Kildare 1-21
Cavan 0-20
KILDARE EASED THEIR Division 2 relegation fears with a four-point win over Cavan in Newbridge this afternoon.
This result, coupled with Armagh’s home defeat to table-toppers Roscommon yesterday, means Kildare still have an outside chance of achieving promotion on the final day.
They’ll host Westmeath, who are a point ahead of them in the table, next weekend but will need other results to go their way if they’re to join Roscommon in the top flight next season.
Fergal Conway’s arrived off the bench to grab a 50th minute goal that pushed Jack O’Connor’s side eight clear. Cavan scored nine points in the final 20 minutes but it wasn”t enough to haul Kildare in.
Jimmy Hyland looked extremely lively throughout and top scored with 0-9 (0-4 from play).
Ben McCormack and Hyland set about cutting Cavan apart from the outset, firing over four points between them in the opening eight minutes.
Indeed Kildare’s full-forward line did plenty of damage in the first-half as Darragh Kirwan also grabbed a brace, but they didn’t have it all their own way. Cavan eventually settled into the game and chipped away at the lead.
Conor Smith and Cormac O’Reilly – a late addition to the starting team – started to find some room up front. Chris Conroy sent over a pair of frees and Gearoid McKiernan started to impose himself all over the field.
He had 0-3 on the board by half-time, but late scores from Hyland and Paul Cribben left the Lilywhites 0-13 to 0-9 ahead.
Kirwan, Hyland (free) and Kevin Flynn edged Kildare further in front after the break. Wing-back Flynn scored his third point of the game in the 52nd minute, shortly after Fergal Conway rattled the back of the Cavan net.
Conway had only just arrived on the field when Cribben delivered a superb crossfield ball that was fielded by McCormack and passed to the onrushing substitute for the finish.
Cavan went into the second-half water break trailing by 1-18 to 0-11. Five scores without reply brought the Breffni men back into the contest, leaving them five behind with nine minutes left.
Chris Conroy brought his tally to 0-8 with pair of a fine frees and Caoimhan McGovern added another as Cavan finished strong. But Kildare held out for the victory with late efforts from Kirwan and Hyland helping them to a four-point win.
Scorers for Kildare: Jimmy Hyland 0-9 (0-5f), Darragh Kirwan 0-4, Kevin Flynn 0-3, Fergal Conway 1-0, Ben McCormack 0-2, Liam Power, Paul Cribbin and Feely 0-1 each.
Scorers for Cavan: Chris Conroy 0-8 (0-8f), Gearoid McKiernan 0-5 (0-1f), Cormac O’Reilly 0-2 (0-1f), Caoimhin McGovern 0-2, Oisin Kiernan 0-1.
Kildare
1. Mark Donnellan (Maynooth)
2. Shea Ryan (Sarsfields)
3. Mick O’Grady (Cill Droichid)
4. Eoin Doyle (Nas na Riogh)
5. David Hyland (Athy)
6. Con Kavanagh (Sarsfields)
7. Kevin Flynn (Cill Droichid)
8. Keivn Feely (Athy)
9. Aaron Masterson (Moorefield)
10. Paul Cribbin (Johnstownbridge)
11. Paddy Brop[hy (Cill Droichid)
12. Liam Power (Na Raithini)
13. Ben McCormack (Sarsfields)
14. Darragh Kirwan (Nas na Riogh)
15. Jimmy Hyland (Baile Thaigh)
Subs
22. Fergal Conway (Cill Drochid) for Power (45)
24. Neil Flynn (Maynooth) for Cribben (58)
19. Keith Cribbin (Johnstownbridge) for Kavanagh (60)
23. Eanna O'Connor (Moorefield) for Brophy (64)
Cavan
1. Raymond Galligan (Leacain)
2. Jason McLoughlin (Gaeil Na Sionainne)
3. Killian Brady (Mullach Odhrain)
24. Cormac Timoney (Beal Atha na nEach)
5. Gerard Smith (An Leamhai)
6. Chris Conroy (An Leamhai)
7. Ciaran Brady (Armhach)
8. Gearoid McKiernan (Cavan Gaels)
9. Padraig Faulkner (Dun a Ri)
10. Oisin Kiernan (Casilean Reathain)
11. Martin Reilly (Coill an Gharrai)
12. Oisin Brady (Coill an Gharrai)
13. Conor Smith (Coill an Gharrai)
17. Cormac O'Reilly (Mullach Odhrain)
15. Evan Doughty (Cuchulainn)
Subs
14. Conor Madden (Loch Gamhna) for Doughty (43)
4. Luke Fortune (Cavan Gaels) for Brady (45)
18. Caoimhan McGovern (Gaeil na Sionainne) for Reilly (53)
23. Bryan Magee (Cuchulainn) for Smith (58)
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