Welcome to a dark looking Hyde Park for this evening’s qualifier between Kildare and Sligo. One ferocious rainstorm has just passed but by the look of the skyline, more will be on the way soon. Throw-in is at 6.30.

Down and Laois have already joined Cork, Mayo, Dublin and Donegal in the draw for the quarter-finals which will take place a little later on. Kerry will surely be there too with Clare in their way so this is the only real question mark left before we enter the business end of the season. If you are wondering what we think of this, you can read our preview here – http://thescore.thejournal.ie/kildare-sligo-535247-Jul2012/

Connacht Council members in the press box said ticket sales were slow during the week and they were expecting just 8,000. But with tickets on sale outside the ground, the queue of traffic on the way in suggests it may be a lot more, indeed there were 11,000 Kildare fans at their win a week ago. And there may be 8,000 already inside Hyde Park as we look around.

We’ll hold off on team news for a minute as when it comes to Kieran McGeeney never believe the programme. But as for the game, expect Sligo to sit deep as Limerick did to such effect a week ago, expect Alan Costello to drop out of the full-forward line and playmake, linking a massed defence and a really dangerous inside-forward line of David Kelly and Adrian Marren. But they have struggled in midfield, particularly in the Connacht final, and Michael Foley will look to give Kildare a platform there. However Peter Kelly needs to find form, Kildare’s half-forward line need to drag out the opposition defence with points from distance and they need to get the ball from one end to the other far faster and have less ponderous, lateral movement. If they do all that, they should get over the line but there are a lot of big asks there and it should be close, especially if Sligo bring the same intensity as they did the last day.

Kildare make their way onto a sticky, greasy pitch. And here are the teams and miracle of all miracles, they line out as selected.

KILDARE: Shane Connolly (St Laurence’s); Ollie Lyons (Celbridge), Peter Kelly (Two Mile House), Hugh McGrillen (Celbridge); Emmet Bolton (Eadestown), Morgan O’Flaherty (Carbury), Eoin Doyle (Naas); Michael Foley (Athy), Robert Kelly (Straffan); Eoghan O’Flaherty (Carbury), Mikey Conway (Nurney), Alan Smith (Sarsfields); John Doyle (Allenwood), Tomás O’Connor (Clane), James Kavanagh (Ballymore).

Sligo are out too and they have one change with Stephen Coen in for Brendan Egan.

SLIGO: Philip Greene (St John’s); Neil Ewing (Drumcliffe/Rosses Point), Johnny Martyn (St Mary’s), Ross Donovan (Eastern Harps); Charles Harrison (St John’s), Mark Quinn (St Molaise Gaels), Paul McGovern (Eastern Harps); Shane McManus (Geevagh), Tony Taylor (Eastern Harps); Mark Breheny (St Mary’s), David Maye (Curry), Stephen Coen (St Mary’s); Alan Costello (Coolera/Strandhill), Adrian Marren (Curry), David Kelly (Tubbercurry).

The referee is David Coldrick from Meath. A week ago he let Kerry away with a whole lot of cynical fouling and it’ll be interesting if he lays down an early marker here.

One more late change for Sligo, Eugene Mullen is in for Shane McManus in the centre of the park.

Both teams finishing up their warm-ups, national anthem on the way then and we’ll soon be underway then.

National anthem finishes up and we are underway. Kildare playing into the graveyard win and we’ve a blustery wind.

Kildare 0-1 Sligo 0-0: 1 minutes – Good start from Kildare, we said their long-range shooting was important and that’s a good start, Alan Smith using the wind.

Kildare 0-3 Sligo 0-0: 3 minutes – Good ball from Morgan O’Flaherty there to Rob Kelly in plenty of space and he is in acres of space and pops it over under no pressure. Tomas O’Connor follows it up with a lovely strike. Kildare running riot.

Kildare 0-4 Sligo 0-0: 7 minutes – We didn’t see this from Kildare a week ago. They are bringing intensity to the middle, getting the ball forward quick and have support runners at pace. Michael Foley is clean catching from kickouts too and it leads to a free which Mikey Conway slots over.

