Kildare 0-13
Meath 0-8

Paul Keane reports from St Conleth’s Park

A BIG WIN for Kildare amounted to a fitting farewell to Newbridge’s St Conleth’s Park as Glenn Ryan’s men signed off on their Allianz League Division 2 campaign with a confidence-injecting victory.

The Newbridge venue will shortly be redeveloped and the hosts rose to the carnival atmosphere – which included a full choir regaling the big crowd and a half-time parade of representatives from all the clubs – with a strong display and their third win of the Division 2 campaign.

Darragh Kirwan helped himself to five points as Kildare opened up an eight-point lead with 20 minutes to go and cruised home from there.

The win means Kildare leapfrog Meath into fifth position in the table though the threat of Tailteann Cup football still looms.

Meath, who have finished a place above the relegation zone, could yet slip into Tier 2 also and Colm O’Rourke appears to have a real job on his hands with a struggling side that registered just two points from open play.

They will return to action in the Leinster championship against Longford or Offaly on 23 April while Kildare will play Wicklow or Carlow the same day.

Relegation may not have been an issue beforehand with both teams safe from the drop though they badly wanted to finish the campaign with a morale boosting win.

Meath hadn’t enjoyed one of those since beating Clare in Round 2, recording three losses and a draw since then.

They were badly beaten by Ulster champions Derry and suffered a similar humiliation at home to Dublin last weekend.

Boss O’Rourke changed a third of his team and drafted in Eoin Harkin, Daithi McGowan, Ross Ryan, Aaron Lynch and Cillian O’Sullivan.

But he was forced to rip up that script early on with both Harkin and Lynch taken off in the first-half.

Meath were noticeably more defensive than eight days ago against Dublin but Kildare still found it relatively easy to cut through them.

Darragh Kirwan, stationed at full-forward and picked up by Michael Flood, filled his boots with 0-3 in the opening half and he also won a free that Jack Robinson converted. Flood was replaced at half-time.

David Hyland and Paddy Woodgate launched over scores as well as Kildare hit the interval with a commanding 0-8 to 0-3 lead.

Meath’s first score didn’t arrive until the 22nd minute and it wasn’t until the 28th that they scored from play when O’Sullivan pointed. Ronan Jones added a beauty for Meath from long range but it was a rare moment of inspiration and they would have to play into the wind after the break.

Kildare stretched the lead out to eight points at 0-11 to 0-3 in the third quarter following scores from Robinson, Paul Cribbin and Kirwan. And that was pretty much that.

Meath did improve in the final quarter and got the margin down to four points at one stage with a series of scores rom frees but they never looked like robbing the win.

Kildare were boosted by the sight of key figures Jimmy Hyland, Kevin Feely and Daniel Flynn all coming off the bench in the second-half.

Kildare scorers: Darragh Kirwan 0-5 (0-1f), Jack Robinson 0-3 (0-2f, 0-1m), Paddy Woodgate 0-2 (0-1f), J Hyland 0-1 (0-1f), David Hyland 0-1, Paul Cribbin 0-1.

Meath scorers: Donal Lenihan 0-4 (0-4f), Jack Flynn 0-1 (0-1f), Cillian O’Sullivan 0-1, Ronan Jones 0-1, Mathew Costello 0-1 (0-1f).

Kildare

1. Mark Donnellan (Maynooth)

2. Mick O’Grady (Celbridge – captain)
3. Shea Ryan (Sarsfields)
4. Ryan Houlihan (Moorefield)

5. David Hyland (Athy)
6. Kevin Flynn (Celbridge)
7. Jack Sargent (Eadestown)

8. Aaron Masterson (Moorefield)
9. Kevin O’Callaghan (Celbridge)

10. Barry Coffey (Sarsfields)
11. Ben McCormack (Sarsfields)
12. Alex Beirne (Naas)

13. Jack Robinson (Clogherinkoe)
14. Darragh Kirwan (Naas)
15. Paddy Woodgate (Raheens)

Subs:

25. Paul Cribbin (Johnstownbridge) for Beirne h/t
20. Daniel Flynn (Johnstownbridge) for Robinson 51
21. Jimmy Hyland (Ballyteague) for Woodgate 51
24. Kevin Feely (Athy) for Masterson 53
17. Paddy McDermott (Naas) for Coffey 65

Meath

1. Harry Hogan (Longwood)

4. Harry O’Higgins (Drumbaragh Emmets)
3. Michael Flood (St Brigid’s)
2. Adam O’Neill (Wolfe Tones)

24. Eoin Harkin (Dunsany)
6. Padraic Harnan (Moynalvey)
5. Ross Ryan (Summerhill)

10. Daithi McGowan (Ratoath)
8. Ronan Jones (St Peter’s, Dunboyne)

9. Jack Flynn (Ratoath)
11. Mathew Costello (Dunshaughlin)
12. Jason Scully (Oldcastle)

13. Aaron Lynch (Trim)
14. Diarmuid Moriarty (Curraha)
18. Cillian O’Sullivan (Moynalvey)

Subs:
15. Donal Lenihan (St Peter’s, Dunboyne) for Lynch 29
7. Cathal Hickey (Seneschalstown) for Harkin 32
19. Jack O’Connor (Curraha) for Flood h/t
23. Thomas O’Reilly (Wolfe Tones) for O’Sullivan 47
26. Keith Curtis (Rathkenny) for Moriarty 60

Referee: John Gilmartin (Sligo).

Division 2 Results:

Cork 1-14 Derry 1-14

Limerick 0-9 Clare 2-18

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