Brian Dowling's Kildare side came out on top 3-24 to 1-23 when they travelled to Down for their campaign-defining meeting in Allianz Hurling League Division 1B.
In a first half that Kildare would go on to dominate, it was the home side that grabbed the game's opening two scores through Tim Prenter and Liam Savage.
The Lilywhites responded to those concessions with the game's first goal after just two minutes of play.
Cathal Dowling spun his man and was then presented with a clear sight at Pearce Smyth’s goal. The Naas man took a breath, settled himself, before rifling the ball into the top corner.
Kildare went two clear moments later when Gerry Keegan capitalised on a turnover won by David Qualter to point.
That was before the visitors put together a brilliant run of four points without reply to build an 11-point lead after scores from Gerry Keegan, Cathal McCabe, David Qualter and Jack Sheridan.
The power dynamic of this game shifted drastically when Kildare were reduced to 14 men. Down corner-back Ben Taggart shipped a heavy Jack Sheridan but when a yellow would have sufficed Flynn produced a red.
The Lilies responded exceptionally to the setback and put the final two points of the half on the board. David Qualter and Cian Boran’s scores sent Kildare in at half-time with a 2-15 to 0-08 lead.
There was just a point each in the 10 minutes after half-time with tension ramping up. In the 39th minute, Cathal Dowling took the nervous air out of proceedings for a while when he completed his hat-trick in fine style; firing low into the corner of the net.
Down got their best run of the game moments later when they hit four points in two minutes to take a chunk off that Kildare lead.
A David Qualter free, as it often did, arrived as a welcome addition to the Kildare side of the scoreboard.
Despite a late Tom McGrattan goal for the home side Kildare had done enough to pick up win number two and survival still in their own hands.
Down: L Smyth, R Smyth, R McCrickard, B Taggart, B Trainor, C Taggart (0-01), N McFarland, D Hughes (0-02), T Prenter (0-03), S Pucci, P Óg McCrickard (0-11, 10f), L Savage (0-02), E Sands (0-01), F Turpin (0-01), R Beatty. Subs: M Fisher for R Smyth (h-t), P Sheehan (0-02) for S Pucci (h-t), D Sands for C Coleman (h-t), T McGrattan (1-00) for R Beatty (53 mins), E Pucci for P Óg Crickard (61 minutes).
Kildare: P McKenna, L O Reilly, R Boran, R Hogan, S Leacy, C Boran (0-01), D O Meara, P Dolan, D Guerin, C McCabe (0-02), C Dowling (3-00), J Sheridan (0-01), D Qualter (0-14, 11f, 0-1 '65), G Keegan (0-03), J Dolan. Subs: C Smith (0-01) for C Dowling (44 mins), A Goss for M Curtin (57 mins), C Kehoe for A Goss (60 mins), H Carroll for D O'Meara (65 mins), T Ryan for G Keegan (71 mins).
Referee: C Flynn (WH)
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