Kildare get consolation

Kildare 2-14 Sligo 1-7: Kildare put in a highly polished performance to claim victory at Newbridge yesterday but is wasn't enough to earn them a place in the semi-finals of the league due to Wexford's home win over Laois.

Sligo came into this game as the worst performing side in Division One B and, with just one win, they were already doomed to relegation.

The Connacht side had to wait until the latter stages of the opening half to get their first score from play.

Derek McCormack put Kildare into a lead they never lost with his first point of the afternoon after a little more than a minute. He added another two minutes later after corner forward Tadhg Fennin extended Kildare's lead.

Seán Davey pointed a free for Sligo in the ninth minute but this proved to a little more than a brief respite.

John Doyle added a free for the home side and then combined with Fennin for the latter to get the first goal of the game.

Kildare added four scores and were 10 points to the good before Jonathan Davey got the final touch to a ball sent into the Kildare goalmouth for Sligo's only goal.

Kildare began the second half with a 1-8 to 1-2 advantage and, although Fennin extended their lead by two points, they faced stiff resistance for much of the rest of the game.

Sligo replied with a couple of scores and Kildare goalkeeper Enda Murphy made successive saves from David Colleary and Dessie Sloyan to restrict Sligo to a single goal.

Sligo created a few chances in the second half but often squandered the possession up front while a late goal by Doyle sealed the victory for Kildare.

KILDARE: E Murphy; A Rainbow, D Hendy, A McLoughlin; M Wright (0-1), G Ryan, K Ennis; K Brennan, M Foley; E Callaghan (0-1), D McCormack (0-2), R Sweeney (0-1); T Fennin (1-5, 0-3 frees), R Glavin (0-1), J Doyle (1-3, 0-2 frees). Subs: M O'Sullivan for McCormack, S McKenzie-Smith for Glavin, W Heffernan for Foley, P Mullarkey for Ennis (Yellow Card), D Lyons for Wright.

SLIGO: P Greene; B Philips, N Clancy, R Donovan; P Doohan (0-1), M Langan, P Naughton; T Taylor, N McGuire; F Roche, D Colleary, J Davey (1-1); D Sloyan, S Davey (0-2, one free), G McGowan (0-1). Subs: C Harrison for Langan, D Durcan for Roche, M Brehony (0-1) for Taylor, J McPartland for McGowan, D McTernan (0-1) for Sloyan, C Neary for Harrison (yellow card).

YELLOWS CARDS: Kildare: K Ennis (53 mins). Sligo: C Harrison (61 mins).

Referee B Crowe (Cavan).