Tailteann Cup: Kildare defeat Leitrim

Tailteann Cup Group One

Kildare 1-16 Leitrim 0-12

By Richard Commins at Glennon Brothers Pearse Park

Kildare secured a home Quarter Final in the Tailteann Cup with a seven-point win over Leitrim, but they were pushed harder than the scoreline suggests by a Leitrim team, who will take a lot of confidence from their showing as they head for a Preliminary Quarter Final next week.

Glenn Ryan’s side took advantage of the wind to take a six-point half-time lead, but Leitrim came right back into it in the third quarter to reduce the gap to just two after 54 minutes, scoring some fine points in the process.

Kildare’s confidence seemed to be draining, not helped by some wayward shooting as they racked up 10 wides over the 70 minutes.

But they redoubled their efforts and with sharpshooter Darragh Kirwan in sparkling form, ending up on seven points from play, they reeled off six in a row when they needed to in burning off the Connacht side.

The Lilywhites pressed up on Nevin O’Donnell’s kick out in the opening quarter and with Kirwan and Niall Kelly to the fore in attack, they went 0-6 to 0-2 ahead inside eighteen minutes.

But Leitrim, with wing forward Tom Prior and full-forward Darragh Rooney prominent, were causing problems at the other end for the Kildare defence and by the 28^th minute they were only two points behind.

If they had held the gap at that level at half-time they would have been in a strong position with wind advantage to come but a fine passing movement ended with Niall Kelly sliding home a Kildare goal from point-blank range. A Paddy Woodgate free gave them a 1-8 to 0-5 interval advantage.

It could have been ‘game over’ in the opening minute of the second half as Kildare substitute Alex Beirne crashed a fine effort off the crossbar and Leitrim reacted by outscoring their more vaunted opponents by six points to two in the next 20 minutes to heap the pressure on the Lilywhites.

Mark Plunkett, who finished with three from play, and Barry McNulty in midfield were outstanding during the spell which also saw both corner backs Aidan Flynn and Cathal McHugh get forward for scores.

Cometh the hour, cometh the man, though, and when he was needed most, Naas star Kirwan stood up to the plate with a big score off his right foot to get Kildare moving again.

He registered three more, too, all from play as the winners pushed for home confidently, with Leitrim failing to score again until Ryan O’Rourke’s point four minutes into injury time.

Andy Moran will feel they were by no means out-classed, however, and they’ll head into next week’s fixture in good stead, too.

Scorers for Kildare: Darragh Kirwan 0-7, Paddy Woodgate 0-4 (4fs), Niall Kelly 1-1, Paddy McDermott 0-2, Kevin Feely 0-1 (f), Jack Sargent 0-1.

Scorers for Leitrim: Mark Plunkett 0-3, Darragh Rooney 0-3 (2fs), Tom Prior 0-2, Cathal McHugh 0-1, Aidan Flynn 0-1, Barry McNulty 0-1 (free), Ryan O’Rourke 0-1.

Kildare: Mark Donnellan; Mick O’Grady, Shea Ryan, Ryan Burke; Tony Archbold, Brian Byrne, Jack Sargent; Aaron Masterson, Kevin Flynn; Shane Farrell, Darragh Kirwan, Paddy McDermott; Paddy Woodgate, Niall Kelly, Kevin Feely.

Subs: Alex Beirne for Farrell HT, Kevin O’Callaghan for Flynn 48, Barry Kelly for N Kelly 53, Ryan Houlihan for Burke 62, Shane O’Sullivan for Masterson 64.

Leitrim: Nevin O’Donnell; Cathal McHugh, Mark Diffley, Aidan Flynn; Donal Wrynn, Radek Oberwan, James Rooney; Mark Plunkett, Barry McNulty; Jack Foley, Kieran Clancy, Tom Prior; Ryan O’Rourke, Ben Guckian, Darragh Rooney.

Subs: Riordan O’Rourke for Clancy HT, Arek Oberwan for J Rooney 44, Shane Quinn for R Oberwan 62, Darren Cox for Guckian 62, Conor Reynolds for McHugh 64.

Referee: Noel Mooney (Cavan).