Eircom League of Ireland First Division leaders Dundalk were held to a scoreless draw by a gallant Kildare County side after a close match at Station Road tonight.
After a tight game, Dundalk almost snatched all three points right at the death when substitute Anto Flood was put in on goal by Shaun Williams but Austin O'Neill made an excellent save to keep the scores level.
The first half was a scrappy affair and it took until the 30th minute for the first shot on goal.
John Flanagan picked out Paul Marney with his throw in, Marney cut the ball back from the byline and Trevor Vaughan was only denied by a fine save from O'Neill.
Both sides then had chances in first half injury time with Cathal O’Connor heading over from a Philip Hughes cross, while at the other end Alan Byrne scooped the ball over the bar from six yards after Eoin Kavanagh’s cross had evaded Philip Gorman.
Dundalk pressed hard in the second but, with Philip Byrne outstanding in the defence for Kildare, they struggled to make the breakthrough.
In the 75th minute, Shaun Williams' left wing cross almost embarrassed O’Neill but he got back to touch the ball over the bar. From the resulting corner, Keith Dunne found Ben Whelehan, who was unmarked 12 yards from goal, but his header flew over the bar.
Although Kildare did not create much without injured top scorer Padraig Amond, they were not without their chances and Gorman's shot from 25 yards with 10 minutes left was well saved by Bennion.
Flood then almost won the game in injury time, but that would have been harsh on Kildare who held on to stretch their own unbeaten run to five games.
Kildare County: O’Neill; L'Estrange, McDermott (Morgan 90), P Byrne, Stapleton; Donnelly (P Rigney 60), A Byrne, McCrossan, Kavanagh; Gorman, Hanaphy.
Dundalk: Bennion; Flanagan (R Dunne 76), Lynch, Whelehan, Grimes; O'Connor (Doran 62), Williams, Dunne, K Dunne; Vaughan (Flood 72), Hughes.
Referee: T Supercynski (Dublin).
