All Ireland SFC Round One Qualifier

KILDARE 2-22 DERRY 2-14

By Odhran Crumley at Owenbeg

Kildare cruised into the next round of the All-Ireland Football Qualifiers overcoming Derry in a highly physical encounter in Owenbeg.

Goals from Niall Kelly and Daniel Flynn alongside 0-5 from substitute Neil Flynn ensured that Cian O’Neill’s men live to fight another day in the All-Ireland series.

Frantic would be the word to describe a first half which produced 22 scores. Shane McGuigan opened the scoring before Daniel Flynn and Fergal Conway edged Cian O’Neill’s men into an early lead.

Derry hit the net in the sixth minute of the game, Sean Leo McGoldrick running at the heart of the Kildare defence before slipping the ball to Shane McGuigan. McGuigan’s shot appeared to have already crossed the goal-line before getting a touch from Enda Lynn, one for the dubious goals panel.

The Leinster men needed a response and the got just that Fergal Conway pointing before Daniel Flynn scored one of the finest individual goals you are likely to see. Pace and power the order of the day as he blasted into the roof of the net.

Further scores from Paul Cribben and gave his side a three point lead before Pádraig Cassidy’s darting run created space for Enda Lynn who showed real composure before tapping into the net. However it was Kildare who led at the break on a scoreline of 1-12 to 2-7.

Derry emerged sharpest from the blocks for the second half and could have had a goal only for heroic defending. Niall Donnellan saving Emmet Bradley’s original shot before Mick O’Grady blocked Shane McGuigan’s rebound on the line.

This gave Kildare a real lift as they hit an unanswered 1-2 in five minutes culminating in Kevin Feely’s through ball finding Niall Kelly who fired into the back of the net.

Damian McErlain’s side were not out of it yet with Jack Doherty grabbing two quick points to reduce the deficit to four with fifteen left to play. Substitute Niall Kelly impressed kicking over 0-5 in the twenty two minutes he was on the field.

Christopher McKaigue bore down on the Kildare goal with five to play before being brought down by David Hyland who was duly black-carded before Derry were reduced to 14 men as Mark Lynch saw red.

Two scores in injury time from substitute Kelly put the icing firmly on the cake confirming their place in the draw on Monday.

**Scorers for Kildare: **Neil Flynn 0-5 (2fs), Fergal Conway 0-4, Niall Kelly 1-1, Daniel Flynn 1-1, Tommy Moolick and Kevin Feely 0-2 each, Mark Donnellan, James Murray, David Slattery, Keith Cribben, Johnny Byrne (0-1) each.

**Scorers for Derry: **Emmet Bradley 0-5 (4fs), Enda Lynn 1-2, Shane McGuigan 1-1, Mark Lynch, Pádraig Cassidy, Sean Leo McGoldrick 0-1 each.

**KILDARE: **Mark Donnellan, Peter Kelly , David Hyland, Mick O’Grady, James Murray, Eoin Doyle, Kevin Flynn, Kevin Feely, Tommy Moolick, Fergal Conway, Paul Cribben, Keith Cribbin, David Slattery, Daniel Flynn, Niall Kelly.

**Subs: **Neil Flynn for Kevin Feely (47), Chris Healy for Keith Cribben (59), Eanna O'Connor for Niall Kelly (67), Fionn Dowling for Fergal Conway (70+1).

**DERRY: **Ben McKinless, Paul McNeill, Kevin Johnston, Michael McEvoy, Liam McGoldrick, Christopher McKaigue, Séan Leo McGoldrick, Conor McAtamney, Pádraig Cassidy, Jack Doherty, Emmet Bradley, Patrick Coney, Enda Lynn, Shane McGuigan, Mark Lynch.

**Subs: ** James Kielt for Shane McGuigan (Blood sub) (32)-reversed (HT), Brendan Rogers for Paul McNeill (HT), Terence O'Brien for Conor McAtamney, (HT), Carlus McWilliams for Patrick Coney (42), James Kielt for Shane McGuigan (51), Michael Bateson for Liam McGoldrick, (59), Niall Toner for Sean Leo McGoldrick (70+1).

**REFEREE: **David Coldrick (Meath).