Kildare 5-17
UCD 2-11

PADRAIG FOGARTY HIT four goals as Kildare saw off UCD in a high-scoring encounter at St Conleth’s Park. The champions came out on top in a high-scoring encounter, even though Westmeath star, John Heslin had an early goal for UCD.

Cathal McNally punched the ball to the net from close range following clever work by Paddy Brophy and a brace from Darroch Mulhall allied to points from Sean Hurley and Padraig Fogarty handed the home side a six point lead fifteen minutes into the half.

UCD came storming back into the game though and another goal, this time a wonderful effort from Ryan Basquel, helped them to within a point of the Lilywhites ten minutes before the break.

Kildare hit back almost immediately with another goal of their own though when Fogarty took advantage of an assist from Brophy to blast the ball to the net.

Three points in a row however for UCD closed the gap once more before Fogarty’s second goal, this time after great work by Tommy Moolick retrieving an Eoghan O’Flaherty shot off the post to give Kildare a four point lead at the interval.

Kildare reeled off the first three points after the resumption to open a seven point lead once more and although Heslin replied for the students, Mulhall quickly responded with another point.

Mark Hughes and Conor Downey pointed to reduce the deficit but Kildare controlled the final quarter with Fogarty notching his hat-trick in the 56th minute before completing the scoring with his fourth and Kildare’s fifth goal in injury time.

Scorers for Kildare: P Fogarty 4-3; D Mulhall (3fs), E O’Flaherty (2fs) 0-4 each; C McNally 1-0; P Brophy 0-2; S Hurley, G White, P Cribbin, J Gately 0-1 each

Scorers for UCD: J Heslin 1-5 (0-2fs); R Basquel 1-0; P Mannion (f), J McCaffrey, L Connerton, B Fenton, M Hughes, C Downey 0-1 each

KILDARE: S Connolly; M O’Grady, M Foley, H McGrillen; D Hyland, E Bolton, P Cribbin; T Moolick, G White; C McNally, E O’Flaherty, S Hurley; P Brophy, D Mulhall, P Fogarty.

Subs: J Gately for McNally (56); K Murnaghan for Bolton (59); R Dunne for Mulhall (64); C Tierney for Hurley (66); D Flynn for White (69); W Groome for Brophy (70).

UCD: E Keane; P Reilly, R Tierney, A English; C Lenehan, P O’Harnan, A Ó Murchú; M O’Hanlon, B Fenton; J McCaffrey, J Heslin, L Connerton; P Mannion, R Basquel, M Hughes.

Subs: C Downey for O’Hanlon (ht); S McEntee for Connerton (ht); R Bergin for Basquel (44); S Flanagan for Reilly (59);S Cadden for Fenton (59).

Referee: A Nolan (Wicklow)

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