Kerry scored the last five points, including a 73rd-minute point from captain Oisin Maunsell, to stage the ultimate smash and grab at Cedral St Conleth's Park as they beat Kildare 1-17 to 0-19.
It was quite the turnaround after Kerry were defeated by 17 points at the same venue in the opening round of the league.
It means that after winless campaigns in 2021 and 2023, Kildare's wait for a first win in the McDonagh Cup goes on, but they are unlikely to get a much better opportunity than this
With the wind behind them and Padraig Boyle in top form, Kerry were the better side, and after Boyle’s 11th-minute goal, they led 1-07 to 0-09 at half time.
A scoring burst of four points in a row, including three by David Qualter, put Kildare 0-16 to 1-09 with 15 minutes to go.
Kerry replaced Boyle with the equally excellent Dylan Moriarty and his first involvement was to score a free from the halfway line to spark a bit of life into the Kingdom’s challenge.
Kerry got back to within a point but Kildare answered back with a run of three points, including a brilliantly worked point when Cian Boran fed Gerry Keegan who finished on the run. That made it 0-19 to 1-12 with six minutes to go but instead of inspiring Kildare, it actually proved to be their last score.
Kerry scored the last five points of the game, while Kildare hit wides from Keegan, Qualter and Cuirtin, and it was Maunsell’s 73rd-minute point that proved to be the winner.
Scorers
Kildare: D Qualter 0-10 (1’65, 4fs), C McCabe 0-3, G Keegan 0-2, D Melville 0-2, P Dolan 0-1, C Boran 0-1.
Kerry: P Boyle 1-7 (5fs), D Moriarty 0-5 (3fs, 1’65), O Maunsell 0-3, K Goulding 0-2.
KILDARE: Paddy McKenna; Liam O’Reilly, Simon Leacy, Rian Boran, Paul Dolan, Cian Boran, Daniel O’Meara; Cathal McCabe, Daire Guerin; David Qualter, Gerry Keegan, Darragh Melville; Jack Sheridan, James Burke, Jack Higgins. Subs: Muiris Curtin for Higgins, 46; Jack Travers for Guerin; 54; Jame Dolan (Celbridge) for Melville, 70+1
KERRY: Louis Dee; Kyle O’Connor, Flor McCarthy, Dara Kearney, Darragh Shanahan, Kevin Goulding, Darragh Conway; Paudie O’Connor, Daithi Griffin; Tom Doyle, Killian Hayes, Luke Crowley, Ronan Walsh, Padraig Boyle, Oisin Maunsell. Subs: Shane Nolan for Crowley, 48; Seanie Brosnan for Griffin, 57; Dylan Moriarty for Boyle, 59; Adam Segal for Hayes, 68; Rory Mahony for Walsh, 70
REFEREE: Colum Cunning.
