Eoghan O’Flaherty helps Kildare keep Offaly at bay

Kildare 1-15 Offaly 1-13

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.

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.

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 :

Kildare: E O'Flaherty 1-7(0-4fs); A Smith 0-3; E Bolton 0-2; C McNally 0-1; E Callaghan 0-1; N Kelly 0-1

Offaly: W Mulhall 0-4(3fs); P Cunningham 1-1; N Darby 0-2(fs); A Sullivan 0-2; C McNamee 0-1; B Allen 0-1; N Dunne 0-1; N McNamee 0-1

Kildare: M Donnellan, M O'Grady, c Fitzpatrick, O Lyons, E Bolton, E Doyle, K Murnaghan, G White, P Cribbin, P O'Neill, E O'Flaherty, C McNally, E Callaghan, A Smith, N Kelly. Subs: T Moolick for White BC (28), F Dowling for McNally (48), M Conway for Kelly (60)

Offaly: A Mulhall, B Darby, P McConway, E Rigney, N Darby, J Moloney, J O'Connor , C McNamee, N Smith, P Cunningham, G Guilfoyle, A Sullivan, N McNamee, N Dunne, W Mulhall. Subs: E Carroll for Smith inj (ht), B Allen for Dunne (53), J Evans for N McNamee (56), J Ledwith for Mulhall (66), N Bracken for C McNamee (70+2)