Kildare back in the goals and avoid relegation with win over Limerick
GOALSCORER: Darragh Kirwan of Kildare in action against Sean O'Dea of Limerick during the Allianz Football League Division 2 match between Limerick and Kildare at TUS Gaelic Grounds in Limerick. Photo by Tyler Miller/Sportsfile
Prior to Sunday afternoon, Kildare had not raised a single green flag in just over nine and a half months.
Six goalless games - one championship, five league - had come and gone since Jimmy Hyland’s consolation green flag 50 minutes into last May’s Leinster final hammering at the hands of Dublin.
With their Division 2 status under threat, and a place in the All-Ireland series along with it, Kildare brought a timely end to their almost 10-month goal drought. Indeed, it didn’t so much rain green flags at the Gaelic Grounds as it poured.
From goal shy to goal spectacular, this decisive relegation fixture concluded with Kildare full-forward Darragh Kirwan backheeling the ball to the Limerick net.
It was the green flag that made certain Kildare’s Division 2 status. It was also the green flag that condemned both Limerick and Clare to Division 3 fare next spring.
“We haven't been getting goals. It was good to get them today and hopefully that will give us confidence to get more,” said a relieved Glenn Ryan afterwards.
“Whatever goes into the back of the net, you don't mind how it goes in. Maybe [Kirwan's backheel] is a sign of the confidence coming back. We've a lot of work to do, but it was important to get a result today and ultimately what today was about.”
Fear of defeat and of edging ever closer to the relegation trapdoor meant this was a game that for so long was mired in mistakes and cautiousness. Outside of the five goals and the handful more left behind, it was a game of desperately poor quality.
Limerick, for the first three quarters of proceedings, made a fine habit of tying a red bow around the ball and gifting possession to their opponents. Kildare’s third and sixth points, kicked by Kirwan and Neil Flynn, both emanated from stray passes by Hugh Bourke and Adrian Enright at the other end of the field.
Not that Kildare were immune from such inexplicable sloppiness. One passage of second half play underneath the Mackey Stand where both sides took it in turns to give away possession and no player seemed capable of getting their foot underneath the ball perfectly captured why these two teams were looking down rather than up.
The visitors were content to put 15 men behind the ball in the opening half and sit tight until Limerick produced a mistake. The Lilywhites then counter-attacked smartly and were four to the good on 14 minutes, Kirwan supplying half this total.
He and fellow inside forward Paddy Woodgate were involved in the build up to Kevin Flynn’s 21st minute goal, Kildare’s first in around six and a half hours of League and Championship action. At half-time, they led 1-6 to 0-4.
The openness of the second period was in marked contrast to what came before it.
James Naughton’s 55th minute goal brought the hosts within three, 1-8 to 1-5. It was an inevitable green flag, such was the frequency at which Limerick were knocking on the door of Mark Donnellan’s goal. Kildare’s defence was without bodies or shape.
Sub Jack Robinson did reply with Kildare’s second goal two minutes later to shove the gap back out to six. But we were back to three 10 minutes further on, Cillian Fahy palming Robbie Bourke’s shot to the net. 2-9 to 2-6 now read the score-line.
As the hosts searched for an equalising goal during the five minutes of injury-time, they left the backdoor wide open. Kirwan took full advantage, audaciously backheeling to the net deep in time added on to secure Kildare’s second League win and outright safety.
Relegation means Limerick have to overcome either Clare or Cork in the Munster semi-final to secure involvement in the All-Ireland series. Their 2022 Munster semi-final win over Tipperary last May continues to stand as their last competitive victory.
D Kirwan (1-3); J Robinson (0-1 free), K Flynn (1-1 each); D Hyland, B McCormack, P Woodgate (0-1 free), A Berine, N Flynn (0-1 each).
J Naughton (1-3, 0-2 frees); C Fahy (1-1, 0-1 mark); B Coleman, C McSweeney, B Donovan (0-1 each).
M Donnellan; M O’Grady, S Ryan, R Houlihan; D Hyland, K Flynn, J Sargent; A Masterson, K O’Callaghan; B Coffey, B McCormack, A Beirne; N Flynn, D Kirwan, P Woodgate.
D Flynn for McCormack (30 mins); J Robinson for N Flynn (51); P Cribbin for Beirne (55); P McDermott for Coffey (63); E Doyle for Woodgate (72).
D O’Sullivan; S O’Dea, M Donovan, B Fanning; B Coleman, C McSweeney, T McCarthy; C Downes, C Fahy; P Maher, J Naughton, C Sheehan; K Ryan, B Donovan, H Bourke.
A Enright for Ryan (35 mins); G Brown for McCarthy (HT); P Nash for Downes (44); R Bourke for Coleman (55); D Lyons for H Bourke (66).
J Ryan (Cork).
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