Group 2 Offaly 2-13 Wicklow 0-11
Laois 0-28 Waterford 1-16
Group 3 Limerick 0-25 London 1-15
Group 4 Wexford 2-24 Longford 1-18
A LITTLE PIECE of history in Newbridge where Kildare began their Tailteann Cup campaign by putting a whopping 36 points on the board.
Brian Flanagan’s side didn’t quite improve on the 8-16, 40-point, tally registered by Down at the semi-final stage in 2023 but the 36 points was a new record for points scored in the brief history of the competition.
We can safely presume it’s the most points Kildare has ever amassed in a Championship game too. They started last year’s competition with similar gusto, racking up an overall 34-point tally that day – though it was made up of three goals and 25 points while they didn’t raise a single green flag this time.
Two-point scores have altered the scoring dynamics this year and Kildare struck five of them in total, four from top scorer Alex Beirne who hit 0-12 in the demolition of Leitrim.
Steven Poacher’s Leitrim gave Mayo plenty to think about in Connacht and were just two points behind with 27 minutes played at Cedral St Conleth’s Park.
But nine Kildare points without reply between the 28th and 35th minutes put daylight between the teams and left the Lilies 0-16 to 0-7 up at half-time.
Darragh Swords and U20 attacker Ryan Sinkey were among 10 different scorers overall for Kildare and fired 0-13 between them while the fit again Jimmy Hyland grabbed Kildare’s other two-pointer.
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Leitrim were overwhelmed by the ferocity of Kildare’s play when the hosts got going and Maynooth’s Niall O’Sullivan came on in the second-half for his debut, scoring a point.
There was a welcome return for former AFL player Darragh Kirwan too as Kildare underlined their title ambitions with the 25-point win.
Sigerson Cup star Tom Prior had his moments for Leitrim, scoring two points and Barry McNulty drilled two two-point frees.
There were Round 1 wins also for Division 4 champions Limerick and Division 3 winners Offaly.
London led briefly early on against Limerick and Ruairi Rafferty grabbed a goal for the Exiles to leave just two points in it at half-time, 0-14 to 1-9.
But Limerick dominated the second-half, restricting London to just six more points and stretching their own lead with two-pointers from Barry Coleman, Iain Corbett and goalkeeper Josh Ryan.
Offaly built on a 2-6 to 0-8 half-time lead in Tullamore to run out eight-point victors over Oisin McConville’s Wicklow.
Jack Bryant’s 1-5 haul for Offaly included a first-half goal and a two-pointer while Diarmuid Egan struck the other goal for the Faithful.
Dylan Hyland was among the second-half scorers for Offaly and finished with 0-4.
In the other Group 2 game, Laois hit 19 first-half points to lay the platform for their eventual nine-point dismissal of Waterford.
Laois, beaten in last year’s final, and on the end of that 8-16 spanking from Down in 2023, had 11 different scores this afternoon.
It was tighter in today’s late Tailteann Cup start, in Group 4, where hosts Wexford came from one down at half-time to beat Longford.
Sean Nolan and Mark Rossiter nabbed first-half goals but Wexford still trailed by 2-8 to 1-12 at half-time.
Cathal McCabe was Longford’s goal scorer though final quarter two-pointers from Niall Hughes, 2, and Sean Nolan helped Division 4 finalists Wexford to turn it around.
Kildare scorers: Alex Beirne 0-12 (3 tpf, 1 tp, 4f), Darragh Swords 0-7 (2f), Ryan Sinkey 0-6, Jimmy Hyland 0-3 (1 tp), Kevin Feely 0-3, Darragh Kirwan 0-1, Harry O’Neill 0-1, James McGrath 0-1, Niall O’Sullivan 0-1, Cian Burke 0-1 (45).
Leitrim scorers: Barry McNulty 0-6 (2 tpf, 1f), Tom Prior 0-2, Keith Keegan 0-2, Riordan O’Rourke 0-1.
Kildare:
1. Cian Burke (Clane)
2. Harry O’Neill (Clane)
3. Mark Dempsey (Moorefield)
4. Ryan Burke (Caragh)
20. Kevin Flynn (Celbridge)
6. David Hyland (Athy)
7. James McGrath (Athy)
8. Kevin Feely (Athy – Captain)
9. Mick O’Grady (Celbridge)
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Tailteann Cup: Kildare hit Leitrim for 36 points, wins for Offaly and Laois
Tailteann Cup Round 1
Group 1
Kildare 0-36 Leitrim 0-11
Group 2
Offaly 2-13 Wicklow 0-11
Laois 0-28 Waterford 1-16
Group 3
Limerick 0-25 London 1-15
Group 4
Wexford 2-24 Longford 1-18
A LITTLE PIECE of history in Newbridge where Kildare began their Tailteann Cup campaign by putting a whopping 36 points on the board.
Brian Flanagan’s side didn’t quite improve on the 8-16, 40-point, tally registered by Down at the semi-final stage in 2023 but the 36 points was a new record for points scored in the brief history of the competition.
