Kildare 2-15 Louth 0-17:SECOND-HALF goals from James Kavanagh and Morgan O'Flaherty fired Kildare right back into the promotion race at a sun-kissed Gaelic Grounds in Drogheda yesterday. After squandering a five-point cushion in the first period to lead by just the minimum at the break, Kieran McGeeney's men looked set for a titanic battle when Louth equalised after the restart.
However, 1-5 without reply, including a cool, low finish from Kavanagh on 44 minutes, set the Lilywhites on their way to what was a comfortable victory.
With results elsewhere going their way, the win propelled McGeeney’s men into second place in the table. More good news emerged when McGeeney indicated that star attacker John Doyle only suffered a “dead leg” in an incident that forced his withdrawal with 10 minutes remaining.
After keeping his charges in the dressingroom for over 20 minutes at half-time, McGeeney was happy with his side’s response.
“We showed more zip in our play in the second half and that was encouraging, but we wouldn’t be happy with everything – there were three or four more scores we should have taken,” he said.
Nevertheless, that purple patch at the start of the second period pushed Kildare eight points clear and although Darren Clarke and Ray Finnegan hit back for Louth, the game was virtually over as a contest when Morgan O’Flaherty fired in his side’s second goal, after initially drawing a good save from home goalkeeper Neil Gallagher on 55 minutes.
Clarke’s frees cut the deficit down to four points in the closing stages, but Kildare were in control as Peter Fitzpatrick’s men suffered their third straight defeat.
“Kildare are a top side, they played well and we have no complaints, but the reality now is that we have to win our last two games to stay up,” said Fitzpatrick.
KILDARE: S Connolly; P Kelly, M Foley, O Lyons; H McGrillen (0-1), M O’Flaherty (1-1), E Bolton; D Flynn, P O’Neill; J Doyle (0-2), E O’Flaherty (0-2, one free), E Callaghan (0-2); M Conway (0-4), T O’Connor (0-2), J Kavanagh (1-1). Subs: C Fitzpatrick for E Bolton (24 mins), A MacLaochlainn (42 mins), A Smith for T O’Connor (55 mins), D Lawlor for J Doyle (59 mins), R Sweeney for D Flynn (60 mins).
LOUTH: N Gallagher; J Carr, D Finnegan, G Hoey (0-1); D Byrne, D Crilly, R Finnegan (0-1); B Donnelly, P Keenan (0-1); J McEneaney (0-2), M Brennan (0-1), A McDonnell; D Maguire, R Carroll, D Clarke (0-11, ten frees). Subs: L Shevlin for D Crilly (42 mins), B White for R Carroll (47 mins), S Fitzpatrick for J Carr (63 mins), A Reid for for M Brennan (63 mins), JP Rooney for A McDonnell (66 mins).
Referee: D Coldrick (Meath).
