NFL Division 2: Cork 1-31 Kildare 2-19
A return to Division 1 is within touching distance for Cork. Win in Tyrone and they will be back at the summit after a decade of trying. But hard the Rebels not been so efficient in the first half, and had Micheál Aodh Martin not saved their skin after the interval, it could have been a very different story.
Cork had dominated the opening period, leading 1-22 to 1-6 at the break having kicked eight two-pointers, with 1-19 from play. Steven Sherlock and Chris Óg Jones were flying; Cork were cruising.
But only for that monstrous halt-time lead, they could have come undone.
Kildare’s substitutes changed the game after the break. The returning Alex Beirne, Brendan Gibbons and Ben McCormack saw them cut Cork’s 15-point 56th-minute lead down to nine by the finish.
READ MORE
The margin stood at 12 points when Patrick Doyle felled Brian McLoughlin for a black-card penalty. Micheál Aodh Martin was sprung from the bench in place of Dara Sheedy to step in, denying Beirne from the spot in the 59th minute. He would go on to make three more saves as Kildare tried desperately to salvage a result.
The Lilywhites at least managed to pull something together to give their scoring difference a chance heading into the final round, but they remain in trouble with Cavan still to play Offaly.
The first half cost Kildare, even after they slotted home their opening goal on 25 minutes to trail by 11 points. Brendan Gibbons finished nicely after Darragh Kirwan’s ball in, but three minutes later Cork hit back.
Ian Maguire intercepted a misplaced handpass from Brian Byrne, and the hosts worked it to Jones who finished, leaving it 1-17 to 1-3. It was always going to be a tall order for Kildare to come back from that.
Cork march on, with their destiny in their own hands.
CORK: P Doyle; M Shanley, D O’Mahony, S Brady; B O’Driscoll, T Walsh (0-0-1), L Fahy (0-1-1); C O’Callaghan, I Maguire; P Walsh (0-0-1), M Cronin (0-1-2), S McDonnell; C Óg Jones (1-2-5), D Sheedy (0-1-1), S Sherlock (0-3-4, 1tpf, 1′45). Subs: R Deane for McDonnell, S Walsh for P Walsh (both 53 mins), M Taylor for T Walsh (56), MA Martin for Sheedy, D Cashman for Taylor (both 59), R Maguire for Doyle (66).
KILDARE: C Burke; H O’Neill, P Spillane, B Byrne; L Kelly, E Lawlor, R Burke; C Bolton (0-0-1), K Feely; B McLoughlin (0-0-1), C Moran (0-0-2), C Dalton (0-0-2); S Doran, D Kirwan (0-0-3), B Loakman (0-1-0). Subs: B Gibbons (1-0-0) for Feely (10 mins, inj), B McCormack (0-2-0) for Kelly, A Beirne (0-1-1f) for Doran (both h-t), J Robinson (1-0-1f) for Moran (47), E Cully for Loakman (64).
Referee: Liam Devenney (Mayo)
