New look Kerry feel the wrath of wounded Kildare in Hurling League Division two
Kerry Tom Doyle comes under pressure from Kildare midfielder Paul Dolan during the Allianz Hurling League Division 2 game played at Cedral St Conleth's Park, Newbridge, Co Kildare. Pic: Sean Brilly (Mediapix).
Kildare got back to winning ways after their first round defeat to Down with an seventeen point hammering of a Kerry side under new manager John Griffin and containing six debutants, at St Conleth’s Park on Saturday afternoon.
It was not the result nor performance that new boss Griffin would have wished for but Kildare, smarting after last weeks reverse in Ballycran, were the better side and even their bench made a big contribution to copper fasten this big win.
Oisin Maunsell, Rory Mahony and Ronan Walsh as well as ace marksman Shane Conway did not let their side down.
Kerry made a bright start with a long range Shane Conway free but Kildare were soon level thanks to a Cathal Dowling point from play. Kerry were then denied a goal when captain Oisin Maunsell had his strike brilliantly blocked by Daniel O’Meara.
Then Kildare struck for a goal in the fourth minute when Cathal Dowling played a one-two with Daire Guerin before planting the ball in the Kerry net.
Kerry’s Oisin Maunsell was proving to be a thorn in the Kildare side but at the other end, the Lilywhites were punishing Kerry with points from David Qualter and midfielder Daire Guerin
The Kingdom were battling well at the back with Daithi Griffin operating as sweeper but Kildare's forwards were being fouled and Darragh Melville, along with David Qualter, punished Kerry as the home side led 1-05 to 0-02 after fifteen minutes.
Shane Conway was keeping Kerry in touch with two frees and another point from Shane Nolan from play closed the gap but Muiris Curtin and Daire Guerin had Kildare five points clear after twenty five minutes.
Kerry rallied briefly with a Conway converted free after a foul on Maunsell and debutant Adam Segal closed the gap to just three points after twenty seven minutes but Kildare, with five unanswered points, moved eight points clear approaching half time.
That came thanks to three Qualter frees and points from Daniel O’ Meara and Paul Dolan before Rory Mahony scored his first point for the Kingdom on debut but Kildare added two more points from Qualter and James Burke to hold a comfortable 1-14 to 0-8 point lead at half time and Kerry faced an uphill task in the second half.
Once Davy Qualter scored a second goal for Kildare three minutes into the second half, after two early Kingdom points from Rory Mahony and Seanie Brosnan, meant there was to be no fairytale start to John Griffin’s term in charge of the Kingdom.
Qualter continued to prosper with some accurate free taking while substitute Jack Sheridan (0-3) and points fro James Dolan and Gerry Keegan just emphasised the difference in class between the sides.
D Qualter (1-12, 0-9 fs, 2 65’s), C Dowling (1-2), J Sheridan ( 0-3, 1f), D Guerin and J Burke (0-2 each), S Leacy, D O’Meara, C Boran, P Dolan, D Melville (1f), M Curtin and G Keegan (0-1 each).
S Conway (0-11, 9fs), R Mahony (0-2), A Segal, T Doyle, S Nolan and S Brosnan (0-1 each).
P McKenna; C Byrne, S Lacey, R Boran; D O’Meara, C McCabe, C Boran; D Guerin, P Dolan; D Melville, J Travers, M Curtin; D Qualter, J Burke, C Dowling.
G Keegan for M Curtin ( 45), J Sheridan for J Travers ( 53), C Kehoe for D Melville ( 59), R Hogan for C McCabe ( 61), J Dolan for J Burke ( 64).
L Dee; K O’Connor, D Kearney, D Griffin; D Shanahan, R Walsh, R Donovan; K Hayes, R Mahony; J Sheehan, A Segal, T Doyle; O Maunsell, S Nolan, Shane Conway.
S Brosnan for J Sheehan (h/t), S McGrath for D Shanahan (47), J McKenna for A Segal (50), N Mulcahy for S Nolan (59), D Conway for K Hayes (64).
C Flynn (Westmeath).