Kildare 0-5 Sligo 0-0: 10 minutes – Sligo cannot get out of their half, the Kildare half-forward line bringing massive intensity and creating a lot of turnovers. Their defence don’t need it as they are under enough pressure as is. Eoghan O’Flahery with the latest free.

Kildare 0-6 Sligo 0-0: 12 minutes – It’s all going so well for Kildare. Even their free-taking is spot on. They do have a decent breeze and Eoghan O’Flaherty kicks a monster free. Kildare are dominating kickouts down the middle and that’s Sligo’s biggest issue but there are many others.

Kildare 0-6 Sligo 0-1: 15 minutes – It has taken an age but Charlie Harrison drives forward after Tony Taylor took a ball off the Kildare midfield and he is fouled. Still a way out though but we saw in the Connacht final what a ball striker and he hits that over from 45. Much more needed.

Kildare 0-6 Sligo 0-1: 18 minutes – It’s taken long enough but Sligo have started to win kickouts and it results in another free but Maye doesn’t connect so cleanly with this and it drifts wide. Adrian Marren won that free off Peter Kelly but David Kelly has yet to see the ball.

Kildare 0-7 Sligo 0-1: 19 minutes – Kildare determined to make the most of this. John Doyle is hauled down but Eoghan O’Flaherty has started so well. Keeping his side at arm’s length.

Kildare 0-7 Sligo 0-1: 24 minutes – This really is a different Kildare team to last week. They are hassling Sligo so much in the middle third and breaking so quickly. Granted it’s a different Sligo team too, playing orthodox, going man-to-man and it’s leaving a lot of space for the Kildare attack who have just kicked two wides through Alan Smith and Mikey Conway from a 45.

Kildare 0-8 Sligo 0-1: 27 minutes – There’s an example of the wind, Eoghan O’Flaherty’s free from 55 travels at such speed it beats Philip Greene and comes off the crossbar. So that lead isn’t a true lead although Sligo won’t want to go much further behind by the break or they will be in trouble. But there’s another one, James Kavanagh from well out the field.

Kildare 0-8 Sligo 0-2: 29 minutes – Silly foul by Mick Foley on Mark Breheny as Ollie Lyons looked to have cleared the ball from David Kelly. Lyons really has been excellent even if the movement of the Sligo inside-forward line hasn’t been what we are used to. At least Marren slots over the free from the hands. John Doyle and Foley for a separate incident have just gone into the book.

Kildare 0-8 Sligo 0-2: 34 minutes – Better from Sligo the last couple of minutes but poor shot selection cost them a couple of scores. That could hurt them as, after being cleaned out in the middle third, they’ve gotten into it there. Kildare more measured in their build up at the other end although Eoghan O’Flaherty’s 45 isn’t the best either. More open and even game the last few minutes.

Kildare 0-8 Sligo 0-3: half-time – Emmet Bolton could have gone into the book there, taking out Mark Breheny, but from a similar position to his earlier free Adrian Marren sends it wide. But one umpire gives it and David Coldrick awards it. Shocking call to end the first period, that was definitely wide, we are in the perfect position here.

Controversy there but Kildare won’t be happy with a five point lead, regardless of how it was whittled down at the very end. They started so well and so much of their early success was built on their midfield dominance. It allowed them to break fast and have support runners overlapping. With the opposition going man-to-man there was space in front of Tomas O’Connor who hasn’t been used as frequently as he was in previous games, and the half-forward line compounded the Sligo defensive problem there with some long-range scoring. But since going into a six-point lead, Rob Kelly in particular went out of it, Eugene Mullen and Tony Taylor got their hands on some ball and finally Adrian Marren in particular got some possession – granted all Sligo’s scores have come from frees. The wind has dropped a little and a five-point lead is still a climb for Sligo and they’ll have the start the second half as they ended the first. If Kildare get back on top from the restart it could be over. We’ll be back in a few minutes with all the action.

Scorers in that first-half -

Kildare 0-8: Eoghan O’Flaherty (0-3, all frees), Mikey Conway (0-1 free), Rob Kelly, Alan Smith, Tomas O’Connor and James Kavanagh (0-1 each)

Sligo 0-3: Adrian Marren (0-2 frees), David Maye (0-1 free)

Looking at a flag at the graveyard end which Sligo  will play into for the second half and there is a huge wind blowing. Teams back out for second half, one change, Pat Hughes for David Kelly and we are underway as the skies open.

