Kildare's woeful season plunged to new depths when they were comprehensively dismantled by Armagh in Carlow this afternoon, a result that leaves them without a point after three games and staring at relegation to Division 3.
After losing their opening two rounds, a well drilled and well-organised Armagh were the last kind of side that Kildare needed to face and their deficiencies were ruthlessly exposed.
There was an energetic start to the game by Kildare but their early endevours quickly evaporated as Armagh clicked into gear.
Kieran McGeeney's men had already scored the first two points of the game when Eoin Doyle and Jack Sargent got themselves in tangle when trying to move the ball out of the backline and Conor Turbitt got in for a goal in the seventh minute.
Once Rory Grugan rounded off a flowing pitch-length move with a delightful left footed finish low to the bottom right corner of the net to make it 2-04 to 0-03 after 19 minutes the final whistle could have been blown because the game was good as over.
The excellent Oisin Conaty scored the next two points before the equally excellent Turbitt converted a mark to push Armagh 2-08 to 0-04 clear by half time.
The second half was a tough watch for Kildare supporters with little in the way of a response from their team as an Armagh side happy with the result dominated possession while barely getting out of second gear.
Through that spell, Stefan Campbell was magnificent and kicked three super points with the Kildare players hoping to be put out of their misery by the final whistle.
Before that happened however, there was one last blow when key midfielder Kevin O’Callaghan picked up a straight red card for a high challenge on Joe McElroy.
That most likely will mean a suspension for next week's game against Meath, the first of two must win away ties for Kildare in the next two rounds with Cork to follow on the weekend after.
It’s tough times for Kildare, which is in stark to Armagh who look to be well on track for a promotion back to Division 1.
Scorers – Armagh: C Turbitt 1-05 (3f, 1m), O Conaty 0-04, R Grugan 1-01 (0-1f), S Campbell 0-03, J McElroy, Connaire Mackin, J Óg Burns 0-01 each.
Kildare: K Feely 0-04 (3f), A Beirne, D Kirwan, N Kelly, K Flynn 0-01 each.
Armagh: Blaine Hughes; Paddy Burns, Connaire Mackin, Peter McGrane; Greg McCabe, Aidan Forker, Ciaran Mackin; Aaron McKay, Stefan Campbell; Andrew Murnin, Rory Grugan, Joe McElroy; Cian McConville, Conor Turbitt, Oisin Conaty.
Subs: Conor O’Neill for P Burns (temp 6-13), Tiernan Kelly for Grugan (ht), Jarly Óg Burns for McConville (49), Barry McCambridge for P Burns (54), Oisin O’Neill for Murnin (temp 57), Jason Duffy for Conaty (63), Aidan Nugent for Turbitt (63).
Kildare: Mark Donnellan; Shea Ryan, Mick O’Grady, Eoin Doyle; Paddy McDermott, Kevin Flynn, Jack Sargent; Aaron Masterson, Kevin O’Callaghan; Alex Beirne, Darragj Kirwan, Ben McCormack; Paddy Woodgate, Kevin Feely, Barry Kelly.
Subs: Ryan Burke for Ryan (26), Daneil Flynn for Woodgate (ht), Luke Killian for Masterson (ht), Niall Kelly for McCormack (46), Shane Farrell for Beirne (53).
Referee: David Coldrick (Meath)
