Dundalk 6-0 Kildare County

Dundalk hit six second half goals against bottom of the table Kildare County in Oriel Park to strengthen their lead at the top of the First Division.

There was little of note in a poor first half but John Gill’s side wasted little time in opening their account in the second period when Tiarnan Mulvenna rounded goalkeeper Justin O’Neill just two minutes after the restart to slot home to an empty net.

Moments later the visitors went close to pulling a goal back when Cathal Brady hit the crossbar from 15 yards but that was as good as it got for the Thoroughbreds as Dundalk went on to hit five goals inside 17 minutes.

Midfielder David Cassidy doubled the Louth side’s advantage with a low drive in the 67th minute. Jamie Duffy then added a third with a header five minutes later before substitute David O’Connor got in on the act.

Fellow replacement Paul Marney then added a fifth before Duffy powered home a second header in the 84th minute to complete the rout.

Indeed, things went from bad to worse for Kildare late on when goalkeeper O’Neill limped off with just minutes remaining and with all their subs used the visitors were forced to put Ger Robinson in goal for the remaining period.

Dundalk: Bennion; Flanagan, Whelehan, Ryan, Crawley; Duffy, Shiels (Marney, 77 mins), Cassidy, Smyth (O’Connor, 67 mins); Mulvenna, Farrell (Vaughan, 73 mins).

Kildare County: O’Neill; Clarke, Slattery (Robinson, 62 mins), Roche (Tyrell, 75 mins, Brophy; Clancy, Harte (Kavanagh, 77 mins), Fortune, Gorman; Kilduff, Brady.

Referee: P Tuite.