Kildare continue promotion push with 23-point victory over Leitrim

Kildare have won all three of their games in Division 3 while Leitrim have lost all of theirs. 

Alex Beirne scored 1-7 for Kildare against Leitrim. Pic: Sam Barnes/Sportsfile

AFL Division 3: Leitrim 0 – 7 Kildare 1 – 27

Undefeated Kildare had a whopping twenty-three point win over a Leitrim outfit from whose panel twenty of last year's players have departed. The game was a Division 3 top of the table versus bottom of the table clash at Sean O'Heslin Memorial Park Ballinamore.

Leitrim were at sixes and sevens for virtually all of this one-sided encounter. Kildare won nearly all of the kick-outs over the course of the 70 minutes of the action. Meanwhile before the game started Kildare made four changes to their announced line-up.

For the Lilywhites Jack McKevitt replaced James McGrath at centre back, Aaron Masterson replaced Callum Bolton at midfield, Cathal Hagney came in for Darragh Kirwan at full-forward and Ben McCormack replaced Niall Kelly at 'top of the left.'

Leitrim too had programme replacements with James Rooney coming in for Kieran Clancy at full-back, Stephen McLoughlin filling the centre-forward role in place of Evan Harkin and Jack Foley coming in at 'top of the left' for Ben Guckian.

Brian Flanagan's men were dominant in every sector of the field and toyed with their opponents for the greater part of the clash. Leitrim did show some improvement after the break but were still outgunned by Kildare to the tune of 0 – 10 to 0 – 6 in the final thirty five minutes of the action.

Kildare were totally dominant in the opening 25 minutes, hitting an unanswered 1 – 13. In this period Alex Beirne registered 1 – 3 for the Lilywhites with his cheeky goal coming from a 13-metre free on the 25-minute mark after he spotted that Leitrim had only two men on their goal line.

In this period Aaron Masterson shot a two-pointer from play for the Kildare men while Ryan Sinkey, Cathal Hagney, Kevin Feely, Brian McLoughlin, David Hyland, and Colm Dalton all chipped in with a point each.

Leitrim eventually got their account opened DCU's Sigerson Cup winner Tom Prior split the Kildare posts after 26 minutes. Kildare continued to lord it in the proceedings right up to the break Aaron Masterson hitting a two pointer from play while Alex Beirne converted two frees and Ryan Houlihan sipped over a point.

At the break Kildare led by a whopping 1 – 17 to 0 – 1. After the restart Kildare stayed in the driving seat with Cathal Hagney firing over just seconds after the action resumed. Leitrim's Sean Harkin answered with a 41st minute point.

In the remainder of the half Kildare continued to outgun Leitrim with Brian McLoughlin hitting a two-pointer from play while Darragh Swords and Ryan Sinkey adding two points apiece with Didier Cordonnier '45', Alex Beirne (free), and Rian Teehan chipped with a point each.

A battling Leitrim side answered with a Paul Honeyman two-pointer from a placed ball while Tom Prior, Ben Guckian (free) and Sean Harkin chipped in with a point each.

Scorers for Kildare: A Beirne 1 – 7 4f; R Sinkey 0 – 4; B McLoughlin 0 – 3 2pt; C Hagney, A Masterson 2pt, D Swords 0 – 2 each; K Feely, D Hyland, B McCormack, C Dalton, R Houlihan, D Cordonnier '45' & R Teehan 0 – 1 each.

Scorers for Leitrim: T Prior, S Harkin & P Honeyman 2pf 0 – 2 each; B Guckian 0 – 1 f.

KILDARE: D Cordonnier; R Burke, M O'Grady, B Byrne; D Hyland, J McGrath, R Houlihan; K Feely, A Masterson; B McLoughlin, A Beirne, C Dalton; R Sinkey, C Hagney, B McCormack.

Subs: R Teehan for Dalton (28); T Gill for Houlihan (35); A Fanning for McCormack & D Kirwan for Masterson (HT); D Swords for McGrath (58).

LEITRIM: D O'Shea; E McLoughlin, J Rooney, C McHugh, S Harkin, M Diffley, E McNamara; C Quinn, K Keegan; J Flynn, S McLoughlin, T Prior; P Honeyman, K Beirne, J Foley.

Subs: B Guckian for Beirne & D Kelleher for McNamara (HT); C McGovern for Quinn (58); D Feeney for Foley (69).

Referee: N Cullen (Fermanagh).