Keegan leads way as Kildare blitz Mayo

It was a long journey west for Mayo from Newbridge after they were annihilated by the hosts by 41 points.

Art Ó Súilleabháin held his end up, scoring all but one point of his team’s tally from play, but an indication of Kildare’s superiority was that they made four substitutions at half time, by which stage it was 7-11 to 1-1.

Gerry Keegan was one of those replaced, after plundering 3-6.

Scorers for Kildare: G Keegan 3-6 (2fs), K Murphy 0-8 (3fs, 1 65), P Moran 2-1, E Dempsey 2-0, G Savage, P McKenna 1-0 each, S Ryan 0-3; N Kelly, D Flaherty (1f) 0-2 each.

Scorers for Mayo: A Ó Súilleabháin 2-1, C Finn 0-1 (65).

KILDARE: S Nolan; S O’Rourke, S Flynn, Stephen Ryan; D Keane, R Doyle, D Flaherty; S Christiansen, D Savage; N Kenny, K Murphy, Shane Ryan; G Keegan, E Dempsey, P Moran.

Subs: D Boyle for Stephen Ryan, G Johnston for Flaherty, R Lawlor for Dempsey, P McKenna for Keegan (all ht); N Connolly for Doyle (41).

MAYO: D Freyne; S Nugent, D Cunnane, D Finnan; J Morley, P Kiely, C Walsh; D Kenny, C Finn; D Lynskey, K Kenna, A Ó Súilleabháin; F Bolan, A Phillips, C Schill.

Subs: S Couglan for Nugent; J Murphy for Finnan (both ht); S Healy for Morley (42); H Iqua for Freyne, N Barrett for Cunnane (both 48).

Referee: S Cleere (Kilkenny).