Kildare scored three goals in the opening 15 minutes of the second half as they turned in a performance of the highest quality to record a thoroughly deserved win over Antrim at Cedral St Conleth's Park.
At the heart of those goals was Muiris Curtin as he scored two and created one.
He was the provider for opening goal in the 39th minute when he offloaded to the onrushing James Dolan who then found the top corner of the net with a powerful drive.
But it was the first of Curtin's brace that really had the crowd gasping in admiration. He is small in stature but when Cian Boran delivered a long, high ball towards in the goal in the 47th minute it was Curtin who showed more desire than any Antrim defender to go and win the ball. Once in possession, he smashed a picture perfect shot into the top corner of the Antrim net.
There was still a murmur of appreciation rippling around the venue when he got his second 90 seconds later. Cathal Dowling had lost his hurl in the build up but improvised and flicked the ball off the ground with his foot into the path of Curtin and although this shot wasn’t as sweetly struck as his first it was enough to beat Antrim goalkeeper Domhall Nugent.
The only pity for the Kildare forward was that he couldn’t complete a second half hat trick but he come close in the 62nd minute only to be denied when Nugent stuck out a foot to make the block.
It was a tough defeat for Antrim to take as they fell to their third loss in Division 1B. Davy Fitzgerald’s team started well and led 0-06 to 0-04 heading towards the midway point of the half but they were gradually worn down by last year’s McDonagh Cup winners and Kildare eventually took a 0-14 to 0-11 lead into the dressing room at half time.
Fitzgerald would have demanded more from his team but Curtin’s moments of magic took the game away from them in the early part of the game and Antrim were a beaten team a long way from the end. Their frustrations boiled over in injury time when Jack McCloskey was shown a straight red card after reacting to a foul.
As much as Antrim left Newbridge distraught, it is a huge win for Kildare and rubber stamps the upward trajectory that Brian Dowling's newly promoted team are on.
Kildare: Paddy McKenna; Liam O’Reilly, Rian Boran, Simon Leacy, Paul Dolan (0-02), Cian Boran, Conan Boran; Cathal McCabe (0-02), Gerry Keegan (0-01); Daire Guerin (0-01), Dan O’Meara, Jack Travers (0-02), Jack Sheridan (0-09, 6fs), Cathal Dowling (0-01), Muiris Curtin (2-02).
Subs: James Dolan (1-00) for Travers, 33; Alan Goss for Dolan, 51; Conn Kehoe (0-01) for Dowling, 59; Harry Carroll for O'Meara, 64; Tom Power for Keegan, 68.
Antrim: Domhall Nugent; Niall O’Connor, Paddy Burke, Ruarí McCormack, Stephen Rooney, Joe Maskey, Gerard Walsh; Ryan McCambridge (0-03), Eoin O’Neill (0-01); Ruairí Donaghy (0-01), Seaan Elliott (0-12, 9fs, 1 '65), Sean Duffin, Conor Johnston, James McNaughton (0-01), Conal Cunning (0-02).
Subs: Scott Walsh for Donaghy, h/t; Keelan Molloy for Duffin, h/t; Eoin McFerran for McCormick, 42; Paul Boyle for O'Neill, 56; Jack McCloskey for Johnston, 56.
Referee: Eamon Furlong (Wexford).
