Lilies blown off course by The Rebels as Kildare suffer huge loss

The score board doesn't lie and when the final whistle arrived at St Conleth's Park, Newbridge, on Sunday afternoon it read: Cork 2-14 Kildare 0-7.

And make no mistake about it Cork were worth every single point of their 13 winning margin.
Kildare were hugely disappointing from start to finish.

Behind early on they never got within touching distance of The Rebels once the visitors opened their account on the tenth minute.

That opening ten saw both sides hand pass back and forth in fact there was all of five minutes gone before the first ball was kicked in anger.

And when the opening point eventually arrived it came from a long ball in to Brian O'Driscoll who duly fired over at the town end

Two Wides and one short, a brilliant catch by Aaron Masterson on the terrace side yielded nothing to disturb the Kildare side of the score board.
Thirteen minutes in and the visitors double their score when Brian Hurley converting a mark.
Kildare players were not finding their men, were being turned over and dispossed as Cork dominated all over the pitch.

And then on 15 minutes the opening goal of the game arrived when a ball was sent into to Cork full forward Brian Hurley on the edge of the square but as he tried to make headway found his path blocked but he managed to get in a punched cross and there to find the net was centre forward Sean Powter.

The alarm bells began to ring loud and clear as the score board read 1-2 to no score.
The impressive Steven Sherlock was causing problems, the open space in front of him was never blocked off as he duly gathered and fired over.

Kildare registered their third wide on 19 minutes; Steven Sherlock fired over a 45 with nonchalant ease as Kildare continued to miss-direct when in possession coughing up the leather time and time and time again.

Midfielder Colm O'Callaghan got in on the scoring act for Cork and when Steven Sherlock converted a free the visitors now led 1-6 to no score with no less than 24 minutes on the board.

It was beginning to look like the home side may not register a score in the opening half in front of a big crowd on a perfect day for football.

To relief of the home supporters, and no doubt the team management, The Lilies finally raised a white flag when Jimmy Hyland split the posts on 28 minutes.

Eoghan McSweeney and Luke Fahey, a late addition to the Cork starting team, added points before Ben McCormack, who came on after 30 minutes, got Kildare's second point of the half as the referee brought proceedings to a close with the score reading Cork 1-8 Kildare 0-2.

In many respects the game was all but over at that stage; not that Cork were out of sight but more to do with the fact that Glenn Ryan's side were simply not operating to any degree of decent level and while it was hoped a few early scores might see them step up on the resumption, unfortunately that did not happen.

A slight improvement came on the resumption but nothing that had Tánaiste Micheál Martin in attendance supporting his native Cork, along with his son Cork goalkeeper Michéal Aodh Martin.

Two changes were made during the opening half that saw Tony Archbold and Ben McCormack introduced and another at half-time this one saw Alex Beirne joining the fray.

Jimmy Hyland gave the big home crowd something to cheer about when he converted a free on 37 minutes but Brian O'Driscoll soon cancelled that out.

Darragh Kirwan raised another white for The Lilies but Steven Sherlock replied within two minutes for The Rebels.
Jack Robinson brought the Kildare tally to five on 47 minutes before Kildare were hit with another massive blow when half-time substitute Alex Beirne was shown a straight red card by referee Jerome Henry, and the Naas man could have no complaints whatsoever for being given the opportunity of an early shower.

Cork could have had a goal on 49 but Cathal O'Mahony's blistering shot found the crossbar before going over.
Jack Robinson got his second of the day to leave it 1-11 to 0-6 on 52 minutes as some of the home fans decided there were better places to be rather than watch this excruciating display from their favourites.

Kevin O'Callaghan picked up a yellow and he was a very lucky lad he didn't join Alex Beirne for that early shower.
Brian Hurley converted a 45 as Kildare kicked their fifth short into the hands of a grateful Cork keeper Micheál Aodh Martin.

Kildare did manage one more point, from the boot of Clogherinkoe man Jack Robinson, his third of the afternoon and while second half substitute, Kevin Feely was denied a goal by a diving save from the Tanaiste son it was the visitors that finished the strongest.

Brian Hurley added a free before in a breakaway move substitute Cathall O'Mahony found the net from close range giving Mark Donnellan no chance.

And so the game finally came to it's inevitable conclusion with Cork winning 2-14 Kildare 0-07.

SCORERS

Cork: Brian Hurley 0-4 (1 45, free, mark), Sean Sherlock 0-4 (1 free, 45), Sean Powter 1-0, Cathal O'Mahony 1-1, Brian O'Driscoll 0-3, Luke Fahy 0-1, Colm O'Callaghan 0-1.

Kildare: Jack Robinson 0-3, Jimmy Hyland 0-2 (1 free), Ben McCormack 0-1, Darragh Kirwan 0-1.

TEAMS

Cork: Michéal Aodh Martin; Maurice Shanley, Daniel O'Mahony, Tommy Walsh; Luke Fahy, Rory Maguire, Mattie Taylor; Colm O'Callaghan, Ian Maguire; Eoghan McSweeney, Sean Power, Brian O'Driscoll; Chris Óg Jones, Brian Hurley cpt., Steven Sherlock.

Subs: Cathal O'Mahony for Chris Óg Jones (half time); Ruairi Deane for Eoghan McSweeney (51 minutes); Conor Corbett for Steven Sherlock (55 minutes); Killian O'Hanlon for Colm O'Callaghan (blood sub 56-61 minutes); Killian O'Hanlon for Ian Maguire (69 minutes); Cian Kiely for Rory Maguire (73 minutes).

Kildare: Mark Donnellan; Mick O'Grady captain, Shea Ryan, Ryan Houlihan; David Hyland, Darragh Malone, Paddy McDermott; Aaron Masterson, Kevin O'Callaghan; Neil Flynn, Kevin Flynn, Paul Cribbin; Jimmy Hyland, Darragh Kirwan, Jack Robinson.

Subs: Tony Archbold for Ryan Houlihan (28 minutes); Ben McCormack for Neil Flynn (30 minutes); Alex Beirne for Paul Cribbin (half-time); Kevin Feely for Aaron Masterson (45 minutes); Daniel Flynn for Jimmy Hyland (53 minutes).

Referee: Jerome Henry, Mayo.