Those who argue for a higher profile and respect for club football would have found little support for their views in Dr Cullen Park in Carlow yesterday when Kildare champions Sarsfields strolled unhurried and almost unchallenged to a Leinster championship final against Na Fianna from Dublin.

The resistance put up by Kilanerin, the Wexford champions, lasted no more than about five minutes and then petered out as Sarsfields controlled the game throughout the rest of the match. It may be a little harsh on Kilanerin to dismiss their effort so glibly but not even their own supporters in a sparse crowd of little more than 2,000 could become too excited about what was a lost cause from the start. Without a great deal of effort Sarsfields sped into a 0-6 to 0-0 lead after 20 minutes and one could almost hear the sigh of relief from the Kilanerin supporters when they finally got a point on the scoreboard in the 24th minute.

Any hopes of a spectacular revival were killed off when Sarsfields established a 0-8 to 0-2 lead midway through the second half.

There was some slight hope that the Wexfordmen would make a fight of it when John Hegarty pointed a free and then added a point from play, but Niall Buckley, Liam Brennan and David Earley stretched the Sarsfields lead before John Hegarty had the last, but unconvincing, word for Kilanerin just before the end.

The match was played in a wellnigh perfect situation with early frost and fog giving way to calm and sunny conditions. Strangely for a side generally regarded as underdogs, Kilanerin seemed to be anxious to take the match to their opponents from the start and midfielders Jim Darcy and Seamus Hughes gave their opposite numbers Dermot Early and John Whelan some problems as they swept forward, but without result. It was then that Kilanerin decided on a strange approach and they withdrew several of their attackers into a conservative and defensive role which played directly into the hands of the opposition. Against players of the calibre of Dermot Earley and Buckley this tactic seemed, and eventually proved to be, suicidal.

In addition, the Sarsfields policy of cutting off the supply of possession to Kilanerin's top scorer, Mattie Forde, greatly diminished the Wexford team's opportunities.

Dermot Earley and John Whelan - with significant help from Buckley, David Earley and notably Ryan Cunningham - kept the Kilanerin challenge at bay without much difficulty.

In fairness to the Wexfordmen, they fought gallantly but without making much progress. Far too many kicked passes went astray and they seemed uninspired in their efforts to break through an always vigilant Kildare defence in which Joe O'Malley, Tom Gorman, Liam Sex, until he retired injured, and Brian Moylan were always prominent, as were Martin McIntyre and Niall Hedderman.

Mattie Forde, Nicky Darcy, Pat Forde and John Hegarty fought tenaciously for the Wexford cause from start to finish but without much success and it is significant that only Forde and John Hegarty managed to get their names on the scoreboard.

Despite their comfortable win, Sarsfields will have to improve their shooting if they are to overcome Dublin champions Na Fianna in the Leinster final. On a calm day in superb conditions a dozen shots wide of the posts was, from the Sarsfields perspective, unacceptable.

SARSFIELDS: K Nolan; J O'Malley, T Gorman, M McIntyre; N Hedderman, L Sex, B Moylan; Dermot Earley, J Whelan; P Brennan (0-2), N Buckley (0-4, three frees), L Brennan (0-1); K Horgan, David Earley (0-2), R Cunningham (0- 2). Subs: B Nolan for Horgan (54 mins), S O'Sullivan for Sex (58 mins).

KILANERIN: B Hughes; M Hughes, P J Gittins, M Darcy; M Hughes, M Higgins, G Hughes; J Darcy, S Hughes; M Hegarty, P Forde, M Forde (0-1); D Noonan, J Hegarty (0-4, two frees), N Darcy. Subs: P Hughes for M Hegarty (half-time), T Boland for Noonan (43 mins).

Referee: E Murtagh (Longford).