Kildare off to a flying start against Fermanagh with new beginnings and new rules

Kildare 2-24

Fermanagh 1-12

It has been a long time coming but when it did it was impressive, satisfying and, dare I say it, very enjoyable.

Cast your mind back to 26 March 2023; the final game in St Conleth's Park prior to the start of the redevelopment and the last time Kildare recorded a win in the Alliance Football League.

That dreadful run was well and truely put on the back-burner as Kildare proved too strong for Fermanagh in the opening round of this season's AFL Division 3 campaign, with, wait for it, no less than fifteen points to spare.

These sides met last season in Division 2 and it was the home side who came out on top in Enniskillen, somewhat comfortably at that.

And with Jim Gavin's new-look football on view for the first time in a competitive game, if this is anything to go on then possibly, hopefully, maybe these rules can and will bring out the best in Brian Flanagan's new look team.

Overall the rules went well, aided by an excellent display from referee Barry Judge, and in fairness, the players adapted very well.

Ironically it was Kildare full back, Mick O'Grady who opened the scoring after two minutes and while Declan McCusker replied a minute later Kildare took over from here, hitting no less than seven points in the next fifteen minutes.

Forcing Fermanagh to go long with their kick-outs the home side mopped up the majority of these through gaining direct possession or winning the breaking ball time and time again.

Eight points in the opening 18 minutes from eight different scorers, was impressive as Fermanagh looked like a side caught in the headlights of Kildare had struggled all over the pitch as a result.

It was not until the 20 the visitors got their second point, Conor Love the scorer but Kildare hit back quickly after Conor Dalton made a brilliant turn-over, setting up Ryan Sinkey, the Naas man punching over and when Niall Kelly and Darragh Kirwan added two Kildare now led 0-11 to 0-2 after 26 minutes.

A poor kick-out saw Fermanagh handed a real goal chance but keeper Didier Cordonnier, made up for that kick-out getting down low to deny Darragh McGurn and made a second save from Conor Love. Fermanagh keeper Ross Bogue got the visitor's third point but Alex Beirne and Darragh Kirwan made it 0-13 to 0-10 on 34 minutes.

Fermanagh did raise a gallop before the break with points from Darragh McGurn (from the first short kick-out) while the same player hit a two-pointer and a free from Fionan O'Brien made it 0-13 to 0-7 at the break.

The impressive Callum Bolton got the opening point of the second half and as Kildare came again, keeper Cordonnier, making another of many forays up the field, saw his hand-pass intercepted and then 'standing-in' on his opponent was somewhat fortunate to only receive a yellow when a black looked certain.

Substitute Ultan Kelm and Darragh Kirwan exchanged points; Garvan Jones (free) and Ross Bogue had the lead back to five but Niall Kelly hit a brilliant two-pointer with Kirwan adding another and the lead was out to eight on 48 minutes.

A moment of madness from Kevin Feely (did something similar in the first half) saw the captain hit a ball right across his own goal into the hands of Shane McGullion who made no mistake from close range to find the net.

Kildare responded quickly with Kevin Flynn finding Bolton who split the posts while Aaron Masterson set up Beirne who was fouled and he duly popped over a two-pointer free.

Sixty minutes on the clock and directly from a kick-out Aaron Masterson got a loose ball to Conor Dalton. The Sallins man took off at pace, found Darragh Kirwan off his shoulder and the full forward blasted a left footer to the net for the score of the game as Kildare now led 1-21 to 1-10.

Garvan Jones fired over two for the boys in green but Kildare were not finished yet.

Darragh Kirwan added a free before Kevin Feely took a forward mark, found Darragh Swords who fired the ball across the square where Ryan Sinkey was on hand to palm to the net and then to cap it off wing-back, the returned David Hyland hit a mighty two-pointer as Kildare finished with fifteen points to spare on a final score line 2-24 to 1-12.

MAIN MAN
CALLUM BOLTON
No shortage of contenders from Brian Byrne to David Hyland, Alex Beirne, Ryan Sinkey, Darragh Kirwan to Callum Bolton but at the end of the day it is the young Sarsfields player, Callum Bolton who gets the honour after putting in a mighty performance in midfield; his work rate was second to none; managed two points but it was his overall performance up and down the field that saw him shine throughout the game.

TURNING POINT
Between the third and 18 minute Kildare hit seven points without reply with six different players getting on the score sheet and in truth Fermanagh never recovered after that.

SCORE OF THE GAME
Kildare's first goal was a superb; gaining possession from a Fermanagh involved were Aaron Masterson, Colm Dalton who made up some ground, off-loaded to Darragh Kirwan who blasted a left footed effort to the net. Brilliant.

WHAT NOW?
Kildare are on the road this weekend travelling to Sligo for will be another big test for the team.

SCORERS

Kildare: Darragh Kirwan 1-6 (2 frees), Ryan Sinkey 1-2, Alex Beirne 0-4 (2 frees, one two-pointer free), Niall Kelly 0-3 (one two-pointer), Colm Dalton 0-2, Callum Bolton 0-2, David Hyland 0-2 (two-pointer), Brian McLoughlin 0-1, Ryan Houlihan 0-1, Mick O'Grady 0-1.

Fermanagh: Shane McGullion 1-0, Darragh McGurn 0-3 (one two-pointer), Garvan Jones 0-3 (2 frees), Ross Bogue 0-2, Declan McCusker 0-1, Conor Love 0-1, Fionan O'Brien 0-1 (free), Ultan Kelm 0-1.

TEAMS
Kildare: Didier Cordonnier; Harry O'Neill, Mick O'Grady, Brian Byrne; David Hyland, James McGrath, Ryan Houlihan; Kevin Feely, Callum Bolton; Brian McLoughlin, Alex Beirne, Colm Dalton; Ryan Sinkey, Darragh Kirwan, Niall Kelly Subs: Kevin Flynn for Ryan Houlihan (50 minutes); Aaron Masterson for Niall Kelly (52 minutes); Dean O'Donoghue for Harry O'Neill (62 minutes); Cathal Hagney for Brian McLoughlin (62 minutes); Darragh Swords for Callum Bolton (66 minutes).

Fermanagh: Ross Bogue; Lee Cullen, Aaron Jones, Joe McDaid; Jonathan Cassidy, Declan McCusker cpt., Dean O'Donoghue; Ronan McCaffrey, Darragh McGurn; Shane McGullion, Fionan O'Brien Paul Breen; Josh Largo Elis, Garvan Jones, Conor Love. Subs: Ultan Kelm for Aaron Jones (29 minutes); Ryan Lyons for Paul Breen (52 minutes); Oisin Smyth for Joe McDade (56 minutes); Oisin Murphy for Darragh McGurn (65 minutes).

REFEREE: Barry Judge, Sligo.