We can safely presume it’s the most points Kildare has ever amassed in a Championship game too. They started last year’s competition with similar gusto, racking up an overall 34-point tally that day – though it was made up of three goals and 25 points while they didn’t raise a single green flag this time.
Two-point scores have altered the scoring dynamics this year and Kildare struck five of them in total, four from top scorer Alex Beirne who hit 0-12 in the demolition of Leitrim.
Steven Poacher’s Leitrim gave Mayo plenty to think about in Connacht and were just two points behind with 27 minutes played at Cedral St Conleth’s Park.
But nine Kildare points without reply between the 28th and 35th minutes put daylight between the teams and left the Lilies 0-16 to 0-7 up at half-time.
Darragh Swords and U20 attacker Ryan Sinkey were among 10 different scorers overall for Kildare and fired 0-13 between them while the fit again Jimmy Hyland grabbed Kildare’s other two-pointer.
Leitrim were overwhelmed by the ferocity of Kildare’s play when the hosts got going and Maynooth’s Niall O’Sullivan came on in the second-half for his debut, scoring a point.
There was a welcome return for former AFL player Darragh Kirwan too as Kildare underlined their title ambitions with the 25-point win.
Sigerson Cup star Tom Prior had his moments for Leitrim, scoring two points and Barry McNulty drilled two two-point frees.
There were Round 1 wins also for Division 4 champions Limerick and Division 3 winners Offaly.
London led briefly early on against Limerick and Ruairi Rafferty grabbed a goal for the Exiles to leave just two points in it at half-time, 0-14 to 1-9.
But Limerick dominated the second-half, restricting London to just six more points and stretching their own lead with two-pointers from Barry Coleman, Iain Corbett and goalkeeper Josh Ryan.
Offaly built on a 2-6 to 0-8 half-time lead in Tullamore to run out eight-point victors over Oisin McConville’s Wicklow.
Jack Bryant’s 1-5 haul for Offaly included a first-half goal and a two-pointer while Diarmuid Egan struck the other goal for the Faithful.
Dylan Hyland was among the second-half scorers for Offaly and finished with 0-4.
In the other Group 2 game, Laois hit 19 first-half points to lay the platform for their eventual nine-point dismissal of Waterford.
Laois, beaten in last year’s final, and on the end of that 8-16 spanking from Down in 2023, had 11 different scores this afternoon.
It was tighter in today’s late Tailteann Cup start, in Group 4, where hosts Wexford came from one down at half-time to beat Longford.
Sean Nolan and Mark Rossiter nabbed first-half goals but Wexford still trailed by 2-8 to 1-12 at half-time.
Cathal McCabe was Longford’s goal scorer though final quarter two-pointers from Niall Hughes, 2, and Sean Nolan helped Division 4 finalists Wexford to turn it around.
Kildare scorers: Alex Beirne 0-12 (3 tpf, 1 tp, 4f), Darragh Swords 0-7 (2f), Ryan Sinkey 0-6, Jimmy Hyland 0-3 (1 tp), Kevin Feely 0-3, Darragh Kirwan 0-1, Harry O’Neill 0-1, James McGrath 0-1, Niall O’Sullivan 0-1, Cian Burke 0-1 (45).
Leitrim scorers: Barry McNulty 0-6 (2 tpf, 1f), Tom Prior 0-2, Keith Keegan 0-2, Riordan O’Rourke 0-1.
Kildare:
1. Cian Burke (Clane)
2. Harry O’Neill (Clane)
3. Mark Dempsey (Moorefield)
4. Ryan Burke (Caragh)
20. Kevin Flynn (Celbridge)
6. David Hyland (Athy)
7. James McGrath (Athy)
8. Kevin Feely (Athy – Captain)
9. Mick O’Grady (Celbridge)
10. Darragh Swords (Caragh)
11. Alex Beirne (Naas)
12. Paddy McDermott (Naas)
13. Ryan Sinkey (Naas)
14. Darragh Kirwan (Naas)
15. Jimmy Hyland (Ballyteague)
Subs:
Leitrim:
1. Daire O’Shea (St Mochtas, Louth)
2. Eanna McNamara (Aughavas)
3. Donal Casey (Leitrim Gaels)
4. Kieran Clancy (Melvin Gaels)
5. James Rooney (Glencar Manorhamilton)
6. Mark Diffley (St Mary’s, Kiltoghert – Captain)
7. Jack Foley (Kiltubrid)
8. Barry McNulty (Glencar Manorhamilton)
9. Cillian McGloin (Melvin Gaels)
20. David Feeney (Drumkeerin)
11. Keith Keegan (Mohill)
15. Darren Cox (Annaduff)
13. Ben Guckian (St Mary’s, Kiltoghert)
14. Riordan O’Rourke (Fenagh St Caillins)
12. Tom Prior (Ballinamore Sean O’Heslins)
Subs:
Referee: Liam Devenney (Mayo).
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Gaelic Football Tailteann Cup Kildare Leitrim Wrap