Kildare 1-14 Cork 1-08
Ben McCormack struck for 1-02 as Kildare continued their fine start in Allianz League Division 2 with an impressive six-point win in Newbridge against Cork .
McCormack’s 51st minute goal proved crucial for the home side but they were by far the better team on a bitter afternoon at St Conleth's Park.
The home side had a five-point lead at half-time and in truth, that advantage should have been greater. Playing with the breeze, although it did not seem much of an advantage at times as it gusted diagonally across the pitch, Kildare dominated the aerial exchanges in midfield and kept Cork at arm’s length for most of the half.
Kevin Feely was the commander in chief, winning a string of kickouts and then orchestrating the play.
At times, Kildare struggled to penetrate a strong Cork defensive line but their supremacy started to tell as the half progressed and with 25 minutes on the clock, they were 0-07 to 0-02 in front.
McCormack had two points from play during that spell, as did Feely,and while Cork had two goal chances late in the half, they could not convert. On two separate occasions, midfielder Ian Maguire came away empty handed. Kildare kicked on after the break and McCormack’s goal suggested the game was a done deal.
Earlier, Daniel Flynn had a goal disallowed when linesman Maurice Deegan called him back for a double-hop which referee Cormac Reilly had not seen in the build-up.The Rebels did at least show some fighting spirit in the second half although they were seven down before they got their act together.
Fortune favoured them too.Their goal was accident more than design.
Kildare ‘keeper MarkDonnellan misjudged the flight of Luke Connolly’s long-range effort and the ball dropped into the net.The threat of a Rebel rising was quickly quashed.
Kildare scored three points in a row to seal their second win of the campaign and cement their place at the top of the league table.
KILDARE: Mark Donnellan; Mick O’Grady, David Hyland, Ollie Lyons,Johnny Byrne, Eoin Doyle, Keith Cribbin (Black Card – 70); Kevin Feely 0-02 (Black Card – 70), Tommy Moolick 0-01; Fergal Conway, Niall Kelly,Paul Cribbin 0-2; Neil Flynn 0-5 (3fs), Daniel Flynn 0-1, Ben McCormack 1-02.
Subs: C McNally for Moolick (59), C Healy for Conway (63), D Slattery for MCormack (67), P Kelly for N Kelly (70), S Ryan for, C Hartley for N Flynn (73).
CORK: Ryan Price; John McLoughlin, Tom Clancy, Kevin Crowley; ConorDorman, James Loughrey, Tomas Clancy 0-01; Ruairi Deane, Ian Maguire;Aidan Walsh 0-01, Sean Powter, Mark Collins; Colm O’Neill 0-1f, LukeConnolly 1-3 (2fs, ’45), Paul Kerrigan 0-01.
Subs: John O’Rourke (BlackCard, 70) for Powter, H-T; Barry O’Driscoll 0-1 for Dorman, 51;Donncha O’Connor for Collins, 52; John Mullins for Crowley, 54; Donal Og Hodnett for Maguire, 60; Brian O’Driscoll for O’Neill, 68.Ref: Cormac Reilly (Meath)
