Kildare followed up their mid-week win over Meath and stormed into the semi-final at Newbridge yesterday.

Kildare led all the way against an uninspiring Wicklow side and were four points ahead by the time David Earls opened Wicklow's account with a free in the 16th minute.

Wicklow closed the gap to a point late in the half when Wesley Callaghan collected a pass from David Cronan and kicked the ball to the net. However, Eamon McCormack began another Kildare scoring blitz with a goal to leave the score 1-9 to 1-2 at the break.

After the restart Derek McCormack intercepted a Wicklow passing movement for his second goal from close range in the 31st minute to end the game as a contest.

KILDARE: A McKeown; M Hogarty, M Maguire, N Houlihan; R McCabe (0-1), A McLoughlin, J Lonergan; D Moloney, W Heffernan (0-1); F Hanniffy (0-2), J Sherlock, P Russell (0- 1); E McCormack (1-5, 2 frees), D McCormack (1-1), G Judge (0-1). Subs: E Kearney for Maguire, M Cocoman for Sherlock, N Farragher for Judge and D Crowe for Hanniffy.

WICKLOW: I Burke; L McGraynor, K Duffy, K Glennon; A Byrne, M Timmons, B Finn; P Brophy, E Burke (0-1); W Callaghan (1-0), V Quigley, P McWalter; D Cronan (0-2, both frees), D Earls (0-1), J Mooney (0-3, 1 free). Subs: E Flynn for Quigley, M Byrne (0-1) for Brophy and S Broderick for Mooney.

Referee: S Doyle (Wexford).