NFL DIVISION TWO:Kildare 0-14 Cork 0-14
SUBSTITUTE KEVIN O’Sullivan’s 72nd-minute point snatched a draw for Cork after they had looked likely to leave St Conleth’s Park empty-handed when trailing by four points with 10 minutes remaining. Kildare will be kicking themselves for having left victory slip however, with the otherwise excellent John Doyle and Alan Smith missing outstanding opportunities in the closing period.
They will be disappointed by the award of a 45 to Cork at the beginning of the final quarter, after Daniel Goulding had clearly toe-poked the ball wide. Donncha O’Connor converted the kick for what proved a crucial score.
Cork began brightly with points from two of their young guns, Fintan Goold and Goulding. Kildare restored parity thanks to points from a John Doyle free and a neat finish by Pádraig O’Neill.
Cork were getting a lot of joy through the middle of the Kildare defence though, with Goold creating space by dragging Michael Foley out deep, and to the flanks.
Three points on the trot made it 0-6 to 0-3, with Graham Canty’s effort at the end of a length-of-the-field move the pick of the bunch. But Kildare responded with five in a row to lead by two at the interval. O’Neill and Michael Conway got them to within a point before Doyle launched two lovely scores from play and a free before the change of ends.
James Kavanagh came to life after the resumption and his four points from play looked to have helped propel the hosts to victory. The Ballymore man might also have bagged a goal but was denied by a splendid save from Alan Quirke straight after the resumption.
Conor Counihan threw on four attackers in the final 17 minutes and their introduction was to prove significant in the final dramatic minutes. Goold brought his tally to four with two fine points, while Noel O’Leary cut the deficit to the minimum with a wonderful score off the outside of the right boot, after good work by Paudie Kissane and Paul O’Flynn.
Kavanagh seemed to have stemmed Cork tide with another fine score after a brilliant rob in defence by Michael Conway, but a very good finish by Paul Kerrigan from the left flank cancelled that out before O’Sullivan fisted over from close range to leave the sides level.
KILDARE:S McCormack; D Brennan, K O'Neill, H McGrillen; B Flanagan, M Foley, M Conway (0-1); D Flynn, D Earley (0-1); E Callaghan, P O'Neill (0-2), J Kavanagh (0-4); K Donnelly, R Sweeney, J Doyle (0-5, two frees). Subs: K Brennan for Earley blood (20-21 mins), A Smith (0-1) for Donnelly (27 mins), E O'Flaherty for P O'Neill (61 mins, yellow), M O'Flaherty for Conway (69 mins).
CORK:A Quirke; J Miskella, R Carey, A Lynch; N O'Leary (0-1), G Canty (0-1), G Spillane; A O'Connor (0-1), P O'Neill; C McCarthy (0-1), F Goold (0-4), P Kelly; D Goulding (0-1), M Cussen, D O'Connor (0-3, two 45s). Subs: P Kissane for Canty inj (46 mins), P O'Flynn for Kelly (53 mins), P Kerrigan (0-1) for McCarthy (55 mins), J Hayes for O'Neill (58 mins), K O'Sullivan (0-1) for Goulding (66 mins).
Referee:D Fahey (Longford).
