare were chasing in packs all over the pitch and a combination of disciplined defending (invariably winning frees out) and tenacious attacking was leaving Laois bewildered and perplexed in equal measures. Sweeney's second consecutive point arrived in the 31st minute and it helped Kieran McGeeney's side ease into a four-point lead, 1-7 to 0-6. Smith took the next point for the runaway leaders and Doyle struck over a free to increase the gap to an alarming six points with the break approaching. In injury time, O'Callaghan hit the last point of the first half: 1-10 to 0-6 at the interval. Kildare resumed where they had left off with a Doyle point before James Kavanagh goaled. Kavanagh was totally unmarked and fired a shot past the exposed Michael Nolan to make it 2-12 to 0-6. Kingston finally got Laois back on the scoresheet after a run of 1-10 to Kildare. Padraig O'Neill replied for the winners and MJ Tierney clipped one over for Laois before Doyle knocked over two frees to leave the score 2-15 to 0-8. Centre back Ger Reddin scored for the O'Moore men but O'Neill responded to restore the 13-point differential and Doyle stretched the gap even further with a brace of late points. Kildare were pulling away as the final whistle sounded and brought an end to Laois' misery. Tweet

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