Leinster SFC Quarter-final/Wexford 0-12 Kildare 0-10: Rarely has Croke Park witnessed a more significant afternoon in the evolution of Leinster football. With a lot less fanfare but as much repercussion Wexford completed the double bill of inverted formalities, ending Kildare's hopes of at least some provincial reward this summer. After this it seems some football boundaries won't be the same again.

The majority of the 60,102 crowd had departed after Dublin's downfall at the hands of Westmeath, and while they won't have missed a classic, they'll be short another good tale. A slow- burner more than heart-racer, it saw Wexford edge ahead in the second half and close out convincing winners. Kildare played poorly and were easily outclassed and firmly discomposed.

Kildare's reputation as last year's Leinster finalists counted for nothing yesterday. Wexford were the team walking with confidence, even though this ultimately marked their first championship victory over Kildare in 18 years. You need to go back to 1945 to find the one before that.

So a semi-final meeting with Westmeath awaits, and manager Pat Roe continues to instil a new level of confidence throughout this Wexford team.

Mattie Forde was once again the shining light in the forward line, contributing 0-8 of their total. But victory was built just as much on their defence. Colm Morris and Niall Murphy got stuck into everything the Kildare attack had to offer, while Darragh Breen and David Murphy, and later Leigh O'Brien, worked tirelessly in the half-back line.

Morris got a straight red card in the 69th minute after an off-the-ball incident with Kildare's Terry Rossiter but by that stage Wexford's victory seemed inevitable.

They'd started the second half a point in front - 0-6 to 0-5 - and while Kildare briefly went in front some 10 minutes later, the final quarter of an hour was all about Wexford. Entering injury time they'd gone three points clear, and John Doyle's late free was the only response Kildare could muster.

It all left Kildare manager Pádraig Nolan with few excuses. Injury had deprived him of the services of full back Damien Hendy and wing forward Ronan Sweeney before the ball was even thrown in but even so, too many of his big players failed to deliver. Dermot Earley drifted in and out of midfield like a shadow of his former self and John Doyle missed far too many chances.

Tadhg Fennin was anonymous for vast periods of the game and Pádraig Brennan and Derek McCormack were only marginally more prominent. Even when old hands Anthony Rainbow and Glenn Ryan were drafted in the Kildare game plan was no nearer realisation. Either the lack of Division One league football came against them or they simply overestimated the adequacy of their preparations.

What Kildare will know they lacked was the determination displayed by Wexford in the closing quarter hour.

Both teams were guilty of listless football in the first half, and for a good while it seemed the whole thing would fall pavement flat. It was as if Croke Park had been sucked of oxygen after the Westmeath-Dublin saga and some of the football was played in something akin to slow motion.

As long as it was close, though, at least it was interesting. Forde hit the first of his successful five frees after two minutes and while he did hit his share of wides, he was not found wanting when it mattered most. His last successful free, in the 68th minute, was about 15 metres from the left sideline and it pushed Wexford three points clear.

Kildare were desperately slow to find their feet and for most of the half adopted a stop-start style that took them nowhere.

McCormack was first out of the scoring blocks for them and Fennin chipped in his only score shortly afterwards.

On 22 minutes Morgan O'Sullivan burst through for a fine score but he, too, ultimately promised more than he delivered.

With Forde in such good nick and Redmond Barry putting in a lot of useful work, Wexford's scores flowed marginally faster and they deserved their one-point advantage going into the break.

They'd hit seven first-half wides to Kildare's one, and it was as if goal chances had been outlawed. Kildare substitute Pádraig Hurley tried best to break that rule just before half-time, but blew his opportunity.

Clearly Wexford's incentive for victory grew as the second half progressed. They'd lost the hard-working Nicky Lambert to a serious leg injury and his replacement, Pat Forde, had no problem keeping the wheels in motion. Willie Carley and Paddy Colfer gradually took a sterner hold on midfield and the thoughts of a Wexford victory took over.

Rainbow did bring a bit more life to Kildare's half-back line, and Brennan's point in the 46th minute did push Kildare a point clear - 0-8 to 0-7. After that a series of shots fell into the hands of both goalkeepers and once either team started taking their chances victory would surely be their reward.

However, it was Wexford who stepped up to the mark. Pat Forde levelled it again and Jason Lawlor immediately sent them ahead, 54 minutes in. Ryan was called in to help regroup Kildare but, like so much of their afternoon, it proved in vain. Another textbook free from Forde was exchanged with Brennan to stretch the tension a little further. Forde sweetly struck two more frees and Kildare's time was up.

WEXFORD: 1. J Cooper; 2. C Morris, 3. P Wallace, 4. N Murphy; 5. D Breen (0-1), 6. D Murphy, 7. G Sunderland; 12. P Colfer, 9. W Carley; 10. R Barry, 8. N Lambert, 11. J Hudson; 13. J Hegarty, 14. D Foran, 15. M Forde (0-8, five frees, one 45). Subs: 22. P Forde (0-2) for Lambert inj (31 mins); 23. J Lawlor (0-1) for Hegarty (half-time); 19. L O'Brien for Sunderland (43 mins), 17. R Hassey for Foran (48 mins); K Kennedy for Hudson (66 mins).

KILDARE: 1. E Murphy; 2. B Lacey, 17. R McCabe, 4. A McLoughlin; 5. E Callaghan, 6. M Foley, 7. K Ennis (0-1); 8. K Brennan, 9. D Earley; 10. D McCormack (0-1), 11. J Doyle (0-2, frees), 22. A Barry; 13. P Brennan (0-2, one free), 14. M O'Sullivan (0-2), 15. T Fennin (0-1). Subs: 23. P Hurley (0-1) for Barry (30 mins); 19. A Rainbow for Callaghan inj (31 mins); 24. P Donnelly for Hurley (50 mins); 18. G Ryan for Lacey (55 mins); 20. T Rossiter for Fennin (68 mins).

Referee: M Curley (Galway).