Armagh too strong for Lilywhites

Armagh 0-12 Kildare 0-5

Kieran McGeeney's Kildare stumbled in Crossmaglen as a clinical Armagh display saw the home side run out seven-point winners of today's much-anticipated Allianz NFL Division 2 tussle.

The Lilywhites ventured north on the back of an impressive victory over Donegal last weekend, but Armagh made it three wins from four with a workmanlike performance.

Paddy O'Rourke's side raced out of the blocks as Kildare struggled in the opening stages and were very poor in front of the posts.

The in-form Steven McDonnell (2 minutes) and Stefan Forker (9) opened the scoring for Armagh, with the influential Forker scoring at the second attempt following a block by Damien Hendy.

Kildare were sluggish and lacking the hunger they exhibited against Donegal. They also picked up three early yellow cards as John Doyle, Daryl Flynn and Padraig O'Neill were booked.

It took Kildare 25 minutes to score their first point through James Kavanagh, and they were back on terms when Gary White fisted a high ball in from Doyle over the bar.

However, Armagh reeled off five points in-a-row to go 0-7 to 0-2 ahead for half-time, with Forker (0-2), McDonnell, Paul Kernan and Aaron Kernan adding to their side's total.

Forker and McDonnell went on to score 0-4 apiece, with the latter landing the point of the game with the outside of his right boot.

Michael McNamee, on as a substitute, also curled over a free in the second half and Ronan Austin, a late call-up, claimed the final point. He also had a goal-bound shot saved by Kildare stopper Paul Flood.

For Kildare, they opened the second half with a point from Flynn and substitutes Ronan Sweeney and Willie Heffernan added some spark.

But two pointed frees from skipper Doyle, which closed the gap to 0-8 to 0-5, were their only remaining scores as they fell to a disappointing defeat.