Frankie Dolan drove Roscommon into the All-Ireland quarter-finals after a see-saw battle with Kildare was forced into extra-time in Portlaoise this evening.
Dolan pointed 13 times as the two sides put on a nail-biting show for the travelling fans of both sides.
Roscommon opened the brighter of the two with Dolan and Karl Mannion pointing early on before Kildare captain John Doyle and half forward Paddy Murray restored parity.
Murray in fact was to be the star of the half for the Lilywhites as the Moorefield man pointed no less than five of Kidlare's seven first half points.
Kildare pushed themselves into a two point lead soon after when Padraig Brennan scored his first and Murray added two. Gerry Lohan pointing in response for Roscommon.
The tide ebbed and flowed however and inspired by Mannion Roscommon got themselves back into the tie. Mannion's fielding was excellent as he gave the Kildare defence a torrid time with some immaculate fielding.
Points from Frankie Dolan and Jonathan Dunning followed as Roscommon took a one point lead in at halftime.
If the first half belonged to Murray the second was all about Frankie Dolan. Had he taken one of the three frees he missed extra-time may not have been necessary but had he not scored a fine late point to even the scores it may never have been at all.
Kildare raced into an early lead with four unanswered points from Padraig Hurley, Fennin, Padraig Brennan and Murray again. They only really profited by one though as Roscommon bounced back with a goal from substitute John Tiernan after a rare loose pass from Killian Brennan.
The advantage seemed to swing back Kildare's way however when in the 55th minute Seamus O'Neill was given his marching orders after what looked to be a fairly innocuous challenge earned him his second yellow card.
Roscommon showed what they were made of however and when Enda Murphy in the Kildare goal brilliantly saved a Steven Lohan shot on goal they could well have let their heads drop.
Instead when all looked lost after Padraig Brennan had pointed again to give Kildare the narrowest of margins, up stepped Dolan to pop one over from the far right and sent the game into extra-time.
Dolan picked up where he left off in extra-time, and with Roscommon restored to fifteen men, he pointed three to put the wind up Kildare.
Hurley and Padraig Brennan responded for Kildare but it all went wrong when Fennin, whose normal time yellow card carried into extra-time, was sent off for a clumsy challenge on Curran in the Roscommon goal.
Dolan pointed three more to demoralise Kildare and take his total haul to 13 points and Roscommon into the All-Ireland quarter-final.
