Clare always in comfort zone

NHL DIVISION TWO Clare 2-15 Kildare 0-11: CLARE OVERCAME a plucky Kildare to finish strongly and secure victory in Newbridge…

NHL DIVISION TWO Clare 2-15 Kildare 0-11:CLARE OVERCAME a plucky Kildare to finish strongly and secure victory in Newbridge yesterday. While the visitors can look forward to a Division Two league final, Kildare will go into their Christy Ring Cup campaign knowing that they will be playing in Division Three next year.

Barry Nugent opened the scoring for Clare with a good point and Diarmuid McMahon’s ninth-minute goal helped them to a 1-7 to 0-6 half-time lead.

Kildare resumed in determined fashion with three points in six minutes but only managed one in the final 20 minutes. In that period, Clare registered a goal and seven points.

CLARE: D Touhy; P Vaughan (0-1), C Cooney, D O'Donovan; G Quinn, B Bugler, P Donnellan; C O'Donovan (0-2), B O'Connell; J Conlon (0-2), J Clancy, F Lynch (0-1); D McMahon (1-0), B Nugent (0-2), C Ryan (1-4, 0-2 frees, 0-1 65). Subs: S Collins for Lynch (40 mins), N O'Connell (0-3, one free)for B O'Connell (47 mins), M Murphy for Clancy (51 mins), M Scanlon for McMahon (54 mins), E Glynn for Quinn (61 mins)

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Kildare: D Byrne; P Reidy, J Doran, P Curtin; N Ó Muineacháin, D Kennedy (0-3, two frees, one 65), B White; J Houlihan, D Carter; M Moloney (0-2), F Ó Muineacháin, M Fitzgerald (0-4, three frees); D Harney (0-2), A McAndrew, K Divilly. Subs: M Divilly for White (7 mins), C Kenny for McAndrew (44 mins), P Moloney for F Ó Muineacháin (64 mins).