18.38 –

18.49 –

18.54 – There’s a good crowd here, the stand is full, the far terrace is half full and not surprisingly it’s pretty much all white. They may not have home advantage in name, but it’ll feel like it for Kildare. The teams are finishing their warm-ups and we’ll be underway shortly.

19.06 – 5 minutes: Kildare 0-0 Limerick 0-0: Lorcan O’Dwyer is noted but not booked for a high tackle on Alan Smith. Kildare are glad to get a free though as Limerick have 13 in their own half when the opposition are in possession.  They are looking to clog up all the channels. That’s wasted by Eoghan O’Flaherty. Kildare have been very hit and miss from fress this season.

19.33 – 32 minutes: Kildare 0-3 Limerick 0-5: John Doyle drops another short from way out but he had to take the shot as there is no room inside and that Limerick defence has been remarkable. How much will it take out of them though because they are already struggling to break like they were a mere 10 minutes ago?

20.09 – 46 mins: Kildare 0-7 Limerick 0-10: That was a pressure free for Mikey Conway there. He was poor from deadballs against Meath but stitches that one. Kildare need a few more of those, especially as Collins and Kelly set up Eoghan O’Connor for a patient score at the other end. Gap still at three and Limerick winning the midfield battle. It could have been six but Lorcan O’Dwyer – hugely physical performance from him – blasts across the face of goal.

20.19 – 54 mins: Kildare 0-8 Limerick 0-11: Another Limerick sub as the energy reserves run low, this time Bobby O’Brien on for Jim Donovan. The latter has covered serious yards. Barry Cassidy getting on Kildare fans’ nerves but so should this performance. They are on the ropes. They aren’t helped by Brian Scanlon pulling a ball from a yard over the crossbar after a shot by Padraig O’Neill. Now Tomas O’Connor is gone, Padraig Fogarty on, expect a more orthodox attack from here on in.