Kildare no match for rampant Dublin

Nine points separated Kildare and Dublin.
And make no mistake The Dubs were worth every single one of them as they came, somewhat light-weight it has to be said, to Nowlan Park, Kilkenny on Saturday, yet hardly breaking sweat on one of the warmest days we have had to date this summer, tore Kildare apart from mid-way in the opening half, right to the end of one of the most boring second halves we have witnessed at this level, or any level of football. for many a long day.

It started promising with both sides firing over some excellent points in what surprisingly was a very open opening quarter.
Con O'Callaghan got the ball rolling for The Dubs, the Cuala man had more room in the opening half than he could have only ever dreamed of having.

Ben McCormack leveled before Colm Basquel fired over the first of his five points, all from play.
Darragh Kirwan leveled; O'Callaghan edged The Dubs ahead before Kildare carved out a goal chance, their only goal chance of the entire game.

Neil Flynn's 45 fell short; was gathered by Kevin O'Callaghan who fed Darragh Kirwan, the Naas man was in the clear, fired a lot shot but Stephen Cluxton had little difficulty in getting down to an effort that lacked power and direction.

A somewhat soft free on Ben McCormack saw Paddy Woodgate level up again — 0-3 apiece with ten minutes on the clock.
All going smoothly at this point.

O'Callaghan, a little shimmy before firing over; before Neil Flynn found Aaron Masterson and the Moorefield man hit a beauty to level for the fourth time.

Niall Scully raised a white flag for the boys in blue; Neil Flynn hit a lovely effort; level for the fifth time with 17 minutes on the clock.

And really and truely, from a Kildare point of view, that was it.

Seventeen minutes gone and The Dubs decided they had enough of his toing and frooing and suddenly pulled The Lilies apart at their ease.

Dean Rock (free).
Sean Bugler.
Killian O'Gara.
Dean Rock.
Colm Basquel.
Colm Basquel.

From level at five apiece to six adrift in seven minutes.

Game over.

Ball burst.
Well, not quiet.

Kildare suddenly emerged from their slumber to hit three on the trot.
Neil Flynn free.
Kevin O'Callaghan.
Neil Flynn.

And suddenly The Lilies were back within three with six minutes of the opening half still left.

However The Dubs finished the half with points from Rock (free) and O'Callaghan's fourth from open play as the favourites went into the dressing rooms leading 0-13 to 0-8.
It wasn't looking good for Glenn Ryan charges; a couple of half-time changes looked it might have put a bit of life into the 'home' side.

Ben McCormack hit over the opener of the second half and quickly followed with another.
Back to three points difference once again.

A couple of Dublin wides followed by points from Bugler and a Rock free and the lead was back to five, mid-way through.
Neil Flynn fired over a free, Daniel Flynn had been fouled while trying to dance through the Dublin defence, that was in the 45 minute.

Bugler added to his tally as did Basquel; Neil Flynn converted a 45 in the 49 minute but Kildare were not to score again until the last kick of the game in the 73 minute — 24 minutes — Kevin Feely converting a mark.
In between the Boys in Blue tacked on five more points from Paul Mannion (second half substitute), Brian Fenton, Sean Bugler, Tom Lahiff and Mannion again.
The final whistle finally arrived.

Dubs had nine to spare.
Kildare out-gunned, out-played, out-smarted against a Dublin side that while playing a lot better than when they drew with Roscommon, still have loads of improvement to come.

For Kildare?
What can one say?
Another dismal effort.
Roscommon in two weeks time.

No doubt scoring difference will decide if it is Kildare or Roscommon who continue on into the last 12.
Following Sligo's ten point drubbing by Roscommon, Kildare hold a one point better scoring average than Sligo.
Will that be good enough?
Who knows!

SCORERS
Dublin: Dublin, Colm Basquel 0-5, Con O'Callaghan 0-4, Dean Rock 0-4 (3 frees), Sean Bugler 0-3, Paul Mannion 0-2, Niall Scully 0-1, Killian O'Gara 0-1, Brian Fenton 0-1, Tom Lahiff 0-1.

Kildare: Neil Flynn 0-5 (2 frees, 45), Ben McCormack 0-3, Darragh Kirwan 0-1, Kevin O'Callaghan 0-1, Aaron Masterson 0-1, Paddy Woodgate 0-1 (free), Kevin Feely 0-1 (mark).

TEAMS

Dublin: Stephen Cluxton; Daire Newcombe, Michael Fitzsimons, Sean MacMahon; Brian Howard, John Small, Lee Gannon; Brian Fenton, James McCarthy; Niall Scully, Seán Bugler, Colm Basquel; Dean Rock, Con O'Callaghan, Killian O'Gara . Subs: Paul Mannion for Killian O'Gara (half-time); Lorcan O'Dell for Dean Rock (48 minutes); Cian Murphy for John Small (59 minutes); Tom Lahiff for Con O'Callaghan (59 minutes); Greg McEneaney for Sean MacMahon (71 minutes).

Kildare: Mark Donnellan; Mick O'Grady cpt, Shea Ryan, Eoin Doyle; David Hyland, Kevin Flynn, Jack Sargent; Kevin O'Callaghan, Aaron Masterson; Paddy McDermott, Ben McCormack, Alex Beirne; Neil Flynn, Darragh Kirwan, Paddy Woodgate. Subs: Ryan Houlihan for Eoin Doyle (half-time); Tony Archbold for Jack Sargent (half-time); Danial Flynn for Paddy Woodgate (42 minutes); Kevin Feely for Aaron Masterson (48 minutes); Paul Cribbin for Ben McCormack (54 minutes).

REFEREE: Sean Hurson, Tyrone.