Kildare 0-8 Sligo 0-3: 37 minutes – Kildare start the second half like the first, dominating the play but a ball broken off Tomas O’Connor after a high shot by Conway falls to Emmet Bolton and what a save by Greene. From five yards, how crucial will that be.

Kildare 0-8 Sligo 0-3: 40 minutes – But Kildare coming in waves, even if they need to get far closer to goal to have a shot than in the very early stages where they built up this advantage. They are turning over plenty of ball but just cannot find room inside.

Kildare 0-8 Sligo 0-3: 43 minutes – Not the start to the half Sligo needed and not the foul they needed to give away close in as John Doyle is hauled down. Mikey Conway has to hit it hard from 30 but that’s well wide. Still no score this half.

Kildare 0-8 Sligo 0-3: 45 minutes – Kildare have done everything right this half except get the ball close enough to score into that wind. They send another couple into the keeper there Eugene Mullen off, Shane McManus on for Sligo who cannot get the ball.

Kildare 0-9 Sligo 0-3: 47 minutes – Sligo have gotten plenty of bodies back this half as they know Kildare need to get close to take a shot and in fairness, what it’s costing them in possession, it’s made up for as they clog the channels close in. Free from Eoghan O’Flaherty from just inside 45 though is over. Deserved but they had to really create a lot just to get the one score.

Kildare 0-10 Sligo 0-3: 53 minutes – Shane McManus isn’t on long but he’s in the book as he catches Hugh McGrillen who read the game really well there and cleaned up. It’s hard to describe how superior Kildare have been but they must have had about 80 per cent possession since the restart. Now they get their reward, a ball into O’Connor is played back to Kavanagh, he works it across the half-forward line and it’s Eoin Doyle free to pop over. Sligo need to do something very soon or it’ll be gone from them. They’ve neither scored this half or from play. That awful effort from McManus 30 yards out won’t help. Wide ball.  Eamonn O’Hara on for Stephen Coen and goes in corner-forward.

Kildare 0-12 Sligo 0-3: 58 minutes – Long ball in by Kavanagh, broken by O’Connor and Bolton goes clear through but fires over. In fairness it’ll hardly matter at this stage. Kildare have been as good as Sligo have been dire.  Alan Smith fouled now and Mikey Conway extends the gap. Padraig O’Neill is on for Rob Kelly. Meanwhile for Sligo, Keelan Cawley on for Alan Costello and Brendan Egan on for Mark Breheny. Attendance is 12,851.

Kildare 0-13 Sligo 0-3: 63 minutes – That sums up Sligo, they had men over but get in each others way and by the time Tony Taylor gets a long shot off, there are 13 back and it goes wide. Meanwhile huge cheer as Dermot Earley, in his father’s home, is on for Mick Foley. He’s only on the pitch as Alan Smith extends the gap. Now Eamonn Callaghan is on for Eoghan O’Flaherty.

Kildare 0-13 Sligo 0-3: 66 minutes – Charlie Harrison somehow gets a free after he drops Johnny Doyle while going forward. Linesman Derek Fahy has a long talk David Coldrick and it’s a red card. The free stands though and Adrian Marren sends the free wide. Sligo still haven’t scored this half and haven’t scored from play. Johnny Doyle is back up but is replaced to a standing ovation, Seanie Johnston is on.

Kildare 0-13 Sligo 0-3: 70 minutes – Gary White the latest to come for Emmet Bolton. Adrian Marren booked for an altercation with Peter Kelly. A minute later he kicks the ball away but David Coldrick takes pity. There’ll be two minutes of additional time.

Kildare 0-13 Sligo 0-4: Full-time – Eamonn O’Hara scores Sligo’s first point of the second half and his side’s first score from play in the 71st minute. That sums it up. A massacre. Kildare in the draw for the quarter-finals shortly, hard to know where Sligo go from there though. That second half was particularly atrocious from the Connacht side - after working their way into an okay position at half-time and having played with a big wind after the break they failed to show up. Kildare back on track but bigger tests await. Much bigger.