Kildare 0-17
Kerry 3-22
Paul Keane reports from St Conleth’s Park
NO SHOCKS IN Newbridge where Kerry delivered just about as everyone expected with a ruthless display to advance to Round 3 of the All-Ireland SFC.
On an afternoon when Donegal’s All-Ireland credentials were severely dented, holders Kerry only underlined theirs with a powerful performance against an admittedly outclassed Kildare.
Goals from David Clifford and Diarmuid O’Connor within three minutes of each other, midway through the second half, put the result beyond doubt, leaving 14 points between them at that stage.
Kerry had 10 different scorers in all as they turned in a business-like performance to get their campaign back on track after the Round 1 defeat to Donegal in Killarney.
Clifford played in substitute Gavin White for a buzzer beater third goal.
Kerry will go into Monday morning’s Round 3 draw with momentum behind them although the apparent injuries that forced Brian Ó Beaglaoich, Jason Foley and Paudie Clifford off are concerning. They were already without Seán O’Shea and Shane Ryan who didn’t tog out again.
Kerry, aware of Donegal’s defeat to Cork in Ballybofey, looked like a side desperate to avoid a slip up themselves.
With 15 minutes on the clock, they led by 0-10 to 0-2 and had already succeeded in getting half a dozen scorers on the board.
In truth, it was all too easy for wind-assisted Kerry who kicked three two-pointers in the opening 13 minutes, all under relatively little pressure.
Kildare full-back Mark Dempsey picked up David Clifford in the first half – Pádraic Spillane later got the gig – but the real damage was being done out around the arc.
And when Seán O’Brien lofted over Kerry’s 10th point off his left foot, again under little pressure, things looked ominous.
Kildare were mightily grateful to Jack Robinson whose two points kept them just about in it.
Kerry’s fast attacks were paying off, regularly taking as little as two kick passes to sweep the ball from one end of the field to the other. Typically, they were able to capitalise, like when Paudie Clifford scored a 13th minute two-pointer after moments earlier catching Shane Murphy’s long kick-out.
Kildare, with Kevin Feely spending a lot of time at full-forward, were comfortable to allow Kerry to get defenders back around the arc and to pick their way through the 11-v-11.
The 18th minute score that launched Kildare’s comeback was a case in point as they probed patiently for openings down the left before Alex Beirne swung the ball across to the opposite wing for an unmarked Robinson to convert.
They were faced with a wall of green and gold again in the 25th minute when Beirne this time seized the responsibility, burst between two defenders and clipped a score.
That reduced the gap to just four points, 0-11 to 0-7, but Kerry finished the half strongly, scoring five points without response between the 26th and 32nd minutes.
But Jack O’Connor’s crew couldn’t grab the goal they craved – Paul Geaney going closest with a 33rd minute drive that Eoin Sheehan blocked – and so Kildare, with the wind in the second half, remained alive.
They never got the opportunity to really impose themselves, however, and only Darragh Kirwan offered any sort of attacking edge for them, scoring two second half two-pointers.
The Clifford and O’Connor goals in the 54th and 57th minutes killed the game and the real intrigue late on was just what sort of impact the injury departures might have on the Kingdom’s chances going forward in the All-Ireland series.
Scorers for Kerry: David Clifford 1-4, Dylan Geaney 0-4 (1 tp), Diarmuid O’Connor 1-0, Gavin White 1-0, Paudie Clifford 0-3 (1 tp, 0-1 45), Brian Ó Beaglaoich 0-3, Joe O’Connor 0-2 (1 tp), Graham O’Sullivan 0-2 (0-1f), (1 tp), Paul Geaney 0-2, Seán O’Brien 0-2.
Scorers for Kildare: Darragh Kirwan 0-6 (2 tp), Jack Robinson 0-5, Alex Beirne 0-2 (0-1), Brian McLoughlin 0-2 (1 tp), Ben Loakman 0-1, Brian Byrne 0-1.
KERRY
1. Shane Murphy (Dr Crokes)
2. Evan Looney (Dr Crokes)
3. Jason Foley (Ballydonoghue)
4. Dylan Casey (Austin Stacks)
5. Brian Ó Beaglaoich (An Ghaeltacht)
6. Mike Breen (Beaufort)
7. Graham O’Sullivan (Dromid Pearses)
8. Mark O’Shea (Dr Crokes)
9. Seán O’Brien (Beaufort)
10. Joe O’Connor (Austin Stacks)
11. Paudie Clifford (Fossa)
12. Diarmuid O’Connor (Na Gaeil)
21. Paul Geaney (Dingle – Captain)
14. David Clifford (Fossa)
15. Dylan Geaney (Dingle)
Substitutes:
22. Gavin White (Dr Crokes) for Ó Beaglaoich (50-f/t, inj)
18. Keith Evans (Keel) for Paul Geaney (53)
13. Tony Brosnan (Dr Crokes) for Joe O’Connor (53)
23. Armin Heinrich (Austin Stacks) for Breen (57)
25. Paul Murphy (Rathmore) for Looney (57)
19. Killian Spillane (Templenoe) for Diarmuid O’Connor (62)
26. Tadhg Morley (Templenoe) for Foley (64-f/t, inj)
24. Tomás Kennedy (Kerins O’Rahillys) for Paudie Clifford (66-f/t, inj)
KILDARE
1. Eoin Sheehan (Johnstownbridge)
2. Ryan Burke (Caragh)
3. Mark Dempsey (Moorefield)
4. Harry O’Neill (Clane)
5. James McGrath (Athy)
6. Padraic Spillane (Athy)
7. Brian Byrne (Naas)
8. Kevin Feely (Athy)
9. Brendan Gibbons (Kilcock)
10. Shane Farrell (Kilcock)
11. Darragh Kirwan (Naas)
12. Colm Dalton (Sallins)
13. Ben Loakman (Sarsfields)
14. Alex Beirne (Naas)
15. Jack Robinson (Clogherinkoe)
Substitutes:
23. Brian McLoughlin (Clane) for Farrell (44)
25. Ryan Sinkey (Naas) for Dalton (49)
26. Eoin Cully (Carbury) for Robinson (53)
20. Tommy Gill (Carbury) for O’Neill (62)
24. Darragh Swords (Caragh) for McGrath (64)
Referee: Niall Cullen (Fermanagh).
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Written by Paul Keane and originally published on The 42 whose award-winning team produces original content that you won’t find anywhere else: on GAA, League of Ireland, women’s sport and boxing, as well as our game-changing rugby coverage, all with an Irish eye. Subscribe here.