Gaelic Games

Kildare put four past Fermanagh and cruise to top of the table

An early spell in which the home side scored 3-6 in just 14 minutes mad the difference

Tommy Moolick netted twice in the opening half as Kildare eased past Fermanagh in Division Two. Photo: Inpho
Tommy Moolick netted twice in the opening half as Kildare eased past Fermanagh in Division Two. Photo: Inpho
Sun Mar 05 2017 - 17:03

Kildare 4-14 Fermanagh 0-14

Kildare claimed their third win of the Division Two campaign on Sunday to bolster their promotion hopes.

Three goals in the opening half got Kildare back to winning ways after a third round defeat away to Derry. They steamrolled Fermanagh in Newbridge, running out convincing winners.

Tommy Moolick netted twice in the opening half and they had 12 points to spare at the finish thanks to further goals from Chris Healy and Daniel Flynn. Cian O’Neill’s side now look like serious candidates for a place in the top two.

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“It was an important game,” said O’Neill. “As I said it to the lads before the game, I felt today was (worth) more than two points.”

Given how tight things are in this division, scoring difference could yet decide the final positions. Winning by such a big margin against Fermanagh is another fillip for Kildare’s cause.

Although Fermanagh made a bright start and enjoyed a three-point cushion in the early stages, Kildare quickly took them apart when they got a grip on the game. And in a rich spell that yielded 3-6 in the space of 14 minutes, there could be no way back for Fermanagh once they fell seven points behind in the 24th minute.

The visitors did at least rally before the break, scoring four points on the trot, but Daniel Flynn burst the net for a fourth time in the 42nd minute to crush any hope of a Fermanagh comeback.

Scorers – Kildare: T Moolick 2-0; D Flynn, C Healy 1-1 each; N Flynn 0-4 (2fs); F Dowling 0-2; N Kelly, K Feely, C Hartley, E Heavey, P Cribbin, F Conway 0-1 each. Fermanagh: B Mulrone 0-4; T Corrigan (2sf), S Quigley (2fs), R Jones (1f) 0-2 each; M Jones, E Donnelly, A Breen, R Lyons 0-1 each.

KILDARE: M Donnellan; M O'Grady, D Hyland, O Lyons, J Byrne, E Doyle, K Cribbin; K Feely, T Moolick; F Conway, N Kelly, P Cribbin; N Flynn, D Flynn, C Healy. Subs: F Dowling for Feely, 32; C McNally for D Flynn, 54; E Heavey for P Cribbin, 60; C Hartley for N Kelly, 62; P Kelly for Byrne, 64; E Callaghan for N Flynn, 64.

FERMANAGH: C Snow; M Jones, C Cullen, J McMahon; D McCusker, R McCluskey, B Mulrone; E Donnelly 0-1, L Cullen; P McCusker, R Jones, A Breen; T Corrigan, S Quigley, E Courtney. Subs: R Hyde for Cullen, HT; C McManus for McCluskey, 59; R Lyons for P McCusker, 59; T McCaffrey for Courtney, 60.

Referee: P O'Sullivan (Kerry).