Allianz League Division Two: Kildare and Sligo secure wins

Kildare 1-14 Meath 1-12

Kildare's two-point victory over Meath in Newbridge in Division Two of the Allianz Football League on Sunday could well have been a Championship clash, such was the size of the crowd and the level of intensity on display from both teams.

Kildare managed to wrestle the lead from Meath after a goal from John Doyle in the first half but the Royals came storming back in the second period with a goal of their own from Shane O'Rourke.

It set up an exciting finish which Kieran McGeeney's side were just able to emerge from victorious, leaving them flying high in second place in the table.

For Meath, it's another poor result in a disappointing league campaign under Séamus "Banty" McEnaney and they now sit second bottom in the table, their status in the division far from secure.

Meath got off to the better start, Joe Sheridan pummeling over a '45 before Brian Farrell put the visitors two clear. Eoghan O'Flaherty got Kildare on the board with a fine effort before Doyle landed what was probably the defining score of the game after 22 minutes.

A long ball towards the goal from Emmet Bolton eventually found its way into the hands of the Allenwood man, who was typically ruthless as he finished neatly to the net.

Seamus Kenny kept Meath in it with a score but a point from O'Flaherty and an absolutely magisterial effort from Robert Kelly kept Kildare in charge at half-time, leading 1-5 to 0-5.

It was the first of three epic scores from the highly promising Kelly, and all of the points came from huge range.

Sheridan reduced the gap at the start of the second half before Ronan Sweeney and Cian Ward, introduced as a substitute, traded points.

Kelly tacked on his second blockbuster of the day to restore Kildare's one-goal advantage but Ward was having a big impact since his arrival onto the pitch, especially from frees, and he took his tally to 0-3 with two well-controlled placed balls.

Kildare's work-rate was, as ever, impressive though and a point from Doyle, followed by a massive effort from midfielder Padraig O'Neill retained Kildare's decent buffer.

Yet the game was always tight and Meath gave the crowd the exciting finish the contest deserved when O'Rourke found the net with 15 minutes to go. Sheridan had made great work to flick the ball to the gangly attacker who tapped in from close range.

Kelly's third monster score pushed Kildare ahead though and their superior fitness looked like something Meath ultimately could not overhaul.

Doyle continued to run things in attack as the Lilywhites managed to see out the final moments.

However, Meath looked to be desperate to get something from the game and they fought hard until the end, Paddy O'Rourke seeing his effort for goal tipped over the bar by Kildare goalkeeper Shane Connolly to leave two points in it at 1-14 to 1-12.

It stayed like this until the end and Kildare will have their sights firmly set now on the league final, with Meath very much still battling relegation.

Antrim 1-11 Sligo 2-18

It was a crucial relegation battle at Casement Park between the bottom two sides in Division Two on Sunday, and Kevin Walsh's side easily dispatched the home side to leave the Saffrons staring a drop to Division 3 in the face.

Sligo got off to a flier and were 1-2 to 0-0 ahead after just ten minutes and they never looked back after that. Adrian Marren hit two tasty opening points before the ageless Adonis Eamonn O'Hara smashed to the net.

Antrim eventually steadied themselves and Paddy Cunningham led the way with a few points from frees, with Kevin Brady also chipping in with a neat score.

But Sligo had their tails up and always looked the hungrier for victory, hitting their stride again towards the end of the first half with four unanswered points. Mark Breheny hit two of these alongside another effort from Marren and the Yeats County went in at the break with a healthy 1-9 to 0-6 lead.

Sligo hit their second goal of the game shortly after the restart, Brian Curren finishing well and the visitors were suddenly 10 points clear as it looked as though the remainder of the game would be a pedestrian formality.

Antrim mustered a comeback though with Tomas McCann's goal setting things rolling on a run which saw Sligo's lead reduced to just three points. Brady, Cunningham and Brendan Herron were all to the fore in the Saffrons' impressive revival.

Sligo ultimately managed to hold off Antrim though and saw out the victory in the end.

Kevin McGourty's dismissal for the home side in the closing stages made things a little easier for Sligo as they saw out the win, ultimately triumphing by ten points.

The win pushes Sligo up to 6th in the table, but things look grim for Antrim, now propping up the table with two points.