The sides were level on 0-8 apiece entering the "nal quarter when points by Nigel Dunne, Brian Kelly and Daniel Currams were followed by a magni"cent goal from captain Colin Egan. It needed something special to beat Kildare goalkeeper Shane Connolly, who had made three point-blank saves to keep his side in the match.

The hosts' mid"elder Conor Brophy then sent a thunderbolt to the Offaly net to throw the game in the melting pot once again. But Kildare were overly reliant on place-kicker Seamas Hana"n for scores and two late points from Kelly and Jamie Hayes gave Offaly victory.

OOFFALY I Duffy; D Murphy, D Hales, S Pender; D Brady, B Geraghty 0-1, L Brennan; C Egan 1-0, G Dunne 0-1; M Mangan 0-2, D Currams 0-2, B Kelly 0-2; R Allen, N Browne, N Dunne 0-4 (2f). Sub: J Coffey 0-1 for Kelly (26); M Young for Pender (38); J Hayes 0-1(f) for N Dunne.

KILDARE S Connolly; B Darcy, R Traynor, P Warren; B Kinahan, S Bergin, A Higgins; C Brophy, P Kelly; S Campbell, S Hana"n 0-8(6fs, 2 45s), K Cribben; P Mangan, G Duffy 0-1, R Howe. Sub: K Dunne for Kinahan inj. (24); A Behan 0-1 for Mangan (45); J Roche for Dunne (50).