Kildare secure first league win as they ease past Kerry

FIRST LEAGUE WIN: Kildare secure their first league win and keep their hopes of a semi-final place alive. Pic:Stephen Marken/Sportsfile

Allianz League Division 2A

Kildare 1-21 Kerry 1-14 

Kildare deservedly recorded their first win of the Allianz League Division 2A campaign with a seven-point success over a disappointing Kerry in Manguard Park, Hawkfield on Saturday afternoon.

Brian Dowling’s side shrugged off the loss of top scorer Jack Sheridan, with David Qualter deputising superbly for the Naas man on his first start after a long injury absence.

James Burke had already forced a fine save from Kerry goalkeeper Louis Dee when Maurice O’Connor put the visitors ahead with a second minute free, but Kildare soon got on top and were never headed again.

With Simon Leacy brilliantly sweeping at the back, and sending Kildare forward, Qualter, Burke and dangerous corner-forward Cian Boran kept the scoreboard operator busy, and they were 0-10 to 0-7 ahead coming towards half-time.

But Kerry hit back with a superbly finished goal from O’Connor in the 34th minute, the centre-forward finishing to the roof of Paddy McKenna’s net from Daithí Griffin’s pass.

Burke’s point sent Kildare into the interval ahead and they took a firm grip seven minutes into the second half.

Burke was held by full-back Evan Murphy in attempting to gather Simon Leacy’s long delivery with referee Seán Cleere pointing to the spot. Having missed two penalties against Down last time out, Kildare were relieved to see goalkeeper McKenna steer a low shot to the net.

Another Boran point and two from Qualter frees pushed Kildare into a seven-point lead but with O’Connor accurate from frees and driving runs from Fionán Mackessy causing trouble, Kerry narrowed the gap to four points after 57 minutes.

Dan Goggin might have made things interesting with a low drive, but McKenna pushed his shot out for a ’65 and Kildare had the composure to see out the win with the last three scores of the game.

Goggin’s frustration showed in the first minute of injury time as the corner forward was sent to the line for a second yellow card following a late challenge on Cathal McCabe.

The result keeps Kildare’s hopes of a semi-final place alive as they head into their final game at home to Carlow but with no relegation from the division this year, Kerry manager Stephen Molumphy will turn his attention to the McDonagh Cup.

Scorers for Kildare: D Qualter (0-9, 7 frees, 1’65), P McKenna (1-1, 1-0 pen, 1 free), J Burke (0-3, 1 free), Cian Boran (0-3), D Flaherty (0-2), M Curtin (0-1), J Higgins (0-1), S Leacy (0-1) 

Scorers for Kerry: M O’Connor (1-7, 4 frees, 1’65), F Mackessy (0-2, 1 free), K O’Connor (0-1), D Goggin (0-1), K Hayes (0-1), M Leane (0-1), G Dooley (0-1) 

KILDARE: P McKenna; C Shanahan, S Christianseen, H Carroll; S Leacy, Conan Boran, R Boran; C McCabe, D Guerin; D Qualter, J Higgins, P Dolan; M Curtin, J Burke, Cian Boran.

Subs: D Flaherty for Carroll (h/t), C Kehoe for Curtin (61).

KERRY: L Dee; E Leen, E Murphy, K O’Connor; T O’Connor, D Shanahan, F Mackessy; T Doyle, K Hayes; D Woulfe, M O’Connor, R Walsh; D Goggin, M Leane, D Griffin.

Subs: F McCarthy for Leen (b/s 26-28), G Dooley for Walsh (h/t), N O’Mahony for T O’Connor (62), McCarthy for O’Mahony (68), M Madden for Doyle (71), D Breen for Leane (72).

Referee: S Cleere (Kilkenny).